Thrustmaster Announces Nintendi DSi Cases

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The gaming-accessories company with the puzzling yet strangely compelling name

today announced a series of cases for the Nintendo DSi, coming in May. My favorite is above: The T-Crystal Case and Tray (just $9.99 list). I really like that tray idea! The T-Crysal Case also comes sans tray but with an extra stylus, for $8.99. Both are made of a protective polycarbonate.

Also coming are Metal Cases, in a range of colors–black, silver, blue, pink, and green. You can keep the DSi in these cases while you play, which is nice. One will cost you $12.99; see a picture of the Metal Cases after the jump.

Playstation 3 Overtakes Wii in Japanese Sales for March

Sony had a good March on the console side of things. The company’s Playstation3 sold better than Nintendo’s Wii in Japan, for the first time in nearly a year-and-a-half. The console’s success is being credited to game titles from Sega Sammy and Capcom like Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 and Resident Evil 5.

The PS3 overtook the Wii in a big way, moving 146,948 systems to Nintendo’s 99,335. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 came in at a distant third, with 43,172 units. Despite this strong showing, Reuters adds, the PS3 is not expected to overtake the Wii globally any time soon.

Exclusive Pics: Hands-On With the Nintendo DSi

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Yep, we got the Nintendo DSi in early today and shot a quick video of our unboxing. What, did you think we were just going to stick the thing back in the box and forget about it? I took Nintendo’s new portable game console through its paces, checking out the image and music features and playing a little bit of the new DS title, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.

Check out a few select images of the new portable console, after the jump.

Video: Unboxing The Nintendo DSi

OK, we admit it: We were excited to get the Nintendo DSi in the office. And yeah, the company’s always-clever press packaging only intensified matters. Senior blogs editor Carol Mangis did the honors.

The DSi is out on April 5th for $169.99 (Carol mistakenly said $149 in the video; she’s sorry). And take a look at our hands-on preview of the DSi here.

This just in: If you’re planning to be in the Los Angeles area around midnight on April 4, head over to Nintendo’s launch party for the DSi! Details after the jump.

ATT Bundling Netbooks with Contracts

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Beginning today in Atlanta, AT&T announced that it will offer a variety of ultra-portable netbooks with
built-in AT&T 3G wireless capabilities starting at $49.99 with the purchase of AT&T “Internet at Home and
On the Go” broadband services.

The company said in a statement that it is also offering similar mini laptop promotional
rates with the purchase of AT&T DataConnect plans in eight AT&T
retail locations in the Philadelphia area.

For some inexplicable reason, AT&T is calling the machines “mini laptops.” But the lineup, which consists of the Acer Aspire One, Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, and LG Xenia, should put to rest any ideas that they’re somehow different than netbooks. Here’s a rundown of the pricing, as per the company statement: 

Study: Americans Spend 8 Hours A Day Watching Screens

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That blurry, numb sensation you feel just behind your eyes? Yeah, you’ve been staring at a computer screen for far too long. According to a recent study, Americans spend an average of 8 hours a day staring at screens–TVs, PCs, cell phones, and so on. About 61 minutes of that time is spent taking in TV ads.

The dominant form of media delivery in most Americans’ lives remains the TV, according to the $3.5 million study conducted by Nielsen. The PC has edged into second place, though, beating out the radio, with the struggling world of print in fourth place.

The study also found that most age groups spend about the same amount of time sitting in front of screens. 45-to 54-year-olds actually rack up the highest daily rate, with an hour more than other groups.

More than 100 Million Nintendo DS Systems Sold

While Nintendo is gearing up for the U.S. release of the DSi, the company had a bit of good news to share about the handheld’s previous iterations. On March 6th, Nintendo shipped the 100 millionth DS unit.

First launched in 2004, the gaming platform has already seen two versions–the original DS and the DS Lite. The company also announced that 83 of the titles available for the system have crossed the 1 million unit threshold–seven of those have sold more than 10 million units.

The DS has sold nearly twice as many units as its competitor, the Sony PlayStation Portable. When the DSi launches in April, there’s a good chance that number may become even more lopsided.

Hands On Preview: Nintendo DSi

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If you’re a Nintendo DS person, you’ve probably already hoovered up all available information about the forthcoming DSi. Well, as is typical in life, reading about something and experiencing it are often very different. Dan Evans and I were reminded of this today, when Nintendo hosted a “sneak preview” of the DSi in its New York office. When we got our hands on the new handheld console, we decided it was just possibly more fun than either of us had anticipated.

For me, the most entertaining new thing is what you can do with Nintendo Camera feature, using the 11 different “lenses” built into the DSi. Stretching out images, adding “graffiti” and “stamps” (see more pics after the jump) and creating kaleidoscope-like effects (like the one above) is my idea of a good time. The DSi will also let you do many weird and cool things with your music and with 10-second sound bites you record yourself. Then there’s the SD slot and the ability to download games… This is a whole different experience!

We saw some other, um, stuff we can’t tell you about yet. Suffice to say, the new DSi is very engaging. I am now very sure that I want one.

Yale Student Sues Airline for $1M Over Lost Xbox 360

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Is your Xbox 360 worth $1 million? For a 21-year-old Yale student, the answer is yes.

Jesse Maiman sued US Airways for $1 million after his tricked-out Xbox 360 console disappeared from his checked luggage, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Maiman packed the Xbox console–which he says includes a specialized hard drive worth $1,000–in his suitcase for a December 17 flight between New Haven and Cincinnati. At baggage claim in Cincinnati, however, the bag was there, but the console was nowhere to be found.

The film studies major sued the airline, seeking $1,700 for the replacement of the console, and between $25,000 and $1 million for “non-economic distress.”

“That thing was my DVD player,” he told the paper.

A US Airways spokeswoman said the airline had not yet seen the suit, but that federal law places a $3,300 per bag limit for lost luggage compensation.

The Beatles: Rock Band–Date, Pricing Revealed

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I’m not sure who these “Beatles” are, but apparently a lot of people have taken to them. I think they might be new. Of course that hasn’t stopped them for getting their own video game. Harmonix and MTV have come together to bring the world a Beatles-centric version of Rock Band. The companies today doled out a few new details about the latest entry into the franchise, including a release date.

The Beatles: Rock Band will debut on September 9th (that’s 9/9/09, incidentally) on store shelves in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The game is being released for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii. Accessories for the game include the guitar, bass, mic, and drums, with a limited number of instruments being modeled after the ones that John, Paul, George, and Ringo played.

The game will run $59.99, standalone guitars $99.99, and the Limited Edition Premium Bundle will cost your $249.99. No need to worry, though–the game is also compatible with all existing Rock Band instruments.