Nintendo Game Boy Micro

[McClain]

The 3rd version in 3 years. Somebody is trying to dominate the handheld market!

http://img.engadget.com/common/images/1387485638540373.JPG

http://img.engadget.com/common/images/8662335133590878.JPG

http://img.engadget.com/common/images/8302965874342631.JPG

http://img.engadget.com/common/images/5337891688155324.JPG

http://img.engadget.com/common/images/6833841173884616.JPG

[bigtimecow]

well, nintendo has done nothing but put out good things except gamecube. and that looks nutty.

[ziggytrix]

that'll only sell if it comes equipped with an RF chip so you can hunt it down when (not if) you(r kid) lose(s) it.

[Emu]

Jesus Christ, I had enough problems trying to hold the original GBA with my fucking mammoth hands and not getting it dirty. I think I'll stick with my SP.

[James]

The 3rd version in 3 years. Somebody is trying to gay up the handheld market!

Fixed.

I'm really happy about this, as this means the GBA SP will drop in price again, and I will finally buy a GBA I can see. But no way in hell will they get me to buy this choking hazard.

[ziggytrix]

SP is the sleekness, yo. I hardly ever play mine, but I've never regretted buying it. The clamshell design keeps the screen free from damage thru neglect, so it'll still be beautiful in a year or so when I pick it up again! :rave

[Supafly345]

It says its 2x0.7 inches people. Your thumbs are bigger than that. Use your heads for once and figure out for yourself if this is real or not.

[EverythingWillSuck]

well, nintendo has done nothing but put out good things except gamecube.

Like Virtual Boy and E-Card Reader! :)

[Sergeant_Tibbs]

GBA games are 2 and 3/8 inches wide....

[Schimid]

I'm pretty sure this is real. Apparently Captain Asshole pulled one out of his pocket at the Nintendo press conference and the crowd was like "WHOA"

But, really, who wants a screen that they can barely see? This is gonna fail.

[thebiggameover]

http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/17/technology/personaltech/e3_newgba/index.htm

New Game Boy coming this year

Nintendo redesigns its portable gaming system for the holidays.
May 17, 2005: 2:48 PM EDT
By Chris Morris, CNN/Money

LOS ANGELES (CNN/Money) - Redesigning the Game Boy Advance once worked well for Nintendo. Now the company's hoping it can strike gold again.

The company unveiled the Game Boy Micro Tuesday, a smaller, lighter version of its most popular system. Measuring just four inches wide, two inches tall and less than an inch deep, the Micro weighs just 8 ounces, roughly the same as 80 paper clips. The machine will go on sale this fall. The company did not announce a sale price.

"This is not a new technology," said Reggie Fils-Aime, executive vice president at Nintendo of America. "It is a new look in that it has the best and brightest screen we've ever put in a handheld. It's also a new look in that no matter how tight your jeans are, it will still fit in your pocket."

The Micro will also be more customizable than previous versions of the Game Boy, with a removeable face plate, much like today's cell phones.

Nintendo hopes the Micro will help it maintain its leadership position in the handheld gaming space. The Game Boy (in all of its various forms) has sold over 177 million units since it was first introduced in 1989. The Game Boy Advance has sold over 28 million units in North America alone.

Previous competitors, including the Atari Lynx and Sega Game Gear, have fallen by the wayside, but the arrival of Sony's (Research) PSP may have changed the battle.

Released in March to critical acclaim, the PSP has not been quite as big a hit with consumers as some expected, likely due to its $250 price tag. Still, analysts expect the company to sell more than 7 million units worldwide by the end of 2005.

This will be the third handheld gaming system in as many years for Nintendo. Last year's Nintendo DS was a hot holiday gift, selling 500,000 units in its first seven days on store shelves. (Globally, more than 5 million DS units have sold.)

[McClain]

If it's around 4 inches that means the screen will only be 2 inches wide. That's real small, but not so small that I wouldn't be interested. I got so used to playing on a NG Pocket, this couldn't be much worse. Plus the graphics would be better.
It's all about the price. If it goes for $50 I'll snag one in a heart beat. There's no way Nintendo will try and price this thing above an SP or, god forbid, a DS.
I'd be willing to bet it's gonna' cost around $50, that way Nintendo can keep selling SP's for $75/80.
There are plenty of good GBA games available. Enough to keep me from buying a PSP and I REALLY want one of those.

[Sergeant_Tibbs]

4 inches seems too small, my keychain is bigger than that and I lose my keys all the time. If there is a lanyard loop on it so I can attach it to something bigger I'll probably get one. Unless it doesn't have a backlit screen, in which case its a peice of shit.

[James]

The speculated price is around $100, and the SP will take a price cut.

The screen may be 2 inches wide, but how high is it? You have to take that into account. You also have to take into account trying to read words on that small a screen. That screen is almost 75% smaller than the GBA screen.

[Supafly345]

Something the size of a game and watch is convenient, something the size of an eraser is a keychain decoration.

[ziggytrix]

it's roughly the size of a tin of altoids.

NYT has a story on it too (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/18/technology/18nintendo.html)

[rockets redglare]

It's also a new look in that no matter how tight your jeans are, it will still fit in your pocket


So it appears that their target audience is the cast of West Side Story

[McClain]

The speculated price is around $100, and the SP will take a price cut.

That's the thing - who the hell really knows how much it will cost? But personally I feel that something that small going for $100 is ludicrous, and Nintendo knows that. They're flat out reminding people that it's "not new technology" so why would they try and rip us off?
No way this thing goes for more $ than an SP. If it does, it's the worst marketing tactic in their history.

[Emu]

Remember, McClain, we're talking about Nintendo here. They just might.

[McClain]

1) Shoulder Buttons
2) Backlit LCD
3) Headphone Jacks
Those are the three most important things. And it has them. Even with those assets, no way in hell this thing sells for more than $60.

[Emu]

Ugh, that thing's a fucking keychain.

[Sergeant_Tibbs]

"Ugh, that thing's a fucking keychain."

I agree, its way the fuck too small.

[timrpgland]

The SP's design is where it's at so I don't see any reason to pick this up even if it is alot cheaper... I think having 2 GBAs is enough for me..

I've been playing quite a bit of FoMT lately on my SP. That game is exhausting.