The following is the official statement from Nintendo. It has been taken off the official Nintendo Japan website (click the title) so please bare with some of the translation. Thanks. Oo, and check out the cool photo! P.S. I tried converting the price and if it is 16,800 Japanese Yen then that is roughly $144.
Edit: Newest Update: The DS Lite is thinner, lighter, and has four levels of brightness control. Also, the DS is looking like it is going to be the compliment to the Revolution with a slick design and even the buttons look similar. Also, as it says below a March 2nd Japan release date is expected.
The Nintendo Co. corporation (the Kyoto Itiminami Ku: Satoru Iwata president) on March 2nd this year, it hits against, the superior model of portable type video game machine "ニンテンドー DS" "ニ ン ten ド - DS Lite" manufacturer desired retail price 16 and 800 Yen (including tax: Private AC adapter attachment) with we sell.
We started domestic sale on 2004 December 2nd "ニンテンドー DS" (including tax desired retail price 15, The result and the domestic sum total cell through quantity as for everyone who 000 Yen), the doubles cleanliness and the touch screen, microphone input and wireless communication (local communication and Wi - Fi communication) etc. fully loads unique function, is enjoyed the video game from the past of course, until now also one time has not been done the game and receive support even in the customer of many women and senior layer (from the retail store the actual sale quantity to the customer) after the selling within 13 months 5000000 units breaking (most speed in all the video game machines which were sold so far in the country; The MediaCreate corporation) it does to inspect, for the country of 2005 end of year point in time the sale quantity has reached to 5700000.
This corporation sells this time new as for "ニンテンドー DS Lite", "ニンテンドー DS" being unique, as for colorful function by the fact that that way, the substance thin shape is lightened more to raise portable characteristic, it is the superior type which loads the brightness control function of 4 stages whose it is possible furthermore to make the picture bright. ("It is light", "it is bright", we have named "Lite" from meaning.)
As for Nintendo Co., it designates the existence in the portable type game machine market furthermore it is complete & expands the attractive corresponding software which you can enjoy to the your wide customer regardless of the presence of age sex game experience, not only, with throwing the superior model, this "ニンテンドー DS Lite", as more firm ones, starts actualizing preponderant spread.
