Pictochat is useless...

[disorder]

I mean for now that is becuase why draw and type to the person who is only 30-100 feet away from you when you can just talk to them? Another thing I'm upset about the DS is that you cannot type or draw to someone while you're in a game... let's say you're in a game and yo wanted to switch to a different game, how would they know? Personally I think the Nintendo DS is a bit rushed. Hopefully Nintendo gets smart and adds firmware support and all that, especially adding online. Anyone else feel the same way? Don't get me wrong the Nintendo DS is awesome it's just they should have gave it more time instead of rushing for competition...

[offday]

Pictochat isn't totally useless right now. It'd be good if you were in a loud crowded place or close to each other, but unable to talk; like on a plane. I've never really got to use Pictochat, since hardly any of my friends even have a DS. Anyway, what exactly is firmware support?

[x999x]

If we were kids in gradeschool, we'd prolly find a million and one uses for pictochat.

I'll use it as an IM once the DS is tunneled however.

[disorder]

Originally Posted by offday

Pictochat isn't totally useless right now. It'd be good if you were in a loud crowded place or close to each other, but unable to talk; like on a plane. I've never really got to use Pictochat, since hardly any of my friends even have a DS. Anyway, what exactly is firmware support?

And you think everyone in a crowd would own a DS? :roll:

Firmware is... computer programming instructions that are stored in a read-only memory unit rather than being implemented through software.

or... it's something you can update the way it's being used or works. It has nothing to do with software or hardware. Like update the main menu on the DS and add some extra features you can add by downloading from Nintendo or something else.

[Musical_Master]

Originally Posted by x999x

I'll use it as an portable IM once the DS is tunneled however.

*fixed

Basically none of my friends have the DS so pictochat would never replace AIM, but that's just me.

--MM--

[disorder]

Originally Posted by Musical_Master

*fixed

Basically none of my friends have the DS so pictochat would never replace AIM, but that's just me.

--MM--

I have a few friends who have it but... why bother with pictochat? I mean me and a friend pictochated once but it got boring... so we played some SM64 Multiplayer. It would have been cool if you could talk to them over the game as well...

And also when the DS does go online (hopefully unlike Gamecube) how would we commnicate with players while playing the game? Hopefully the so-called mic port on the DS will answer that...

Plus pictochatting at school is alot a bit usless becuase the DS only reaches up to 100 feet and has a gaurentee of 30 feet... especially all the interference on the DS you would get around the school.

[x999x]

Originally Posted by Musical_Master

*fixed

Basically none of my friends have the DS so pictochat would never replace AIM, but that's just me.

--MM--

I have a pocketPC with wireless internet access if REALLY want to keep in contact with people via email, aim, icq, msn, yim or what have you ;)

The point of using Pictochat as a tunneled IM is primarily for recieving game challenges from DS enabled mates, aka Friends. The reason is because I'm at work all day, and have to use IM to talk to clients and coworkers. You can guess which jingle I'm going to check first when I recieve an incoming message.

Regarding Firmware, yes, it can be updated. Typically the data is stored on a ROM, which can be flashed with new code. Newer devices, like PDAs, have their firmware on flashroms. The difference is flashrom can be written to without having to delete what's already there. What this means is if the firmware only takes up half the flashrom, the remaining can be used as storage by the OS. I'm not sure what kind of chip the DS is on, but upgrading code like that is something Nintendo has had in mind since the N64.

Lastly, lets get our facts right about wifi, nifi. This is wireless b on a low power mode, which means it's throughput is capped. Furthermore, it only sends keepalive pings when idling during multiplayer games. You can view this while sitting next to someone in a game of TigerWoods and finish the hole before your opponent. Your wifi meter will turn red, and have no bars of activity while it's waiting on the second player. That said, regardless of any kind of radio interference there would be in school, practically none, it's not running on the same frequency as the DS, and the DS runs it's protocol, so there's literally no reason to even bring that notion to the table.

Regarding using it in school, my college classrooms were huge, and I would often use IR on my PDA to message others, but from only a distance of 20 feet. The purpose was to communicate without disrupting the professor. The DS has a range is over 5 times that distance, and beats out a PocketPC bluetooth network to accomplish the same thing. I'm not saying the DS is better than a PDA, but just illustrating how powerful it's communication software and hardware are compared to what else is out there. Sure sure, let's not bring blackberry into this, those things are thx.

[disorder]

Originally Posted by x999x

I have a pocketPC with wireless internet access if REALLY want to keep in contact with people via email, aim, icq, msn, yim or what have you ;)

The point of using Pictochat as a tunneled IM is primarily for recieving game challenges from DS enabled mates, aka Friends. The reason is because I'm at work all day, and have to use IM to talk to clients and coworkers. You can guess which jingle I'm going to check first when I recieve an incoming message.

Regarding Firmware, yes, it can be updated. Typically the data is stored on a ROM, which can be flashed with new code. Newer devices, like PDAs, have their firmware on flashroms. The difference is flashrom can be written to without having to delete what's already there. What this means is if the firmware only takes up half the flashrom, the remaining can be used as storage by the OS. I'm not sure what kind of chip the DS is on, but upgrading code like that is something Nintendo has had in mind since the N64.

Lastly, lets get our facts right about wifi, nifi. This is wireless b on a low power mode, which means it's throughput is capped. Furthermore, it only sends keepalive pings when idling during multiplayer games. You can view this while sitting next to someone in a game of TigerWoods and finish the hole before your opponent. Your wifi meter will turn red, and have no bars of activity while it's waiting on the second player. That said, regardless of any kind of radio interference there would be in school, practically none, it's not running on the same frequency as the DS, and the DS runs it's protocol, so there's literally no reason to even bring that notion to the table.

Regarding using it in school, my college classrooms were huge, and I would often use IR on my PDA to message others, but from only a distance of 20 feet. The purpose was to communicate without disrupting the professor. The DS has a range is over 5 times that distance, and beats out a PocketPC bluetooth network to accomplish the same thing. I'm not saying the DS is better than a PDA, but just illustrating how powerful it's communication software and hardware are compared to what else is out there. Sure sure, let's not bring blackberry into this, those things are thx.

Exactly those ae the things Nintendo should have added especially when they are aiming for young adults now. I dont think people would mind to spend 50 more bucks on alot of extras or enhancments.

[offday]

Originally Posted by disorder

And you think everyone in a crowd would own a DS? :roll:

No, I don't think everyone in a crowd would own a DS. I never said that. I'm saying if you and your friend got lost in the crowd, or it was just too loud to talk and be able to understand each other.

[disorder]

Originally Posted by offday

No, I don't think everyone in a crowd would own a DS. I never said that. I'm saying if you and your friend got lost in the crowd, or it was just too loud to talk and be able to understand each other.

Getting lost in a crowd... what are the odds of that, plus being 30 to 100 feet apart couldn't you find each other instead... I mean c'mon...