After months of speculation the wait is finally over. Nintendo has confirmed a November 21st launch date for the Nintendo DS and an MSRP of $149.99. Interestingly enough Nintendo anounced the Japanese launch date as December 2nd. Almost 2 weeks after the North American launch, making the Nintendo DS the first Nintendo system to debut outside of Japan.
Nintendo also confirmed a rumor that the DS will indeed come with the PictoChat software embedded into the systems hardware. Allowing DS owners to write messages with an on-screen keyboard or the stylus and send them wirelessly to other DS users nearby. Users can text chat, draw artistic messages or share secrets, all without saying a word. And a Nintendo DS in sleep mode will spring to life if it senses another DS in transmitting range, alerting users to each other's presence and setting the stage for an impromptu conversation or game session.
Source: Nintendo