Nintendo Announces 3DS And AT&T Collaboration
During his keynote speech at GDC this morning, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's informed everyone:

"There is great potential to increase the number of people who enjoy video games by opening up new game-play opportunities that are only available through the use of 3D,” Iwata said. “Nintendo 3DS will be the most connected Nintendo device ever, with its ability to link people via local wireless connections, while at the same time connecting them to people and content worldwide via hotspot connectivity."

With the launch of Nintendo's 3DS less than a month away (March 27th), it looks like Nintendo is going to attempt and reclaim the mobile gaming market. By the end of May Nintendo plans on rolling out a Wireless system update which includes the Nintendo eShop. This will give 3DS owners access to the following features:

  1. A short-form video service will let people view trailers for Hollywood movies in 3D and access video game trailers, screen shots, background information and links to publishers’ websites. Content will include short video clips, such as comedy shorts or music videos, selected by Nintendo and delivered to Nintendo 3DS users who choose to receive them.
  2. Downloadable classic games via the portable Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console™ service will include Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color games, as well as those from the Game Gear and TurboGrafx-16 systems.
  3. “3D Classics” will introduce select classic video games remastered in 3D.
  4. Games currently offered as Nintendo DSiWare™ and an Internet browser will be available.

If you’re a previous Nintendo DSi or DSi XL owner don’t panic! The wireless update is also going to allow these legacy system owners to transfer their DSiWare onto the new 3DS.

Well with all this data being transferred and system updates Nintendo has decided to call in some help for players around the US to accommodate this transition. Nintendo has announced a partnership with:

AT&T to provide Nintendo 3DS owners with automatic and free access to more than 10,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide with the May system update.

Suck on that iPhone! There will also be a new piece of software called SpotPass, that players can opt into, that constantly scans for AT&T Hot Spots everywhere from restaurants to airports. I'm very interested to see what this will do to the battery life of the Nintendo 3DS if you forget to turn it off.

Nintendo 3DS will also add Netflix streaming to its list of features. Yes that's right; if you're at home streaming a video on your Nintendo Wii and have to leave before it's over, you can continue watching the same movie later on your Nintendo 3DS. The app itself should pretty much run just like any other Mobile version of Netflix. Right now the 3DS will not have 3D video playback, but I am sure that's only a matter of time until Netflix starts streaming 3D video. Nintendo is currently working with Hollywood studios to start making 3D trailers for movies coming soon.

Hopefully we will hear more about that at E3 this year along with the new 3D Super Mario title! Regardless Nintendo sounds like they are going to take the gloves off and show everyone out there the true power of the handheld gaming market!