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Nintendo DS - free voice-over-ip chat; DS on track for 2004 release
- Thread starter Wario64
- Start date
DJ Demon J
Banned
Praise Jesus
The secret to the hole is out!
If the DS is truly going to be used as a phone, it needs a removable remote on the headset to dial numbers, or at least recall them from a phone book. The DS doesn't have the advantage of a built-in keypad like the N-Gage, and opening the unit to make a call would be a hassle.
Can't wait to hang outside people's houses late at night to make free calls! i kid, i kid!
If the DS is truly going to be used as a phone, it needs a removable remote on the headset to dial numbers, or at least recall them from a phone book. The DS doesn't have the advantage of a built-in keypad like the N-Gage, and opening the unit to make a call would be a hassle.
Can't wait to hang outside people's houses late at night to make free calls! i kid, i kid!
BatiGOOOOOOL
Member
aoi tsuki said:
There´s always the touch screen, I guess.
Baron Aloha
A Shining Example
aoi tsuki said:
Touch screen.
Semjaza Azazel
Member
As he said, "opening the unit would be a hassle". He realizes there is a touchscreen.
That's what i meant by "opening it up". If they (or some third party though unlikely) released an LCD remote like Minidiscs use, you could at least scroll through your address book and dial numbers from there. It also would've been nice if Nintendo used a rotatable flipscreen, like in the UX-50 Clie. You could keep the touchscreen visible at all times that way; much easier when used as a phone.BatiGOOOOOOL said:
i guess it's too much to hope for the headset to be released with the DS this November. My Sprint contract ends in November, and i'm not renewing. i'd like to get some idea of how much i'd use my DS as a cell before i bought another.
BatiGOOOOOOL
Member
Heh, stupid me. I thought you were implying opening the unit in some unconventional way.
Semjaza Azazel
Member
I'm curious as to whether or not this will work just between DS systems or would this idea be able to work with any phone?
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
Can you only call other DS users through the VoIP service ?
This is cool though, I am glad that both PSP and DS will take the online challenge seriously: I do want them both.
This is cool though, I am glad that both PSP and DS will take the online challenge seriously: I do want them both.
i'm taking this at face value.
There's still a lot of variables up in the air such as call quality and duration, number availability, ability to receive calls, etc. so i'm not counting this as a cell phone replacement just yet, but considering Nintendo's standards on hardware quality, i expect it to do what it does quite well.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
Even if it's just between DSs, that's pretty cool. I have friends who like videogames, but generally not enough to actually buy a system, but this sort of things could be a big incentive.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
Matlock said:
Headset.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
Yeah but that's an actual phone, you're meant to hold it to your ear. The DS on the other hand is meant to be held away from yourself, whether using the headset or not.
It really is a testament to modern society and technology that we got to the point where someone can make the claim that opening a plastic device on a hinge would be a "hassle." How is opening the DS any more difficult then opening all of the cell phones on the market that have flip tops or sliding covers on them? Wouldn't a seperate remote for a handheld device be just a bit ridiculous?aoi tsuki said:
Anyway, yay for VoIP.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
aoi tsuki said:
I know, I don't see what that has to do with the DS though. The primary way of talking over a phone is to hold it to your head, which is what made the N-Gage look so ridiculous. The primary way of talking over a game system however is through a headset.
FitzOfRage
Member
Cathcart said:
Heh, that's what I was thinking. I mean an add-on to get over the hurdle of opening the unit? Maybe I'm the only one in the world left with a clam shell design cell phone, but it's not a hassle for me (certainly not enough for me to want an add on, or to look into a different design).
Anyway,
I would guess calls between DS users would be free, while other calls would incur a charge.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
The DS has some sort of alert thing when other DS users are close I believe (correct me if iIm wrong), maybe that'll be used for this too.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
I just tried to find informtation on that, and are we sure that's the case? I found this:
"If the user receives a message from a friend or user nearby, DS activates itself from Standby mode."
quite a few times, which isn't quite the same thing (though it explains how the phone thing will work).
"If the user receives a message from a friend or user nearby, DS activates itself from Standby mode."
quite a few times, which isn't quite the same thing (though it explains how the phone thing will work).
MrPing1000
Member
Matlock said:
lol, get a job at nokia matlock
A couple of points:
If you have free access to a wireless hotspot, presumably your calls will be free, right? So I could use my own wireless router at home to make VOIP calls with DS? Cool.
Also, doesn't VOIP suggest you'll be able to call anyone connected to the net, as long as they're set up to receive calls using VOIP? All DSes will be, so you'll be able to easily call anyone elses DS (that's also within range of a hotspot), but shouldn't you also be able to call computers connected to the net that are set up take advantage of VOIP?
edit - I must say, I'm really surprised Nintendo would do this. It's a very cool feature to include.
