DSi in review

SusanR wrote:

I'm curious how good the web browser is. Is it relatively easy to view places like BGG and F:AT? I'm kinda bummed that is can't stream video or audio, play MP3s, etc. I was considering an iTouch. I want some sort of portable entertainment I can carry in my purse, besides a good book.

You can view BGG and F:AT, post, comment and send personal messages. However, it is a bit slow. There is an option to view websites in a long column, so that the text becomes only as wide as the DSi screen, which makes it easy to read articles and forums. I can't compose or send e-mail through the Yahoo interface. You can't download your e-mail to read off-line.

Neither the DSi nor the iTouch are smartphones, so you can't get internet access unless you are on a Wi-Fi network. So the big question is, how often are you going to be at a Wi-Fi hot spot? I've only used it at home, hotels, and airports. You have to go through a set up for each hot spot you want to access. It stores 6 or 7 hot spots. I've encountered a couple of hot spots that weren't compatible.

It doesn't do as much as the iTouch, as far as music, video, e-mail, calendar, etc. However, the camera is pretty good, and the games are obviously more robust.

I like it. It is smaller than the DSlite, and can fit in a very small purse. I bought it to play games and for occasional internet access while traveling. The bonus is that the Spawn has a DSlite, so we can share games, picto-chat with each other, and play games against each other (although we both need copies of the games).

SusanR wrote:

I spend several evenings a week hauling one of my kids to long soccer practices located far from home. I often lug my big and heavy laptop to a nearby library and use their WiFi. Or, I try to read at the soccer fields with bad lighting. So, I want a little portable device.

HA! I clock most of my DS time waiting for the Spawn to get out of one thing or another. However, I favor long games that can be played a bit at a time, like Sim City Creater, and Civilization Revolution.

KingPut did a mini reveiw of Civ Rev that included a skunk attack.

I'll get a mini review of Sim City Creator out as soon as I can. My laptop is being flakey so it might be a couple of days before I can get something up.