Cell phones can be quite cheap so adding one to a handheld like the 3DS wouldn't raise the cost too much.

Okay, so there have been primarily videogame handhelds that also incorporated cell phone technology in the past and was either unpopular or just wasn't functional properly as both a handheld and a cell phone. With cell phones being incredibly popular, there shouldn't be any reason in future why the two remain seperate.

But of course, you want a dedicated cell phone, it'd be better to buy one specifically for doing so. Likewise, you want a proper gaming handheld then you stick with Nintendo's.

It probably won't happen on Nintendo systems.

That would be... different. I seriously couldn't imagine carrying around my huge 4DS or whatever to use as a cell phone. I'll just use my normal cell phone for now.

Nintendo? Nope.
Nintendo has an iron grip on handhelds, and they wont include a cell phone anytime soon.
Shenanigans alert.

No. Remember the N-Gage? Yeah.

no way. i'd hate to see the kind of data plan that'd require D: i also wouldn't want to be the one dork out in public using a handheld console as a phone -- and not to mention, what happens if you're in the middle of a game and someone calls you (which happens to me a lot)? it wouldn't really be feasible to keep playing and talk at the same time (which i like to do, especially if it's like my sister calling and i don't really want to pay attention to her, lol) :3

This would effectively limit the sales of your handheld to those who aren't already pleased with their cell phone plans. (Why would they buy two phones with two different plans?) Not to mention those who are dissatisfied with their plans, but tied into contracts. Game companies won't want to wait until contracts lapse just to shift a unit. They're wiser to leave that to actual cell phone companies.

I remember it was ugly and poorly supported. Neither of which applies to a Nintendo machine.

Nah, as much as I'd like 3 cellphones, I don't think it'd be very practical.

No.

No.

No.

But maybe a cellphone model in addition to the non-cellphone model? Like the Sony Ericsson Playstation Phone we've been hearing about?

The DS Phat was ugly, so it's not like Nintendo is unsullied in its aesthetic perfection.

Besides, isn't Apple's iPhone already a successful attempt at this? It's popular and selling well, but personally I'm not a fan of it.

Along with what others have written, I'd fully expect the phone/handheld to be locked to certain companies, as Nintendo (or whoever develops them) would need to strike up deals in order to get acceptance from cell providers. Even Apple had to do that with AT&T for the iPhone. I disapprove of limiting consumers in that fashion, especially since I swap my SIM cards a lot. Getting exclusive deals with companies would also mean big delays worldwide as Nintendo (or whoever) would not be able to release their handheld until they had a deal with at least one local cell provider - this could even mean no release at all in some countries.

After the disaster that was NGage I dont see it happening again anytime soon.

The iPhone does it (yes there is more than fart apps, in fact you can get the full version of gta chinatown wars). But I dont see Nintendo following the trend. In a world where all handhelds double as a phone, Nintendo most likely isnt making them anymore. And im not sure Ninty has as much of an iron grip on the handheld market...im still skeptical as to how well the 3DS will do in the US. I gess we can just wait and see.

I leave you with this image:

That is all.

^{EDIT: And if you didn't get it, that's a NO.}

The N-gage failed because it was a horrible game console, not because it was a phone + game system. The screen had a vertical aspect ratio, you had to remove the batteries to change the game, the cell phone buttons were mushed together and didn't work well for gaming, and you had to hold the top of the N-gage to your ear talk use it as a phone which people said looked like you were holding a taco to your ear.

It would be interesting to see a handheld + phone done right. Not that I would necessarily buy it, but it's possible one could succeed.

Whether or not phone service will be built into all future handhelds, I have no clue.

No.

Wait...

No

/ remembers the day his n-gage fell out his lap while getting out a vehicle never to be seen again....

That sucked