M3 DS Simply Review and Guide

The M3 DS Simply is also known as the R4 DS, which is exactly the same card, only with a different firmware installed.

M3 DS Simply promises you the following features:
- Boot clean dump images (so no patching required)
- No passcard or program needed to run games
- Homebrew support
- Direct watch movie, listen MP3 & read TXT on the DS via the use of Moonshell
- Support for WiFi, DS rumble pack & DS browser.
The contents of the M3 Simply box are:
M3 simply card ( same shape like original DS cart) packed into a sturdy rubber casing
Small USB connector (T-Flash) in which you can put a Micro SD cart to connect with your PC
Software CD Keychain
What is the M3 DS Simply?
The M3 DS Simply is a one-slot solution flashcart. That means that there isn’t a passcard or other device required to use this flashcart. The only thing you will need is a Micro Secure Digital card (Micro SD) on which you can put your data for the M3 Simply. The Micro SD cart goes into the M3 Simply cart and the M3 Simply cart goes into the DS (Lite). The Micro SD 512 Mb Kingston cart (Made in Japan) is used in this review. You can buy a Micro sd cart (depending on where you live) for around 12 euro’s/dollars, they aren’t expensive.

The M3 Simply is well build. It’s just like an original DS cart. The only con is that you need an Micro SD cart which is small and looks fragile.You need to get it out of your M3 cart each time you want to put something new on it. Other people see this as an advantage, because you can choose how much memory you like, you can change it too your needs by simply buying a bigger/smaller Micro SD cart.

Drag, drop, play

You’ll be playing games very soon after you’ve received the M3 Simply. This is due to the following points:
There is no software needed to put games/media on the M3 Simply. Just drag’n'drop .NDS files from your pc onto the the M3 Simply using the standard USB interface. The only thing needed are 3 files on the installation disk that need to be dragged onto the M3 Simply. This takes about 20 seconds.
The M3 Simply boots games in blazing speeds. Booting the NDS with the M3 Simply takes about 4 seconds ( way shorter than the G6 Lite!) and booting up a game takes about 6 seconds! ( timed with Tetris DS, results may vary upon game size).

The video shows the menu of the M3 Simply (version 1.01), which is simple and intuitive. On the video Game is choosed, and the person browses through his folders on the M3 Simply (which appear on the upper screen) to search for .NDS roms.
The menu has 3 buttons: Game, Multimedia and Boot Slot-2.
The first 2 options speak for themselves, but Boot Slot-2 means that you can use it as an Passcard. This way you can boot other Flashcarts with the M3 Simply. (But who would want that?)
The M3 Simply doesn’t play Gameboy advance games because it’s a one-slot flashcart. With the Boot Slot-2 option you just need another flashcart with gba roms to play them, which isn’t something that alot of people have. So this feature is nice addition but no big Pro.
The menu of the M3 Simply can be altered with skins that you can download. There are already some M3 Simply skins out there, so this is an nice little addition too, but again no big Pro.

Nintendo DS Games
he main task the M3 Simply designed for is playing Nintendo DS roms. It does his job very well. Alle tested games (Elite Beat Agents, Castlevania Portrait of Ruin, Advance Wars DS and Tetris DS) boot, play and save perfectly. Their are some reports that Download play doesn’t work in some games though. The compatibility is 100%, and because of this no patching is required until date This is really a pro over it’s main competitor, the G6 Lite. The G6 Lite often needs to be patched.

Media
Avi and MP3 files need to be converted in order to play on the M3 Simply. This is done with the free Moonshell converter that can be found on the software cd. Converting an 700 mb avi file goes quite fast. Total time will be from 5 tot 10 minutes, and the output file is only around 166 mb! Playing video is a feature that the M3 Simply does well. The video’s load fast and play without any stuttering. This feature is available on many other flashcarts these days, but it’s still a Pro.

