GameTrailers member gaffyh created this 3D rendering of a new, more compact Nintendo DS Lite. It was modeled and animated from a concept created by Nick Lowe.
The DS Lite was already pretty compact, but this concept makes it collapsible, with the "sides" sliding in over the two screens after the top screen has been flipped down.
Every detail seems to be covered; there's even a hole on the top of the left side that leaves the power port accessible after the system is collapsed.
I'm no engineer or designer, but this looks like a pretty solid concept. Could this actually be a better design than the DS Lite?
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I'd hesitate to immediately call it a better design. That top screen looks like it would be pretty flimsy, and I'm not sold on the placement of the L and R buttons. Still, it would be nice if Nintendo considered it in their inevitable redesign.
I don't have a degree in engineering, but I don't think this concept design would work. Firstly, all the buttons and speakers are placed on the outer shell where the dual screens and game port slide into. This means those shells are hollow, and where would the pressure sensitive pads that recognize a button push, not to mention the wires and circuitry that connect to the internal hardware of the system itself, fit? Secondly, even if the shell design could be done, I think it would be very loose and rattle-y.
All said however, I like the small and round and slightly recessed Start and Pause buttons, as the ones on the DS Lite are friggin' useless. I think I could get used to the flattened trigger L/R buttons too. The small flip-up screen could be nice, it certainly would reduce the overall weight of the device, but only worthwhile if it were stable and not easily broken.
The way it's set up to collapse like it does I can easily see problems with the wiring for the buttons. They'd have to be extra careful when building those things.
unprotected d-pad and yxba buttons? that just screams damage if i were to ever put that in my pocket. not only would they have the possibility of being constantly depressed, i cringe when i think about them getting caught on my pocket opening when putting it in or pulling it out.
find a way to protect those from inevitable damage and i'm game.
Lord_Satorious is right. There's no way this could work in real life. Your console has actual stuff inside it, you know. It's not just magic fairy dust.
well theoretically it could work. The other Shell seems big enough to contains the boards, problem is you'd slide the screens too near the components, wich could results in a lot of problem, especially the wires connecting the l/r buttons or the main board, depending on how we want to build it.
Well the thing is, the DS Lite is already pretty damn portable. I mean, I wear tight pants *sometimes* and I have no problem fitting it into my pocketses.
also, when playing involving or frustrating games you're probably likely to push on the sides of the console, you would just push the outer shell sides back in, and twisting it would snap something...
the only things that I have a real problem with are the L/R "triggers" the DS is small enough to the point where having the triggers on the bottom side as opposed to the top would feel weird.
A nice enough idea, but Nintendo has always had the distinction of it's portables being very sturdy and damage resistant. Even if they could figure out how to jam all the circuit board and wiring components into a thin shell, I doubt they would opt for a thinner, less impact resistant casing for the DS.
It's ugly. I like the current one better. Plus, having to pull it open, then open the screen instead of opening the screen now would drive me insane eventually.
The only way this could work is if the left and ride sides slid out to the sides, similar to sliding QWERTY keyboards for certain smartphones. Even then, that top screen is pretty flimsy and leaving the buttons exposed at all times and the windows underneath via the vertical crack that would be present just leaves more options for accidents that tend to ruin the controls and/or display (sugar or corn syrup liquid spills onto the item).
Is it sad that the only thing I could think when I saw that was "WTF that Naruto game on the screen is a piece of shit, why didnt they pick a better game screen?"
Uglier than the DS Lite when not in use (clean, monolith form showing just the logo is preferrable to exposed buttons making the closed form look cluttered). Far, far uglier than the DS Lite while in use. Brings back the crappy location for the microphone on the original DS. Not feasible from an engineering standpoint (as discussed above), but even if it were, it would be way too fragile--especially for a Nintendo product.
The only good idea in here is the re-done triggers (they're certainly a better-looking design), and even those I'm not sold on the ergonomics of them, I'd examine that part of the concept further if I were somehow given the reigns of Nintendo's industrial design team.
But this really isn't a good design. It would be a step backward. I hope the guy responsible for this tries again--he's certainly got skills at putting together a presentation--but his design skills need work.
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Contest:
8:52 AM on 12.21.2007
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All said however, I like the small and round and slightly recessed Start and Pause buttons, as the ones on the DS Lite are friggin' useless. I think I could get used to the flattened trigger L/R buttons too. The small flip-up screen could be nice, it certainly would reduce the overall weight of the device, but only worthwhile if it were stable and not easily broken.
unprotected d-pad and yxba buttons? that just screams damage if i were to ever put that in my pocket. not only would they have the possibility of being constantly depressed, i cringe when i think about them getting caught on my pocket opening when putting it in or pulling it out.
find a way to protect those from inevitable damage and i'm game.
Rock on.
Nintendo would never approve this design.
Yet, nice modeling skills.
It would just be useless and flimsy.
Cool concept though!
The guy who made it, props.
Not at all. If anything, that's what you're supposed to think.
The only good idea in here is the re-done triggers (they're certainly a better-looking design), and even those I'm not sold on the ergonomics of them, I'd examine that part of the concept further if I were somehow given the reigns of Nintendo's industrial design team.
But this really isn't a good design. It would be a step backward. I hope the guy responsible for this tries again--he's certainly got skills at putting together a presentation--but his design skills need work.