Esotropiart

I now have in my possession everything I need to get started with Nintendo DS homebrew. For those who are already thinking, "What in the shuboingas is 'Nintendo DS Homebrew' ", allow me to explain. First and foremost I hope you at least know a Nintendo DS to be the latest portable video game system made by Nintendo, successor to the widely popular Gameboy series (don't ask me why it's not called the Gameboy DS). If you don't know what a Nintendo or video game is then you probably don't know what a computer is either, much less a blog, so I'll assume you are not even reading this, and I'll now refrain from addressing you furthur.

Typically a portable gaming system like the DS is used to play commercially licensed games purchased in the form of small cartridges. "Homebrew" is the term used to describe software developed noncommercially to further extend the functionality of the gaming system where the big companies have failed to capitalize.

If you are not already familiar with the concept of homebrew, you might be wondering how it is possible to get programs to function on a system built to load games only from oddly shaped cartridges. Well I am glad you asked because I was about to explain. As with any new technological breakthrough or invention, there are people out there who like nothing more than to instantly dissect, hack and "improve" upon said technology - and to do it before anyone else does! In the case of the Nintendo DS, some crazy smart engineers figured out how to trick the DS by building adapters that on one end look and function exactly like a DS game cartridge. On the outside of these special adapters is a slot to insert various types of memory cards (Compact Flash, SD, etc.). The homebrew software, data and multimedia files (pictures, music and movies) can then be loaded on the memory card. If configured properly the DS will load applications from the card as if they were regular games.

Perhaps a question pops into your mind: "Why bother?!" Normally I might agree with such a sentiment, dismissing such ventures as a challenge of self-worth for the technically-minded, with no worthwhile results other than bragging rights to show for it. However, in the case of Nintendo DS homebrew I am as hooked as the next nerd.

My interest in Nintendo DS circles around my desire to get my thoughts and goals more organized. My memory capacity has been severely downgraded in recent years. I find myself writing many more notes than I ever had need of before. It's an absolute necessity if I am to have any hope of remembering.

More recently I have shifted my attention to PDAs and have contemplated buying one for a couple years now. In the midst of my fairly thorough inquiry into the various handheld devices it occurred to me that a Nintendo DS ought to be capable of doing everything a PDA can do. In fact the format of the device is ideal for such an application with its stylus, touch screen, WiFi, and dual display. Sure enough I was a quick Google search away from discovering the wonderful world of Nintendo DS homebrew!

In the past several days since receiving all the gear necessary to open up the DS for homebrew use I have downloaded most noteworthy applications circulating the web. Eventually I may gather enough writing energies to post reviews of each DS homebrew app I've tried. For now I need to get to bed. This entire post was typed and transmitted using the Nintendo DS. Typing on a virtual keyboard can be fun, but there's nothing speedy about it! It is cool to be able to do most everything I need to do remotely on the DS. I'm just a few short steps away from being able to do any sort of web maintenance all on this handy little device.