If you have free access to a wireless hotspot, presumably your calls will be free, right? So I could use my own wireless router at home to make VOIP calls with DS? Cool.
Also, doesn't VOIP suggest you'll be able to call anyone connected to the net, as long as they're set up to receive calls using VOIP? All DSes will be, so you'll be able to easily call anyone elses DS (that's also within range of a hotspot), but shouldn't you also be able to call computers connected to the net that are set up take advantage of VOIP?
edit - I must say, I'm really surprised Nintendo would do this. It's a very cool feature to include.
Dragona Akehi
Retired
There has to be a catch. This is Nintendo people. I don't believe it for a minute.
..... Unless this is the Immortal Pimp's doing...
..... Unless this is the Immortal Pimp's doing...
The catch must be that it can only be for DS to DS communication...because if it's not, I'll be heading down to one of the University hotspots and making phone calls. Screw actually paying for anything. The novelty might wear off for awhile, but if I'm studying, it basically replaces a cell phone, which is kind of cool...if there's no catch.
mightynine
Member
I thought Voice over IP meant you could call anyone.
Dragona Akehi
Retired
Even with DS to DS communication. Is TNI Securities reporting this because they're collaborating with Nintendo, or is this their own initiative?
I remember talk about Nintendo locking away the wireless net access in the hardware... what happened to that?
I remember talk about Nintendo locking away the wireless net access in the hardware... what happened to that?
Perhaps someone convinced Nintendo that the inclusion of this feature would help sell systems. (I want to use the term "thick skulls" here somewhere)Dragona Akehi said:
It should be fine for Nintendo as long as they keep the focus on the games, and this phone feature is just a bonus - a pretty hefty one, at that.
clipunderground
Member
Holy shit! That is awesome! I will definately purchase one now.
open_mouth_
insert_foot_
I think what's going to happen is that you'll be able to call other DS users for free and you'll be able to play games online for free (granted you have access to a wireless connection), but I think if you'd want to call regular phone lines, you'll probably have to sign up for a monthly unlimited service for some cheap amount of $$, like 10 or 20 bucks. There's gotta be a backend that's doing all the routing and such of the calls over the internet and I'd imagine Nintendo would partner with some company to provide that service.
The Faceless Master
Member
i'll believe it when i see it...
but seriously, if this is actually accurate and there's no catch.... oh man...
but seriously, if this is actually accurate and there's no catch.... oh man...
FitzOfRage
Member
Well I would think the catch is that there's a charge if you're not calling other DS users. I use Vonage, and I think they're like most VoIP services in that they offer free calling to other users of the service, and then depending on your tier of service, you may incur charges to other numbers.
I'm guessing Nintendo isn't really trying to get into the telecommunications business, they just want to use it to help push the DS, so it would make sense they would allow DS to DS communication for free, while charging for anything else, making it cost prohibitive to really use it for making calls regularly (because they don't really want your phone business). So I'd expect at least a relatively high per minute charge (it only takes a few pennies to make it less economical than other choices out there) , and maybe a monthly charge on top of that for people that want to call more than just other DS users.
I'm guessing Nintendo isn't really trying to get into the telecommunications business, they just want to use it to help push the DS, so it would make sense they would allow DS to DS communication for free, while charging for anything else, making it cost prohibitive to really use it for making calls regularly (because they don't really want your phone business). So I'd expect at least a relatively high per minute charge (it only takes a few pennies to make it less economical than other choices out there) , and maybe a monthly charge on top of that for people that want to call more than just other DS users.
Dragona Akehi
Retired
On one hand, I can't see Nintendo doing this, because it's well Nintendo. Every time people on this forum get excited about something regarding Nintendo (being very Un-Nintendo,) it ends up being false.
However, if this IS due to the Immortal Pimphand, I know why they're doing it. They want to take over business from mobile phones: primarily in Japan. Since Japan's population is so packed together geographically, it could be said to be One Giant Hot Spot... and if that's the case, Nintendo could make a killing by diverting money from mobiles to the DS.
So either it's untrue (or has a giant catch) or Yamauchi is going to pimpslap the Japanese mobile companies.
However, if this IS due to the Immortal Pimphand, I know why they're doing it. They want to take over business from mobile phones: primarily in Japan. Since Japan's population is so packed together geographically, it could be said to be One Giant Hot Spot... and if that's the case, Nintendo could make a killing by diverting money from mobiles to the DS.
So either it's untrue (or has a giant catch) or Yamauchi is going to pimpslap the Japanese mobile companies.