<facts>
Nintendos new hand held to be released this November will have wireless acces built in. The Nintendo DS (working title) will have ad-hock networking and router access allowing players to meet localy and acrost the world. The specs say that it will work with IE 802.11 wireless and Nintendo's proprietary communication protocol. The range of the device will be about 30 feet.
</facts>
<theory>
So we now have a handheld thats is like a PDA as an XBOX is to a pc. IMHO this is going to have some problems with hacking, look at cell phones they all ready have viruses out for them and any thing labled "proprietary" will be cracked ASAP. the ad hock conections are safe unless they are taped by another wireless network they shouldent be able to attack each other ( unless nintendo makes "31773 |>|_||>35 script kiddie wargame" ). The real problem is when playing over a wireless network, as mentioned before nintendo's protocol WILL be cracked and then any one can write up a computer interface (C library?) and start the havoc of Dos attacks, buffer overflows, and worms. Some will say "but what about the XBOX they arent being attacked?" the reason is simple: the servers are pre-programed into the games them selves and each game has it's own protocol for online play (corect me if I'm wrong, this is just what I have gathered). First thing I do when I get one is to put ontop of my wireless router and get out good old Nmap and start scaning it. Could this be the new tool of war drivers? just walk by your local mall with an online enabled game and try to connect every 10 feet and see where you can conect. Right after I finish probing it's ip stack till I can practacaly speek it, antenna mod. Only kid in town that can beat you at mario kart from one mile away .
</theory>
Nintendo DS specs