Hands on the new GBA

[bandit]

Originally posted by burgundy
My thoughts exactly. Dunno about five inches, but it's way too long. It should be as flush as possible to the unit surface.

[thumbnail]http://www.planetgamecube.com/media/hw018010557.JPG[/thumbnail]

why is the end of the adapter, the part where you insert the headphones so long? the last time i checked, my plug for the ear/headphones wasnt that long.

actually, it doesnt look that long considering theres the plug to go into the GBA, the flexible cord, but i dont know about the end part.

if they shortened the cord a bit more and made the attachment a bit smaller and cut the end part by 50%-70% than it would be better

i think i know why its a bit big..so people who buy it, wont loose it if it was big. if it was small, people will replace it and buy another one. isnt that a good thing for nintendo? isnt that what they want in the first place? people to spend money on more stuff they already dont need?

[stormy]

IGN has posted thier hands-on impressions, here

They report that the battery is NOT changable.

Interestingly, the Game Boy Advance SP system features a built-in rechargeable lithium battery that's not user-swappable. If something goes wrong with the battery, users will have to send their unit to Nintendo for a replacement. The battery door on the bottom of the unit is sealed with a tri-wing screw, which makes it difficult for the end-user to access.

They also address the shoulder buttons, saying they look wierd but feel perfect for either knuckle use or finger tip use.

[bandit]

the unit really isnt sealed if you can access it with a tri-wing. a tri-win can be bought for $1-6 online. i have a feeling 3rd party will make a rechargable of their own. if not, im hoping a gamesite will open the compartment up so they can show us what type of lithium-ion battery is in it, whether its a custom battery or standard battery. if its standard lithium-ion battery, i might have to go out and buy a spare.

the light looks nice, bright, and evenly lit.

At the Las Vegas meeting, Nintendo representatives reiterated that the Game Boy Advance SP will definitely co-exist with the original Game Boy Advance system. Nintendo will continue to manufacture and sell the original GBA system for the forseeable future. There are currently no plans for a price drop on the Game Boy Advance unit.

i dont think there will be a price drop anyways. considering both are the same hardware, just different design. and you're paying $30 more for a lithium-ion battery and a frontlight.

IGN also reported that at the CES convention, there is a solar powered GBA attachment for the GBA. no more use of batteries, ALL solar.

on a side note: TritonLabs has dropped the price of their Afterburner Light Kits from $35 to $25! 5 packs from $150 to $115 and 10 packs from $300 to $210

[Melf]

Interestingly, the Game Boy Advance SP system features a built-in rechargeable lithium battery that's not user-swappable. If something goes wrong with the battery, users will have to send their unit to Nintendo for a replacement.

That's what I was talking about.

If it's built-in and isn't user-swappable, then buying a spare is futile. I certainly hope this isn't true.

[bandit]

for those who are going to preorder it..

EB games as you know are taking preorders..but you need to put a minimum of $15 days PLUS a $5 deposit towards a preorder of a future release

as for GameStop, you need to put $25 down. thats all i know about GameStop.

[MVS]

I think I'll go used GBA and afterburner when I can get it for 50, rather than this.