Nintendo 3DS Could Support Digital Newspapers And Magazines

When Nintendo announced the 3DS, one of the caveats of information that may have slipped out was the fact that the new mobile video game console would be able to connect automatically to a WiFi signal, as long as it's within range, and there's no password protecting it. Sure, it may seem like a great feature, but over time security becomes an issue, along with battery life, amongst other things. But, along with that feature, comes the 3DS' ability to download information/features/whatever else while in sleep mode, so that the next time you power on your new-fangled gadget, you're all updated. A new addition to that could be your morning Sunday Times.

According to Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's boss, the company is trying to find ways to "beam" newspapers, and magazine articles straight to the Nintendo 3DS. If you're near a WiFi hotspot, and your device is primed for downloads, then you'll be able to get automatic updates to all your favorite periodicals, right on the fly. There's no word on whether or not it'd be a full newspaper, or just certain sections or a single article, and it would seem that magazines are cordoned off to just a single article, and not the entire issue.

However, there's a lot of unanswered questions that pop up with this idea. First and foremost, would reading a newspaper on such a small screen be even worth it? Especially when compared to other devices that do the same thing. Additionally, how would subscriptions work, and how would people pay for them? We're sure that reading a paper isn't the first thing you'd want to do on your new 3D gadget, but hey, if they can figure out a free way to make it happen, we'd be on board. At least for a little while, before our headaches get the better of us.

[via Ubergizmo]