“At an event today in New York, Nintendo revealed more of the device’s capabilities, and many of them sound like features found on the iPhone,” Duryee reports. “Apple’s ability to turn its MP3 players and phones into portable gaming devices has been a competitive threat to Nintendo… the new 3DS has an online store, called the eShop, where users will be able to download games. It also has three cameras and a built-in gyro, so the device can be tilted and turned to affect game play.”
“It’s the 3-D interactivity that Nintendo is really pushing, and so far consumers have not gravitated to 3-D as a reason to upgrade a TV, so it’s unclear whether it will be a draw for the 3DS,” Duryee reports. “Nintendo’s enthusiasm for 3-D also suffered a blow when it issued a warning that it is not healthy for kids under the age of 6 to view 3-D images.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Aye, aye aye.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “jtc” for the heads up.]
What isn’t “dangerous”? To get born is the greatest danger anyway and we die about it.
Wow! 6 year olds are the main target of the damnable thing. Parents beware!
They have to mention it because many of their devices will be sold in America. And everybody knows if you don’t put in a disclaimer some nutcase will sue.
Warn your family and friends today. Send that link for them to review.
It goes both ways: Children under the age of 6 can be dangerous to electronic devices.
darn.. every time I send in an article I get no credit 🙁
but I thought this was rather interesting… Nintendo itself warns it is dangerous.. BUT you can turn down the amount of 3D to be safer…. uhm yeah that sounds right…
Apple shares would probably drop a good $20 instantly if they shipped a new ipod touch and said it is dangerous to kids!
All electronic devices are dangerous to children, with childhood obesity at epidemic levels. Kids should be outside playing and interacting and learning physically – to balance time on electronic devices.
Anything in excess is dangerous.
I’m betting it’s also incase of nutcase lawsuit and some under 6 year old left playing it for hour and hours on end with no supervision. And it can be turned off… so no biggy.
IMO 6 year olds shouldn’t be given a 3DS… Why? Most of the time I see them, they are given simply to shut up a kid or distract them, instead of interacting with their parents, family and the real world.
In my mind, kudos to nintendo for stepping up
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This is old news. And it seems that for the most part, it’s not true.
“Speaking to multiple Opthamologists around the country, they nearly all agreed that their research has shown that current 3D technology has no effect on children. One doctor spent three months forcing baby monkeys to wear 3D glasses and stare at 3d videos and images for extended period of time. It had no effect on their vision.
Another doctor said that it wouldn’t have much of an effect on their eyesight, but it would probably kill their attention span because of overstimulation, and another concluded that the increased processing of information could cause brain fatigue.”
Granted, that’s taken from Gizmodo, so y’know, take it with a pinch of salt, but I highly doubt that the 3DS will be dangerous to kids in anyway. The warning is just a disclaimer to avoid lawsuits.
Great news for the folks who act like they are six.
@TheMightyFinder
Interesting studies, monkey one sounds a bit sadist but hey lol.
I would say that this a slighty different take on 3D, without glasses that is, and certainly I’d bet you could find a less then reputable opthamologist for the right price say that the research is inconclusive or at worst claim the opposite.
Certainly we can agree that it’s more against lawsuits and it being gizmodo, along with being a media company thats survival depends on making non-news into a hyped story to drive income.
Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3DS. Enough said.
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6 year olds should /not/ be the main target for the 3ds, i’m only 16 and I did not get my first game system (a game boy color) until I was 8 (or maybe 9)
I think the 3d effect is targeted more at home brewers
oh and that is /way/ too expensive for a nentendo system. Most of the nentendo gamers are used to prices in the hundreds not two hundreds
I didn’t realise that 3D was bad for my children.
If only I could find a way to convert everything in their world into 2D until they are 6.
@Alan
You saw that coming didn’t you? Ha ha
Why would anyone give a child under 6 a 3DS anyway? There might as well be a “don’t let people over 80 wear skinny jeans” warning.
“3D” has been disappointing. I don’t think it will help Nintendo. But if Apple ever does “3D,” it will no doubt be great.
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Past examples…
Personal computers – Inaccessible until Apple II. Geeky until Mac.
Digital music players – Boring until iPod.
Digital music downloads – Illegal until iTunes Music Store.
Smartphones – Pedestrian until iPhone.
Tablet computers – Unpopular until iPad.
At some point, Apple will do something with 3D to make it “work.” And then, EVERYONE will follow.
Ok I have to ask, why is 3D not healthy for ages under 6? They seem to be getting along fine seeing their parents and the world in 3D.
Shouldn’t there be a warning in general to the fact the device is a gaming machine and should be used with parental discretion? What is more unhealthy… looking at 3D images on a screen, or being sedentary playing games all day long?
This is a non-story. Every single video game system comes with pages of warnings about how it can be dangerous for children.
Nintendo is having difficulties in the mobile device arena because their product development has been rather lethargic over the past decade (Gameboy to DS Lite, etc.) and because the games cost way too much.
@ LateRegistrant,
That is one of the funniest comments I’ve seen in a while on MDN. Anyone who’s lived with a 4 year old knows exactly what you’re talking about.