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The PSP was intended as a multi-purpose device, the DS wasn't, but that doesn't stop some intrepid people from making the right hardware for the DS to expand its capability. The DS has two slots, one for GBA cartridges, called Slot 2, and one for DS cards, called Slot 1. Since the DS was released, you could buy third party GBA type catridges Slot2 devices with Compact Flash or SD slots, to expand capability of the system. Some are designed for the DS Phat system, so if used on a DS lite, they would stick out of the system a little bit, however, now some are for the DS lite(won't work with the first model) that use Mini or MicroSD cards. The software used on Slot 2 devices are usually limited to GBA compatible software only, however, you can "trick" the DS into using DS software from the Slot 2 by using a "Pass thru" card on the DS using slot 1.
Now you can buy Slot one cards that are "all in one" with a MicroSD slot built into them, so the previously complicated setup is simpler. The main advantage is less hardware to buy, the main disadvantage is that Slot 2 can be used to expand the RAM of the DS, allowing things like DSLinux to run on the system, but Slot 1 can't be used like that. Nintendo themselves are releasing the Opera Web browser for the Nintendo DS, the software will be a Slot 1 card, and extra RAM will be on a slot 2 cartridge. In Japan, Nintendo released an "official" media player for the GBA that is compatible with the DS called the Play-Yan, and in the U.S. there is the Nintendo MP3 player. I prefer homebrew software for this type of stuff, usually, while some is amaturish in design, it works well enough and also uses standard, rather than proprietary, formats, and allows you to tweak the system yourself, so it'll work the way you want, rather than what some other company wants it to work.
You can even use the DS as a WiFi MythTV remote control, with a lighted display of all things!
The only difficulty in getting stuff like this to work is that most of the third party hardware you have to buy online, even Amazon sells some of it, most of the hardware, besides the flash cards themselves, are less than 50 bucks, and you can of course buy the flash cards, in whatever format, where convenient. The only exception is the Media Max player for the Nintendo DS, I found it, for retail, at Best Buy, but it seems overpriced, oversized, and isn't compatible with most homebrew software. Personally, I use Supercard Lite MicroSD, I love it because it doesn't change the form factor of my DS Lite, the thing is small, and the MicroSD cards are the size of your fingernail!
Sorry you are having difficulty finding the Nintendo DS, its almost as hard to find as the Wii, which I'm trying to buy now, my ENTIRE area is sold out at least till Sunday, I called EVERY retailer and couldn't find it at all. It sucks. Sometimes I wish these things weren't so damned popular. :( Even then, the Wii will be sold out in a half hour, I guess I'll have to stand in line in the "Wii" hours of the morning to get the damned thing. (ha! made a Wii pun without it being a penis joke! :)) My Brother in Law bought one about 2 weeks ago, had to stand in line for 3 stinking hours waiting for Best Buy to open, how messed up is that?
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