| Nintendo's DS systems is one the most successful | | | | Not only that, you can easily back-up all your games |
| handheld gaming systems in history. Unfortunately all | | | | onto a single SD card. That means you don't need to |
| you can do with it is play games. Well that's what | | | | lug your entire games collection around with you. In |
| you bought it for isn't it? But wouldn't it be great if | | | | fact you never need to unplug the R4DS as it can |
| you could use your DS like a portable media centre? | | | | store all your games in it. That means no more |
| Wouldn't it be good to listen to your mp3s, watch | | | | hunting around for lost DS cartridges. It makes the |
| videos and see your holiday photos on it? | | | | Nintendo DS an all-in-one portable gaming and media |
| Guess what. You can. All you need is a little device | | | | station, for less than the price of a single game. |
| called the R4DS (or R4 Revolution if you prefer). The | | | | However, all is not well in R4DS-land. There is a fairly |
| R4 is a bit of a Revolution for DS as it happens. It | | | | significant threat that could harm the video gaming |
| could become an essential component for every DS | | | | industry and it's consumers on two fronts. That is |
| owner to enhance their experience, or it could turn | | | | piracy. |
| the system into a software pirate's dream. | | | | The R4DS is not illegal (you can buy them from |
| The R4DS works as an adaptor for your DS to | | | | Amazon), but Nintendo wish it was. Video game |
| transfer data with a flash SD card, the type you | | | | pirates use the R4DS to play games they do not |
| might use in a digital camera or mobile phone. First | | | | own legally. Owners of the R4DS are urged not to |
| you need to put your applications and files on your | | | | take advantage of this and Nintendo are fighting to |
| SD card from your computer. Following that, simply | | | | stop the sale of the product. The long-term effects |
| plug the R4DS into your Nintendo DS, then your SD | | | | of piracy are a weaker gaming industry and |
| card into the R4DS. Then you can use whatever files | | | | therefore fewer games and games of a lower |
| and applications are stored on the SD card in your DS | | | | quality. |
| (honestly, I'm not trying confuse you with all these | | | | Ironically, the threat of piracy also threatens the |
| "SD"s and "DS"s. | | | | R4DS itself. There are many online stores selling |
| The applications can be downloaded from the | | | | imitations of the R4 Revolution. There are plenty of |
| Internet from specialist websites. The types of | | | | Internet forum reports of people plugging in their |
| application you can expect range from music players, | | | | brand new R4DS only to find they can never turn |
| image viewers and calculators to card games and | | | | their DS on again. But after closer inspection, they |
| homemade platform games. | | | | realize it not a true R4DS but a very similar clone. |
| On top of this, using the R4DS, you can back-up all | | | | It looks like the R4DS will give a large proportion of |
| your current DS games onto an SD card. This is a | | | | Nintendo DS owners a new and exciting way to |
| Godsend if you have messy children that don't put | | | | utilize their portable gaming console. It also looks like |
| their games away and a 3 month old puppy eager to | | | | Nintendo have quite a battle to stop the sale of the |
| tear apart anything it can get its teeth on. Since I | | | | R4DS which will undoubtedly lead to in an increase in |
| had a back-up of Pokémon Diamond there were | | | | piracy. The fairest situation it seems would be for |
| no tears when our dog got a little over excited with | | | | Nintendo to close down the pirate websites and allow |
| the copy we'd bought just a week before. Thank | | | | the ethical use of the R4DS to continue. |
| you R4. | | | | |