Homebrew

The homebrew support of the M3 Simply is simply dissapointing. A lot of applications didn’t work correctly, or wouldn’t even load like SnesDS. Nes DS works though, but this is an exception. I would say that about 70% of homebrew applications/games doesn’t run on the M3 Simply, and there isn’t any sign that this will improve with new coming updates.

M3 DS Simply Guide

Where to buy
If you do not yet have an M3 DS Simply you can purchase it from one of the following stores:

Digimartz.com

The M3 DS Simply comes with the device itself, a replacement shell in white, a MicroSD reader/writer, a CD with some software on it and a small case for holding the M3 and replacement shell.
UPDATE: The new batch of M3 DS Simply do NOT come with the replacement white shell.

MicroSD Card
The only other thing you will need to buy is a MicroSD card (aka Transflash) these can be bought from most online electronics stores, or eBay. They currently go up to 4GB in size, what size you get is up to you, but I would recommend at least 1GB.

Formatting
Now you have everything you need to first prepare the MicroSD card for use in the M3. So start by plugging the MicroSD into the card reader and connect the card reader to your computer. Although the M3 supports FAT32 I would recommend using FAT16 as it seemed a better option to choose for the older M3 slot-2 device, to format to FAT16 in Windows go to My Computer and right click on the MicroSD card (will show as a Removable Drive) and choose ‘Format’ in the format Window choose FAT as the file system. I would also recommend labelling the card ‘M3 Simply’ or similar so it is easily identifiable when connected to your PC, leave any other options blank then click format, once done you can copy the firmware files onto the card.

Firmware
Latest Firmware is ‘v1.06′
The firmware files are what are needed by the M3 to work, these are what come on the CD, but chances are they are out dated, so throw the CD away and download the latest firmware files from http://www.kiwiclx.com/nds/ . Once downloaded simply extract the contents to the root of your MicroSD card, you can delete the .txt file.

Ready!
Your M3 is now ready to play backed up NDS games and run Moonshell (to play videos, MP3’s and view pictures) so you can now drag and drop any games/homebrew/MP3’s/pictures you want to play/watch on your DS. Files can go anywhere, but I usually use seperate folders, such as Games/Videos/Music etc.
Note: Videos need to be converted to .dpg format, I use BatchDPG however there are other tools available.

Trimming ROMs
Trimming ROMs can save room on your MicroSD card so obviously is a good thing to do.

To trim a ROM you must simply run the program ‘M3DSS ROM Trimmer.exe’ this can be downloaded from the M3 website.
Run the program and find your DS ROM you want to trim, and if you want choose a different location to save the game. The trimmer by default saves to the same folder the original is in but adds ‘trim’ to the filename.

Trimming takes only a second, once done you can copy the trimmed game to the MicroSD card like you would with any other game.

Converting Saves
Converting saves from your old M3/Supercard/etc. is just as easy as trimming, simply run the program ‘M3DSS SAVE Transformer.exe’ (also found on the M3 website) choose your old save, and choose the destination to save the converted save, by default this is in the same folder as the original save.
Once converted copy the save file to the same directory as your game, this is very important, as otherwise the M3 will not see the save, also you will need to rename the save to match the name of the game e.g. ‘game.nds’ needs a save called ‘game.sav’, again this is very important or the M3 will not know the save goes with the game.

Updating Action Replay codes
Newer versions of the M3 DS Simply firmware have built in support for using Action Replay codes on your roms. To access this you highlight the game and press ‘Y’ or touch the “Cheat(Y)” box on the touch screen.
See this guide created by DVDBack23 on how to add the latest codes to your M3DSS without having to wait for the M3 or R4 team to update their own list.

Extra
Extra things I thought should be included in the guide.

Load homebrew using the media icon
By default the M3 DS Simply loads Moonshell when you choose the middle icon, however this does not need to be the case, simply connect your microSD card to your computer and find the file ‘_DS_MSHL.NDS’ this is Moonshell, rename ths to anything you like (e.g. Moonshell.nds) also find ‘_DS_MSHL.SAV’ and rename this the same way (e.g. Moonshell.sav).

