Ever tried to jam 100 books in your pocket? Starting on June 13th, people who own any one of the Nintendo DS™ family of systems can buy 100 Classic Books, a compilation of some of the greatest works of classic literature. Users with broadband Internet access can wirelessly download 10 additional books at no extra charge.
The DS game card includes a variety of books appropriate for all different ages, including seven separate works by Charles Dickens. There are novels that people can enjoy on the beach, such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice; adventure and mystery novels that can be devoured during summer travels, such as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle or Bram Stoker’s Dracula; and books that kids can read at home, such as The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling or Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
You’ll hold your Nintendo DS systems sideways like a book. To turn the page, just swipe the touch screen with the stylus or your finger; the settings can also be flipped for left-handed users. A virtual bookmark lets you return to where you left off. Up to three bookmarks can be used to mark your place in three different books, and large and small fonts are available. Each book includes a biography of the author and a synopsis of the plot and characters.
If you aren’t sure which book you want to read you can answer a series of questions about your preferences, and the software will recommend some books you might like. Once a book is finished, you can rate it in different categories and upload the results wirelessly to a central database using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection. Then other readers can see which books have been rated “funniest” or “most exciting.” You can also share demos of select books with other Nintendo DS owners who want to sample some literature for themselves.
100 Classic Books will be available on June 13. The suggested retail price is $19.95