Nintendo DS Lite

The Nintendo DS Lite is a lighter redesign of the original Nintendo DS model. It was announced on January 26, 2006, more than a month before its first territorial launch in Japan on March 2, 2006.

The features and capabilities are the same as the original style DS, but the DS Lite has four levels of LCD screen brightness; however, the four levels do not include a level where the backlight is off. Despite having four brightness levels, even the lowest brightness setting on the Nintendo DS lite is in fact brighter than the Nintendo DS's original screen, which had one brightness setting and an off setting. Unlike the casing of the original style DS, the DS Lite has a shiny glossy semi-transparent outside casing. The LED battery and charging light indicators have been moved to the upper right-hand corner of the unit, making it viewable regardless of whether the system is open or closed. The "start" and "select" buttons have been moved to the lower right-hand side of the touchscreen, the microphone has been moved to the direct center of the opened device, and the A, B, X, Y, and D-Pad seem to have been designed to match the Wii and Game Boy Micro.

The power button above the D-pad was removed and replaced with a switch placed on the right side of the unit. Another improvement is the larger stylus, with the stylus holster moved from the top of the unit to the right side. Although a loop for a wrist strap was retained on the top of the unit, the DS Lite does not ship with a wrist strap. Along with the other advancements, the Game Boy port of the DS Lite is shallower than the original style DS's port. When inserted, the Game Boy Advance cartridge protrudes out approximately 1 cm from under the unit. Also, the charger connector is smaller, so a different charger must be used. Although the connector is similar in form factor to the Game Boy Micro, their AC adapters are not cross compatible. It comes with a dust-protector for the GBA slot which also provides a seamless surface.

Technical specifications of the Nintendo DS Lite Game Console

    * Size: 73.9 millimeters (2.9 inches) tall, 133 millimeters (5.2 inches) broad, 21.5 millimeters (0.85 inches) wide.
    * Top Screen: A backlit, 3.12-inch, transmissive TFT color LCD with 256x192-pixel resolution and .24mm dot pitch, capable of displaying a total of 262,144 colors.
    * Touch Screen: Same specifications as top screen, but with a transparent analog touch screen.
    * Wireless Communication: IEEE 802.11b; wireless range is 30 to 100 feet; multiple users can play certain multiplayer games with one DS game card using DS Download Play.
    * Controls: Touch screen, embedded microphone for voice recognition, A/B/X/Y face buttons, directional control pad, L/R shoulder pads, Start and Select dimples, and Power slider. The stylus is 1 cm longer and 2 mm thicker than the stylus of the original Nintendo DS.
    * Input/Output: Ports for both Nintendo DS game cards and Game Boy Advance game packs, terminals for stereo headphones and a microphone. A removable cover for the Game Boy Advance game pack slot provides added protection from dust and other foreign materials.
    * Other Features: Embedded PictoChat software that allows up to 16 users within local range of one another to chat at once; embedded real-time clock; date, time and alarm; touch-screen calibration.
    * CPUs: One ARM9 and one ARM7.

    * Sound: Stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, depending on the software.
    * Battery: Lithium ion battery delivering from 15 to 19 hours of play on a three-hour charge; power-saving sleep mode; AC adapter.