The Working Man's Guide to the Nintendo DS
If you're like us, you're intrigued by the promise of new game experiences that a dual screen handheld promises, but you're not sure if the Nintendo DS is for you. If you're part of an older crowd like we are, it's tough to weigh the benefits based on just the initial software selection which skews a bit young. With that in mind, we put a handful of DS units through real world tests, tried some potential uses other than games, and took a closer look at the available software. Is the DS a good buy for the working guy on the go?
Effective range
Remember when you bought squirt guns with the label said "shoots 30 to 50 feet!" when in reality it was really more like 10 to 20 feet? You'll get none of that with the Nintendo DS. The official spec sheet lists the wireless range at 30 to 100 feet thanks to Nintendo's own proprietary format, but we were able to squeeze out 115 feet of wireless range in various tests held inside typical office spaces. Both the built-in program Pictochat and Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt demo held their connections just fine with neither having a substantial edge over the other.
We were able to achieve 55 to 90 feet of dropout-free connection through office walls. The elevator lobby and the walls in a 14th-floor office caused an immediate connection cut-off, however. Something inside the walls, perhaps? |
Elevators also caused a connection disruption, but it was easy to find the other DS units the moment we stepped out of them. |
Your office mileage will vary due to height and construction materials, but we maintained a steady connection three floors apart, or roughly 35 feet. We had a very weak and frequently-interrupted connection if we tried to separate ourselves by an additional floor. |
Getting away from office buildings improved reception on average by about 20 feet, but the more chaotic environment introduced many competing signals. Different DS units would drop out mysteriously even though they were closer than other still- connected units. |
Next Page: Alternate uses for the DS, or Bet you never thought of doing that!
