Nintendo announces Game Boy Adavance SP (1 Viewer)

[Greg O' Connel]

Nintendo just announced the new model Game Boy Advance at a press conference in Japan. Info:
- backlit screen
- compact, clamshell design
- rechargeable battery (like cell-phone)
- same hardware as standard GBA, which will continue to be sold
- launches Feb. 14 in Japan, March 23 in US
- $99.99
- available in multiple colors (naturally). Here's the black model:

 

[Romier S]

Excellent!

99.99 which will be well spent.

 

[Dan B]

It looks a bit awkward to hold, like it might be top-heavy with the screen up there? Otherwise, I like it...but I'll wait for the price to come down if I do decide to buy one. The more things change...
http://www.tznet.com/danb/images/game&watch.jpg

 

[BrianB]

I'm really not too impressed... I need to see one "up close" as the pictures make it look really really tiny & unusable for me.

And I'm not about to spend $99 on effectively a small iteration on the GBA!

 

[Iain Lambert]

If you don't currently own a GBA, and it turns out to be more comfortable than I fear, then its only going to cost about the same as getting an Afterburned one. I think the design looks great from a 'funky gadget' point of view, and I never did quite like having the screen between my hands Gamegear-style, rather than the vertical design previous Gameboys have been.

 

[DonRoeber]

I have a GBA with an Afterburner that I'm not happy with (I didn't install any dimmer, and often the screen looks too washed out for my tastes). I was thinking about selling it to get a professionally installed GBA with Afterburnner. But this new GBA looks fantastic. I'll be ordering one as soon as I can.

 

[MikeAlletto]

Only thing I'm concerned about (well except the balance with the screen at the top as mentioned already) is the position of the controls. Are they too high up on the bottom clam so you won't be able to play just grabbing the bottom corners? Or are the pictures deceiving and the thing is really tiny? Dan, yeah the first thing I thought was the game & watch!

 

[Dan B]

It's really tiny (3" x 1" x 3" folded up) and lightweight also, so the balance & reach probably won't be a factor at all.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

If that thing is only 3" wide, it is not going to be comfortable in my hands.
Edit: And I don't like how classic/color carts will stick out the bottom. And there is no headphone jack, you have to buy an adaptor for the link port to use headphones!

 

[Ted Lee]

related article:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...ss/4892654.htm

 

[Masood Ali]

Gamespot went hands on with the new GBA SP, and they said the controls (D-Pad, A, B) were just as easy to use as the old GBA, and the shoulder buttons were actually easier to use. From a design standpoint, don't knock it till you've tried it.

 

[MikeAlletto]

And there is no headphone jack, you have to buy an adaptor for the link port to use headphones!

Yeah that is extremely dumb. I hope they put the adaptor in the box instead of having to buy it separately.

 

[Dan B]

It's available separately.

 

[EdR]

As I said in the 'GBA Questions' thread in Software - It's unfortunate that they went with sidelight instead of backlight. My 2 year old Handspring Visor still looks better than any of the new PDAs because it's backlit, which gives better color saturation and better contrast.

Of course, battery life is longer with sidelighting, which must be why they chose it...but I'd take a minor hit in battery life to have backlighting.

I think the design is nice. It's smart to have a folding screen so it's smaller and protected when not in use...and built-in rechargeables are great.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

It's a better GBA, from what I can tell. I'll most likely end up getting one.

And I don't know if you noticed this, but it's RECHARGEABLE!!! And backlit!

 

[MikeAlletto]

Yeah the whole rechargeable pack is cool! I wonder how much extra rechargeable packs will cost? I'd want 2 for long flights so I don't have to find an outlet.

 

[Frederick]

Damn! Now what am I suppose to do with the GBA I got?!?!?! DAMN YOU, NINTENDO !!!!!
March 23rd, huh? Sign me up. My wife's going to kill me ...
Freddy C.

 

[EdR]

Damn! Now what am I suppose to do with the GBA I got?!?!?! DAMN YOU, NINTENDO !!!!!

I know you're joking, but imagine how I felt after I ordered a new GBA W/ Afterburner yesterday...
Ah, such is life in the technology world. I'm OK with it though, I really don't want to wait until the end of march to get my island in AC! I'm too impatient!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I just read on GameSpot that you can play the GBA with it just plugged in to charge (and it can charge up while the GBA is being used).

 

[Ryan FB]

Some nice picture links (From the Slashdot Article and Discussion):
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/...7/nintendo.htm
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20...s_all.view-000
http://www.andyburnes.clara.co.uk/GBA_SP_small.jpg
http://www.andyburnes.clara.co.uk/GBASP2.JPG
http://www.andyburnes.clara.co.uk/GBASP3.JPG
http://www.mainichi.co.jp/life/hobby...1/img/07-1.jpg
Looks a little awkward to me, but it might grow on me with time. I was about to order a Platinum GBA w/ a professionally installed Afterburner and dimmer chip, but this definitely gives me pause (I already have a trans. blue GBA that I bought on release day, but the screen still drives me crazy at times). Might have to hold this new one and see how I like it before I buy one.