I'm in two minds about the Nintendo 2DS.

On one hand it's a solid strategy: When I was introduced to the 3DS on launch day (in a Currys/PC World/Black store) the very first thing the shop assistant showed me was how to turn off the 3D. I've met literally no-one who tells me they bought one for the 3D, and I know of dozens of kids who are gaga over the DS/DSi. Even my own daughter (who has, and loves, her iPod touch) revisits the DS (the original silver version which I imported at the US launch!) regularly. The 3DS is way too expensive this long after launch (even second hand). The 2DS could sell shedloads of households on the next generation of games, and leave those old DS models at the back of a drawer.

On the other hand it seems like a botched, reactionary move, designed to sell those (struggling?) games in a market dominated by free-up-front iOS games perfectly designed to occupy young minds and hands for short bursts of play, yet crippled in design terms by a hingeless slab design that won't fit into any jacket pocket ever designed. The 2DS brings nothing new to the table, and repackages old technology in a bid to extend the razor-and-blade business model for one last generation.

Like I say, in two minds.

Another thought: What if Apple uses what it learns in building a more affordable mass-market iPhone 5c to launch a more affordable mass-market iPod touch? What then Nintendo?