It's way too easy to look at new Nintendo hardware through eyes clouded with cynicism, and the DSi – a tweaked, upgraded version of the DS Lite – is just as susceptible to being scowled at. Not least by PSP owners, who will scoff at the DSi's apparently limited media playback options. But is it really deserving of such vitriol?

In a word, no.

The DSi's ergonomics provide a subtle but significantly improved version of the DS Lite model. It's more comfortable to hold, partly because it has a near sweat-resistant matte finish applied to all of its surfaces and also thanks to its slightly wider and flatter dimensions. The DSi is 61 grammes lighter than the DS Lite (which weighs in at 275g), too, while the machine boasts slightly larger screens (3.25-inch, compared with the DS Lite's three-inch displays) and marginally increased brightness levels. The only minor niggle in this department is the presence of two millimetre-diameter bevels on the lower corners of the unit's base, which are presumably there to offer grip but – depending on how you like to hold the DSi – can prick your palms quite sharply.

Controls
All of the DSi's buttons are microswitched – even the volume control slider has been been replaced with a dual-button system – and that change in itself results in digital controls of a higher precision. The DSi's shoulder buttons offer a particularly satisfying click and benefit from greater elevation than the DS Lite's slightly ambiguous L and R buttons.

Unfortunately, many of the games that would have benefited most from these improved digital inputs are no longer supported by the hardware, as the DSi lacks a GBA cartridge slot. I get the impression this is only in part because Nintendo wanted to produce a sleeker DS: the other reason could be that Nintendo would like everyone to move on now, leaving the Game Boy Advance to collect dust and memories. The GBA has had its time, and I think this is a fair move for Nintendo to make. However, there are also implications for certain DS games: the Daigasso Band Brothers song cartridge is made redundant, for example, as is the DS Rumble Pak (commiserations to fans of Metroid Prime Pinball).

Back to present/future concerns, the DSi's media interface is quite similar to that of Nintendo's Wii in that it presents a side-scrolling selection of panes that can easily be cycled through to get to your destination with the minimum of fuss. A double-tap of the stylus (or a single tap of the A button) on any pane will launch an application/menu. If a game card is in the slot, it will be displayed as a selectable icon; neatly, games can be swapped in and out even while the DSi is switched on.

Storage
In terms of storage options, the DSi has 256MB of internal flash memory and also benefits from an SD Card slot located on the right-hand side of the unit. One of the main reasons for using an SD Card is audio playback (which we'll get to in a minute), although it will eventually be handy to have a supply of SD Cards for storing downloads from the DSi Shop, which is accessible via wi-fi directly from the main media bar.

At present, the only download available from the DSi Shop is the Nintendo DSi Browser (look out for our 'How To' article explaining the download process), which, very generously, is a freebie. Frankly, though, the DSi Browser is not something we'd be happy paying a considerable sum for, principally because the Opera-based software lacks audio/video support (YouTube is out of the question). So perhaps it's best that it remains a relatively attractive free download.

Features
In the end, the novel aspects of the DSi's design form its main selling point. Most obviously, there are two cameras built in to the hardware: one on the inside (where the mic is located on the DS Lite – the DSi's mic gets nudged to the right a little) and another on the upper-right corner of the shell, facing out. These are included in the hope that users will improvise and enjoy playing with them, not as replacements for your costly SLI. The built-in camera software affirms this: images can be inverted, refracted, spliced, framed and otherwise tampered with both in real-time and in a post-production capacity. It's simple, gimmicky (in a good way) and fun.

Similarly, the built-in audio playback/editing suite is easy to master. Insert an SD Card loaded with AAC tracks (this is the only audio file format supported, so it pays to convert MP3s/WAVs to AAC before attempting to listen to them on the DSi) and you can use the touchscreen to cycle through your music and order the tracks as you'd like them to be played. During playback the upper screen runs a visualiser program, which displays a choice of ten synchronised animations including patterns modelled on the original Super Mario Bros and a wireframe, Rez-like Starfox clone. Mesmerising stuff.

Plus, to round out the audio features, there are some inevitable gimmicks. For example, there are four sonic texturing options along the themes of 'echo', 'vintage radio', 'karaoke' (where the vocals get cut from the mix) and '8-bit' (which makes everything sound like it's being processed by a NES). And then there are a dozen or so synth percussion instruments, which can be played over whatever it is you're listening to simply by tapping the DSi's shoulder buttons.

Conclusion
But in spite of all the fun you could have with a Japanese DSi right now, we should highlight a couple of caveats to any of you who are thinking of importing: 1) There's no English language option, so you'll have to navigate the built-in software by tripping through kanji, katakana and hiragana. 2) Although DS games from anywhere in the world can be played on a Japanese DSi, future DSi-specific games will apparently be region-locked. All things looked at, unless you're in Japan it's probably a safer bet to wait until the DSi is launched wherever you are, which will be at some point in 2009.