Tag: DS

Touch screen technology has been part of many game systems for a long time. The Nintendo DS for example has had a touch screen panel for years. Capacitive sensor technologies are definitely the rage these days. We could see even more systems moving this way in the future. I mean, hey, we already have touch screen phones, MP3 players and many other devices.

Gaming companies are continuing to revolutionize the way they interact with consumers. The Nintendo Wii for example allows users to interact with it. That is probably what people love about the touch screen as well. It allows integration and also more control. It allows players to really get into the game and step into the characters they are playing.

The word is that the Sony PSP will be sporting a new touch screen with the next version. It only makes sense since the DS has utilized it for so long. While the two systems target different audiences, it seems logical that they would take the step to join the in crowd with the latest technology.

Companies are working to make this technology even more realistic. We like to the use of touch in our systems. Scientists are working on making the touch technology feel real. Haptics refers to the sense of touch and allows the user to interface with the technology. With haptic technology the device will respond back to the user invoking not only touch but feelings as well.

Where will our electronics go next? The Nintendo Wii, PS3, PSP, DS and Xbox 360 all hold potential for incorporating the latest technology and capacitive sensors. Perhaps the way we control the games will continue to change. While force feedback has been utilized in the past, perhaps a controller with a touch screen would allow a different type of experience with many of their games. Or, there might be a way to utilize the DS as a controller with the Wii or the PSP with the PS3 – there are many different options available to developers – where will they move gaming to next?

Let’s face it – we love touch screens and they love us. They can be utilized in so much which is why they are making their way across so many different areas of life. ATMs are becoming more sophisticated as are self-checkouts at retail stores. Our televisions are becoming larger, brighter and may incorporate this type of technology in the future. Computers too are using the touch screen to their advantage. Our phones, MP3 players and other electronic devices are all infused with touch screen technology. We can’t get away from it and we don’t want to.

So, where will we see it next? One thing is for certain – that we can’t wait to see where it will pop up next, especially in our gaming systems. Since gaming developers are no longer targeting the younger crowd, this type of technology would definitely be a draw. Older, wiser individuals want the most for their money and they want to make sure they have the best option available. Keep your eyes out for where touch screens will be making an appearance. They are revolutionizing the world – one electronic device at a time.

About the Author: Rebecca Beckett is a freelance writer for Innuity If you would like more information about touch screen panel or Capacitive sensor go to Cirque

There are a lot of Nintendo DS aficionados out there, and for each one, there are people working tirelessly on free and open source projects, creating unofficial -Homebrew- applications and games.

Homebrew

Homebrew opens the doors to a whole new world of software and games. The homebrew software is written by non Nintendo programmers using C and/or C++, and is hence unofficial, but in no way infringes on any copyrights, and is completely legal.

Homebrew on your Nintendo DS

With homebrew, your humble Nintendo DS transforms into an amazing device, on which you can watch movies, listen to music, browse though your photographs, or even read an e-book. Most people are afraid of homebrew as it is conceived to be complicated, however this is far from the truth, and there are multiple tutorials available which will explain the whole process to you in manner that’s concise and easy to understand. Homebrew is loaded onto your Nintendo DS via a third party re-writable cartridge, such as the R4DS. Any homebrew software can be loaded and deleted, without it affecting your Nintendo DS in any way, so it is completely safe, and will not harm your system in any way.

Getting started

Before you can start using homebrew on your Nintendo DS, you will need to buy yourself a flash card. There are multiple choices in both Slot1 and Slot2. Slot1 has a DS cartridge slot, where as Slot2 has the -Game boy advantage cartridge- slot, plus the DS cartridge slot. We recommend the ever popular R4DS or its bigger brother the R4iDS. Both fit snug into the Nintendo DS and leave no room for complaint. However it is important to note that due to a design flaw in the Nintendo DS, the loading spring eventually gets weak, so use it only when necessary. A workaround is to not take out the cartridge ever time you want to change the data on it, what you can do instead is to just take out the memory card from the cartridge, and place it back when you are done.

The cartridge

The R4Ds or R4i DS cartridge can be loaded with a SDHC card. SDHC cards are available in an array of sizes, right from 1GB to the most recent development, a 32GB card. Speeds also vary, between classes 2 through 6 in multiples of 2.

Piracy

Beware of piracy; there are a lot of clones and even pirated components available in the market. Many of these cheap knock-offs don’t only provide inferior support, they can also damage your hardware, or your SDHC. Always purchase equipment from a verified seller, to protect yourself, and your Nintendo DS.

NINTENDO DS Homebrew applications

With newer devices like the r4 siblings boot up tools are no longer required. A host of software can be used on the Nintendo DS. The top favorites are Colors, DS Lines, DSOrganize, DSWiki and MoonShell.

Homebrew is a revolution that is here to stay, for more information on R4DS or the newer R4iDS cards, visit nds-gear.co.uk

R4 DS is a new name in the world of DS storage devices which is being welcomed by homebrew video gaming fans as the next big thing. It is considered to rank among the best in the DS Slot-1 carts category. These flashes cart score bonus points with its users in its low pricing. They are easy to use media enhancers which do not require any additional software to work. It is a self sufficient unit with a good value for money.

Smart Features of these Flash Cards R4 DS cards use microSD memory cards for storage of game data. Unlike the DS- Xtreme class of cards, these cards are more basal in most of their features which has increased their affordability. For example, decent memory sized card can be purchased at economical prices, much lower than that offered by competitors. The microSD card is fitted on top of the cartridge by a spring mechanism.

Pressing down the memory card releases the spring and card pops out.Setting up these cards is easy, and all that one need to do is download the operating system for the card from the website, extract files, and transfer them to the memory card. All cards come with an installation CD, that provides a feature called save converter. Files from cards different from R4format can be used in R4 this way. A ROM trimming tool is also available. Alternatively, official websites for the card contain the latest files and updates.Hombrew and ROMs can be added to the card by a simple click and drop. One just has to ensure to create respective folders wherein the files can be dropped.The operating system that comes with the r4ds card is very convenient to use.

User can choose from different skins to personalize their gaming experience. At start-up, user is greeted with three options- games, multimedia, and boot slot-2. For navigation in the games menu, a file browser is located at the top and user can select by moving up or down the menu.A major parameter is speed- and the latest version of R4 card does not fail in this aspect. These cards also allow usage of multimedia, and Moonshell is a good option for this purpose.Frequent updates ensure that Nintendo ds R4 flash card remains at the top of its league. Addition of new features is a good way to keep a check on quality and makes users reaffirm faith in their choice of card.In conclusion:This latest card in the category of DS cards is worth all that it proclaims. They are well-priced, easy to set up, very frequently updated, and also come with options to play with their look. All in all, this card is definitely a revolution in the gaming world.