Nintendo DS Test?

[lilclerk]

Guess we'll have to disagree with that one. I read e-books on mine all the time and it works great, especially when held sideways instead of the traditional top/bottom format.

Woah woah wait, where do you get ebooks on your DS?!

And I agree, this is pretty disappointing if it was canceled. I was looking forward to it.

 

[Giraffe Lounge]

I think that we'll see some sort of text messaging service before we saw any I-phone specific apps.

AEfx

Well, there is the important little detail that Steve Jobs is now a major Disney stockholder thanks to the Pixar purchase.

Personally I think there could easily be a website updated wait times etc... that could be usable by any device with internet access and a decently sized screen without being iPhone specific.

 

[AEfx]

Woah woah wait, where do you get ebooks on your DS?!

I use a flashcart, you can load pretty much anything onto your DS. A PSP does media features better, but for me, the game suck, so that's why I have a DS, so I'm happy to have everything there.

Well, there is the important little detail that Steve Jobs is now a major Disney stockholder thanks to the Pixar purchase.

Personally I think there could easily be a website updated wait times etc... that could be usable by any device with internet access and a decently sized screen without being iPhone specific.

Jobs or not, hehe, iPhone simply doesn't have the penetration right now to warrant a specific app, I'd be willing to bet.

I agree, though, I see a mobile web version being a strong possibility as well.

AEfx

 

[DisneyDreamerK]

I thought the same thing. A DS is 130ish where an iphone is how many hundreds?

It's only 199 now...

I use a flashcart, you can load pretty much anything onto your DS. A PSP does media features better, but for me, the game suck, so that's why I have a DS, so I'm happy to have everything there.



Jobs or not, hehe, iPhone simply doesn't have the penetration right now to warrant a specific app, I'd be willing to bet.

I agree, though, I see a mobile web version being a strong possibility as well.

AEfx

it doesn't hurt to make an app for the people who do have iPhones...
Apparently it's really easy to make an app for the iPhone. I know a couple guys at my job have made some apps in a short period of time and they are super cool!

 

[AEfx]

It's only 199 now...

For the unit, sure, but with a two-year contract and all the extra services, it's still significantly more for most people. And, if you do the math, the contract the new 3G 199 version will end up costing you $300+ first year because of the reduced included services with fees, negating the "discount" off the old price by over $100.

it doesn't hurt to make an app for the people who do have iPhones...
Apparently it's really easy to make an app for the iPhone. I know a couple guys at my job have made some apps in a short period of time and they are super cool!

Hehe, well it wouldn't hurt to make anything, but the question of why and what good it would do would be the issue. I just don't see creating a system that requires you to a have a phone on a specific carrier, etc. would be in their best interest is all. Not out of the realm of possibility, but nontheless unlikely.

All that said, my guess is in the end an old fashioned map/times guide was 100x more convenient, cheap, and portable. Sure, the wait times and FP return times were helpful to super-planners, but it probably would have confused the average guest more than not ("so, if FP time is 5:30 at an attraction across the park, I wait until 5:30 to get there?") and most of the basic, timely info can be conveyed in the traditional manner.

It also opens up the question of how much info does Disney want us to have. Let's face it, if everyone used FP, it wouldn't work. Opens up lots of interesting discussions.

AEfx

 

[TubaGeek]

A) I can understand how the program had some flaws: How many people would want to shell out a $200+ deposit? Even if you get it back, people like to hold on to there cash when possible.
B) The fact that the iPhone launched between $600 and $500 and quickly dropped to $300 and $200 is not a good sign for the iPhone. A good piece of hardware shouldn't slash it's launch price within 3 months (yes, it only took 3 months). The DS on the other hand, dropped only $20 after 8 months. DS wins.
C) Methinks that a lot of people who lack faith in the DS haven't even used one, and therefore have nothing to base their assumptions off of... and yes, I've used both a DS and an iPhone.

 

[dreamfinder]

B) The fact that the iPhone launched between $600 and $500 and quickly dropped to $300 and $200 is not a good sign for the iPhone. A good piece of hardware shouldn't slash it's launch price within 3 months (yes, it only took 3 months). The DS on the other hand, dropped only $20 after 8 months. DS wins.

