Nintendo's new DS will feature a camera, possibly a bigger pair of screens (both of which will be touch-sensitive) and a slightly improved WiFi system. I'd expect at least one surprise – my bet will be some kind of motion-sensor.Naturally some people will be disappointed that the platform's features will still be low-end or that it does not include a free magic-pony, but its hard to please everyone. Nintendo have always been very good at incremental updates. This will be another money-maker.The real question I have is not whether people will buy it, but whether people will carry it – the electronics market is flooded with pocket-sized devices.And the more interesting question is what would you leave behind in order to take you DS with you? Would you leave behind your digital camera because Nintendo have built one into the DS? If the new DS had a good enough web-browser might you leave behind your laptop? What's the hierarchy of technologies for your handbag?
Ultimately it comes down to who your competition is. Whilst most brands look to their immediate competition, the woman on the street does not view her competition by category. Nintendo will be competing with the obvious rival Sony but will also be competing with everything in a women's handbag: Keys, Digi-cam, Purses, Phones, Laptops, Music-Players, Sunglasses and make-up.Jan Chipchase has done some interesting work in this area. Keys, cash and mobile phone are considered essentials irrespective of culture and gender. Keys and money provide access to shelter, food and warmth whilst the phone enables convenient communication with someone who can provide access to these. Forgetting these when shifting to one situation to the other is the most critical thing for most people.I often pick up my overfilled handbag and leave stuff out and my DS is usually the one that gets eliminated first. Then in order: my Bluetooth headset, my mini laptop, camera, paper notebook, any baby toys/dummies and finally paracetamol. My phone, purse and make-up (vain I know) are the things I take everywhere.Whilst Nokia and Apple have been banking on the importance the phone hence turning it into a hand held gaming platform, there's an interesting piece of work to be done understanding which items women are prepared to be loyal to and those they are prepared to abandon.As we begin the quest for loyalty beyond reason, the battle of the handbags begins.What's in your handbag and what's your handbag hierarchy?
Probably a male response, but couldn't you just get a bigger bag?
good logic but i hate carrying too much as i am sure to forget something. and i get shoulder ache. prioritisation is key!
Looking at the picture (is that really your bag?!) and considering that if you can fit a DS a Bluetooth headset, a mini laptop, a camera, paper notebook, baby toys/dummies, paracetamol, purse and make-up and presumably a mobile phone and some keys too into your handbag, then I'd ignore Adam's suggestion - you're probably already lugging around something approaching a suitcase as it is.
how do men cope who do not typically carry bags everywhere - are we seeing the rise of bigger man bags...
I have a man bag - wow, that was cathartic - I carry my lunch, my cash, my phone, my keys, my headphones, something to read and a superfluous amount of paper (payslips, notes I've scribbled, drawings by my kids, etc). I used to get weird looks of people - a man with a bag??? But now it's a common sight - even mates of mine who are builders (proper man work, as one of them calls it, even though he's home and finished by 3pm most days - lightweight!) are starting to carry all their stuff around in a bag - noticable difference though is that men buy one bag, that is functional and big enought for all their stuff, and generally use it 'til it falls apart - it has yet to become a 'fashion item'.
I bought a PSP Lite just this week and chose it over the DS because it has a bigger screen, interent access, movie and music playability and much better graphics than the Nintendo DS. If the new DS has a camera function I would only be interested if the camera was exceptionally good. I don't really use the camera function on my phone as it doesn't compare to my digital camera. The must have contents of my handbag are (in order of importance): keys, purse, phone ... neccessary documents and my PSP if travelling on a long journey. I must add i'm hugely excited about my PSP it is quite beautiful (if technoloy can be described as beautiful). Furthermore, the PSP was chosen to play games on not soley to watch movies and play music (I could have bought an iPod for that) but it was the added bonus of other stuff. In my eyes it's a wonderful gadget that allows me to consume culture, be it games, movies, music or the stuff on the net. FInally, I really appreciate the aesthetics of things, so for me, the PSP is charming both aesthetically and practically, which is why I chose it over the DS. Hope that helps Belinda.
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Belinda Parmar
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Member since: 17 Aug 2008
Last login: 18 Nov 2009
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