Now find your homebrew and copy this to the root of your microSD card, i’ve used DSOrganize. Rename this file to ‘_DS_MSHL.NDS’
Plug your microSD card back into yor M3 and now choose the middle icon, your choosen homebrew game/application loads

You can still load Moonshell by going to Game and loading your renamed Moonshell file.

Using the R4 Firmware and/or different language firmware on the M3 DS Simply
This section is replacing the very outdated hardware method to the new software mod.
Start by downloading this file: [Link broken, will be fixed soon]
Once downloaded extract the two files to your hard drive, now get the firmware file you would like to use (can be any R4 or M3 firmware in any language) and copy the _DS_MENU.DAT file to the same folder.
Now run the patch.exe program and follow the on-screen instructions (pressing either Y/N/1/2 then enter for the appropriate answers)
you can now copy this onto your M3 and run it.
[from afterdawn.com]

Nokia BH-800 Bluetooth Headset Review

We don’t usually think of Nokia when it comes to Bluetooth headsets, as the company is better known for its phones rather than its accessories. But this year at CES, the Finnish company came out with several new Bluetooth headsets, one of which caught our eye immediately as one of the cutest we’ve ever seen. The BH-800 comes in both Coffee Black and Silver White.

Nokia BH-800 Bluetooth Headset

Bluetooth Wholesale

The Nokia BH-800 is a tiny little headset that looks like a piece of candy, measuring only 1.6 by 0.7 by 0.35 inches and weighing an airy 0.3 ounce. Because it’s so tiny, it’s inconspicuous when worn, a far cry from most other Bluetooth headsets, such as the Jabra BT500, for example. We liked the simple rectangular design with its stylish minimalism. The BH-800 has a square multifunction button on the front, the power button on top, the volume rocker on the left spine, and the charger jack on the right. While the multifunction button was easy enough to press, we thought the power button was a little small, especially for larger hands. We also found the volume rocker a little difficult to maneuver while the headset is worn on the ear.

On the back of the device is the earpiece and a slot for an optional ear loop. The earpiece fit snugly in our ear, and though we didn’t need the ear loop, we liked having it for added security. The ear loop is changeable to accommodate both right and left ears. The BH-800 also comes with a metal neck strap, which you can hook the headset on so that it almost looks like a fashion accessory. But as handy as it sounds, the headset does not fit securely on the neck strap, and you may lose it if you wear it this way.

We tested the Nokia BH-800 with the Sidekick 3 and the LG VX8100 and were able to pair the headset with the phones without any problems. Call quality was great on both ends, though callers did report that we sounded a little faded when in noisier environments. You can answer and end calls, reject calls, redial, switch calls between the headset and the phone, and voice dial, all with the BH-800. The Nokia BH-800 has a rated talk time of six hours and a rated standby time of seven days.

Motorola H500 Bluetooth Headset Hands-free

People’s preferences in Bluetooth cell-phone headsets are largely a matter of taste, but it’s hard to imagine anyone liking the way the Motorola H500 ($69.99 list) bounces around while you’re walking. Unlike extremely comfortable models such as the Jabra BT500 and BlueAnt X3 micro, the H500 actually feels like it could fall from your ear, which is extremely disconcerting.

Bluetooth Headset Wholesale 

There are some good things to say about this headset. If you plan on using the H500 while stationary, it’s not half bad. People looking for a way to talk hands-free while sitting or driving will find it a decent-sounding product that’s easy to take off and put back on while focusing on something else (like driving, for instance). But those who like to walk and talk will balk at its loose fit, dated style, and the way it grows uncomfortable after you wear it for a while.

Although its volume buttons are small and a bit fussy, the H500’s main multifunction button handled both Bluetooth pairing and power well. We were able to connect to three cell phones (the Samsung SPH-A900, Nextel i580, and RAZR V3c and a laptop without a problem. Once the headset is paired with your phone, of course, all you have to do to connect it is power it up.

