[Wired]
A recent straw poll I ran on Twitter showed me that although most families who follow me are aware of the 3DS’s glasses-less 3D screen, they are a little foggier when it comes to other differences between the new console and the original DS. …
In fact, even when I quiz my more technically-engaged colleagues they took quite some time before mentioning the 3DS’s increased graphical horsepower. The 3D screen, larger top screen, circle controller, cameras or even telescopic stylus were highlighted before any mention of improved graphics. …
Maybe a better way to communicate this distinction is with the release of games that are obviously head and shoulders above their DS counterparts. …
All this, of course, comes in light of the upcoming release of Sony’s PlayStation Vita which boasts a slew of novel interactive ideas and visuals that edge towards PlayStation 3 quality (considering the screen real-estate). Sony has done a much better job at distinguishing its new handheld from the previous generation — not only changing the name completely but also (in tried and tested Sony fashion) focusing on how different the hardware is. …
While it is true that Smartphone adoption amongst a younger demographic is growing — as we have seen with use of Blackberry Messenger — this still hovers around the teenage years (and tweens from 11 yrs and older). That leaves a big window for dedicated devices like the DS and PSP (or even Mobigoand Leapfrog) to normalise younger players (as young as 3yrs) into the benefits and habit of playing games on a dedicated piece of hardware.
The conundrum remains for Nintendo to figure out what it is that is slowing 3DS sales. My money is on the fact that it is seen more as a “3D DS” rather than the truly next generation handheld device it actually is. For this reason I expect I’ll be considerably more excited about its prospects than the mums and dads I interacted with at the playground and swimming pool.
Read the full story here: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/08/the-3ds-is-more-than-a-pretty-3d-face/