Your numbers are slightly misleading. The 1st gen iPhone only dropped 100 bucks. And they compensated most people who paid the higher price with a gift card. However, the 2nd gen price drop isn't necessarily related to the phone itself. Most cell phones in the US are heavily subsidized by your cell phone provider. Hence the 2 year contract with early termination fee. They build in the subsidy into your monthly cost. With the 1st gen iPhone, Apple had a very very lucrative contract with Cingular/AT&T where they got paid every month. In order to convince the additional 40 or however many cell service providers world wide to agree to sign onto carry the phone, Apple had to give a little up to get the market penetration.
Also, the tech didn't necessarily change all that much from gen 1 to gen 2. A 3g chip and GPS were added, but that was about it. The costs for memory are still freefalling, and that is a large chunk of the cost. They also aquired PA Semi I believe, who will now be doing a lot of their system on a chip work in house.

Beyond all that, the problem with using the DS would mostly be the game cartridge. They could develop the same type of system, that could interface with ANY type of device that can download & install software. Get it running for the iPhone, and you could then create the same software using the same backend, and have it work on Windows Mobile devices. The cost to port that over to each new device are going to be similar to having to upgrade to a new version of the DS, but in most cases, Disney would have nothing to do with the infrastructure. With the DS they would need to contract out cartridge creation, keep them on hand, and then if a new DS OS gets rolled out, all the old cartridges may need to be scrapped. Versus a purely software version that would just need a patch deployed. As cool as it would have been to use the DS', I can't see it realisticly getting deployed en masse. Maybe to tour groups, ala audio tours of museums, or VIP groups, but a general public deployment just seems to have to many flaws to work correctly.
(This is coming from someone who has developed software for handheld devices)

 

[monorailguy01]

Whats the DS for??

 

[flynnibus]

I'm bummed too, although it was my understanding that Disney would sell a "game" cartridge to those who had a DS instead of the rental of a whole system.

Why would they need to? Games can be downloaded to the DS wirelessly. There is no need to have a cart except for size limitations.

It's very hard to get more than 5-6 lines of text that the average person can read easily on the screen. Since this seems like a mostly text based program, that's where you would see the limitations. Both screen size and resolution come into play. It's at least 1 more generation away from being where the average guest would be comfortable.

No idea where you got this.. plus such systems would be interactive - you wouldn't WANT lots of text on the screen. Plus in the case of the DS there are TWO screens.

Personally I think there could easily be a website updated wait times etc... that could be usable by any device with internet access and a decently sized screen without being iPhone specific.

This is more likely where things would end up. A DS type deal would have to be a subsidized project through marketing, etc. Its one thing to do a pilot with small groups to understand the technology without having to invest too much in R&D in the tools.. especially if someone will do it for you to launch some campaigns. A pure web tool can be used by any system.

B) The fact that the iPhone launched between $600 and $500 and quickly dropped to $300 and $200 is not a good sign for the iPhone

Way off base... the price changes are simply due to the fact the phone is being sold through carriers now like most other phones.. as subsidized prices. These '$199' prices, etc are only AT&T's price. You'll be able to get the phone for a single Euro overseas at launch. The point is the price of the phone is being subsidized by the carriers through your contract dollars. This is standard fair in the mobile handset world.

 

[no1swfanindy]

Why would they need to? Games can be downloaded to the DS wirelessly. There is no need to have a cart except for size limitations.

The game cartridge would incorporate the GPS system for the interactive maps.

 

[hauntdmansion79]

Too bad if the idea's been abandoned, I thought it was cool. I have a few thoughts on it:

• I saw the content and it's functionality online and thought it was pretty cool technology. I was looking forward to using it someday while I was there. But the content was not all that useful beyond what is already available to you like guidemaps, times guides, display boards that post wait times, wait time signs outside attractions...etc.
• I love my DS and use it all the time. But it doesn't have the best battery life (Nintendo's last handheld the Gameboy Advance SP had longer battery life). So I think that was a major drawback. People leaving them on all day and having the battery drain and then have to get recharged.
• I think if they rented the game cards and memory expansion instead and let people who bring their own DS use them it would be better because DS owners have a better understanding of the units battery life and won't get mad when it runs out. Plus they will be more careful because it's their own device and if it is damaged, they can't blame Disney (unless it was the game card that broke the DS, but that's very unlikely).
• It is more for techies who get a kick out of how many ways they can use their electronic devices. Nintendo uses the DS at their Seatle baseball park where you can get player stats, game updates, instant replays, and even order food and have it delivered to your seat via wireless capabilities. But again, I don't think it's not for the average person.