Connecting via Bluetooth v1.2, the 0.6-ounce H500 has a range of about 30 feet, but in our testing it fared better than most of the competition; even at slightly longer distances, static didn’t obscure voices. Sound quality was very good in both directions, although when we used the H500 to record our voice to a computer, we detected a low hum that surfaces in VoIP conversations, a sound that’s strangely absent during cell calls.

The H500’s main multifunction button handles all of the normal stuff: call answer/hang-up, voice dialing, and mute. Once you get the hang of it, this button works well, although again, the volume buttons are a little hard to use. Battery life is rated at a lengthy 5.5 days standby, with 8 hours of talk time.

Sony Ericsson Wireless Bluetooth Headsets HBH-DS970

 Bluetooth Headsets HBH-DS97 WANT IT!

CNET has a review of the Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970 and writes – “We’ve grown accustomed to not associating wires or cords with anything Bluetooth, but the stereo HBH-DS970 is an exception. A durable cord extends from the headset’s control pod to form a lanyard worn around your neck with the pod hanging against your chest. The twin earpieces connect to the lanyard via two short wires. Though we got used to the wearing style eventually, the arrangement can get a bit cumbersome, and it was only comfortable if we weren’t moving around much. In other words, this isn’t a headset for the gym. Also, the location of the call handling button just below the left earpiece was rather awkward.”
Read more about the Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970 Bluetooth headset

Jabra BT250v Bluetooth Headset

Outstanding design. Outstanding performance
Jabra’s headset takes their award winning design & performance to a new level with a discreet vibrating alert & up to 7 hours of talk time and up to 200 hours on standby. Behind the ear design provides unbeatable discreet comfort, allowing you to be handsfree and cord-free all day long.
Unique design
The soft elastomer body and contoured shape of the Jabra BT250v allow it to fit securely behind your ear. It’s so comfortable you’ll forget you’re wearing it.

Jabra BT250v Bluetooth Headset

Superior sound
The Jabra BT250v uses innovative technology and materials to provide crisp sound quality. Sound-absorbing material reduces distortions, whilst a unidirectional microphone amplifies your voice and reduces background noise. The Jabra BT250v uses patented MiniGelT technology to channel sound directly into your ear, providing great sound quality at both ends of the call.
Convenient
The Jabra BT250v gives you the freedom to use your mobile phone up to 10 metres (30 feet) away. Use your phone’s features like call transfer, last number redial, voice dialling with a single easy to use buttons. Adjust the headset volume and answer/end calls with a single touch on the Jabra BT250v.

I want   Jabra BT250v Today!

Sony Ericsson HBH-610a Bluetooth Headset

Wireless, ultra-light and comfortable, the AkonoT Headset HBH-610a is a great BluetoothT headset for people on the move. The unique ergonomic ear hook is so flexible that it fits most ears, and it’s sturdy enough to make the headset stay on your ear even when you’re in a rush. You can leave your phone in a pocket or bag, and handle all your calls through the easy-to-use buttons on the headset. Or you can use the included lanyard to wear your headset round your neck. With its very slim styling and long battery life, the HBH-610a supports your active life without compromising quality and style.

• Automatic Volume Adjustment
• Bluetooth 2.0, fully compatible with Bluetooth 2.0, 1.2 and 1.1
• Digital echo cancellation and noise
• Auto pairingT and redialling
• Ergonomics
• Outstanding digital sound
• Fast automatic volume adjustment in a noisy environment
• Digital each cancellation for usage with mobile phones, PC’s VOIP, PDA’s
• Auto pairing (TM) for connecting headset to selected Sony Ericsson phones in an easier way (for compatibility
• Style-Up Covers
• Flexible ear hook with flip function for a comfortable and secure fit
• Talk time/Standby time : 6.5 hours/300 hours
• Range : up to 10 meters

Sony Ericsson HBH-610a Bluetooth Headset