CPU: ARM9 67Mhz and ARM7 33Mhz processors
Memory:  4MB
Screens: Upper Screen: 3in diagonal, semitransparent reflective TFT color back lit LCD, 256 x 192 pixels, .24 DPI capable of displaying 260,000 simultaneous colors,  Lower Screen: The same as top but with transparent analog touch screen
Wireless Communication: 802.11 & Nintendo’s proprietary format
Audio: Virtual surround sound, built-in stereo headphone / microphone jack
Game cartridge slots: 1 DS slot, 1 Game Boy Advance / SP slot
Size: (closed) 5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 in.
Weight: (with DS cartridge installed) 9 oz.
Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 6-10 hours continuous play depending on use per 4 hours recharging time

The Nintendo DS is a portable gaming system with two vertically tiered screens. On the bottom is a touch screen that allows you to use a stylus or a finger for anything from selecting options to moving characters. There’s also a normal face-button layout that allows a more standard method of control. The system plays its own proprietary cartridges (which are somewhere between SD and CompactFlash cards in size), in addition to its near-full backward compatibility with GBA titles. While DS cartridges are much smaller in capacity than the PSP’s UMDs, they play without the often unbearable load times of Sony’s proprietary format. The system currently retails for $130 and is available in two colors: Titanium and Electric Blue. Nintendo also often releases special higher-priced DS bundles that include a game. With the DS Lite–a slimmer, brighter, and more stylish version of the DS–also available for $130, expect a price drop, more bundling, or discontinuation of this iteration of the system.

Though the Nintendo DS is roughly the size of the original Game Boy Advance, its clamshell design makes it a bit chunkier–picture two GBA SPs sitting side by side. In sum: it’s big. Unlike the SP, which fits in almost any pocket, the DS will likely travel in your backpack or your shoulder bag. Despite its increased size, the DS isn’t too heavy, tipping the scales at 9.7 ounces. Since using either the directional pad or the thumb stylus requires that you hold the unit in two hands, the added weight is easily managed.

Since the introduction of the Game Boy, Nintendo dominated the portable gaming market for reasons that go way beyond the fact that they don’t really have much competition in that front.  Let’s face it, folks, who wouldn’t want to whip out a gaming system that fits in your pocket and play a game of Super Mario Bros. or even a portable version of Metroid any time you want?  Yet times change and the Nintendo went from the Game Boy to the Game Boy Advance SP, but now it’s not alone.  Along comes Nokia, bringing wireless communication and gaming with the N-Gage QD and now Sony is jumping into the fray with the Sony PSP.  What’s a beloved portable gaming system to do now?  How about launch a system called the Nintendo DS and make it one of the coolest things to come out this holiday.  So is the Nintendo DS worth your hard-earned cash?  Let’s just say that I can’t keep my hands off of it.

The first thing you’ll notice right off the bat is the fact that the system has dual screens that are both bigger than the Game Boy Advance SP screen.  Having learned its lesson when Game Boy Advance owners complained that it was hard to see the games in action, both screens are backlit and thus can be played in any lighting condition.  Yet here’s the interesting part, the bottom screen uses touch-screen technology and uses this technology consistently since the Nintendo DS allows you to use the system much like a PDA.  Yet it doesn’t stop there, you’ll be using the touch screen in various DS games (we’ll get into that a bit later). Using your finger or the Stylus that comes with the system, the touch screen responds quickly and perfectly.

The graphics and display quality on the DS is much better than the one on my Game Boy Advance SP. For one thing it is way brighter. The DS is back lit instead of front lit like the GB Advance SP. The difference is very noticeable. Action on the display is crisp and clear. I’ve not noticed any blurring at all. I haven’t had the chance to try the DS outdoors in full sunlight yet because it’s been pretty gloomy here in good old Columbus, Indiana the past week.

On either side of the top screen are the speakers. Let me tell you, the sound on the DS totally blew me away. It has a virtual surround sound mode that sounds better than my PC. Maximum volume level through the speakers is not super loud (parents will be happy for that!), but I think it is loud enough for all but the noisiest environments. Through headphones, I notices sounds not evident through speakers. For example, when I listened to Super Mario DS through headphones, I could hear blub, blub water sounds when Yoshi was swimming underwater. This sound is absent when listening with the built-in speakers.