The rumors were right. At a press conference in Japan tonight, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed the latest iteration of their handheld: the Nintendo DS-i.

At first glance, it doesn’t look much different than the already available DS Lite. But there are some major additions to the hardware, including:

* Two 0.3 megapixel (640×480 resolution) cameras, one on the outside, another on the inside
* Larger screens — they’re now 3.25 inches (vs. 3.0 inches)
* SD card slot for memory expansion and plug-n-play with Wii Photo Channel
* Built-in web browser
* Support for the “Nintendo DS Store,” which will sell “Nintendo DS Ware,” much like the WiiWare service already available on Wii
* Ability to play MP3s via SD cards

The DS-i is also slightly smaller, but form factor came at a price. Nintendo has removed the Game Boy Advance slot, removing compatibility with that device’s games. But Nintendo could potentially sell those games through the DS Store.

Nintendo said the DS-i will be available on November 1 in Japan for 18,900 yen (roughly $180 over here) in two colors — white and grey-black. Unfortunately, the rest of the world won’t see the DS-i until 2009.

Nintendo of America is holding a two-day press event in San Francisco starting tomorrow, however. We should know more about the worldwide plans then.

[Image Credit: Watch Impress]

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