Hardware What's the pink light for?

[BlueStar]

Wouldn't have noticed this if I hadn't been sitting opposite my girlfriend while she was playing Faceraiders. Presume it's something to do with the back-facing cameras?

 

[cr235]

It means the back camera is active, probably so you can't sneak photos of people lol

 

[Schlupi]

One like it is used for the DSi too. It is lit when the DS is taking pictures with that lens.

 

[AlanJohn]

Nintendo likes to do that. The DSi has the same thing. I think its just used to indicate that the outer camera is on...

 

[MelodieOctavia]

It's the same reason why Cell phones aren't permitted to take photos without an audible "click" or some other sort of indicator a picture is being taken.

 

[TheNikkoMan]

^ AH, so that's why the 3DS makes a shutter sound no matter if you have the sound slider at nought.

 

[MelodieOctavia]

^ AH, so that's why the 3DS makes a shutter sound no matter if you have the sound slider at nought.

Yeah, you might not be old enough to remember but there was a huge uprising in upskirt photos with cell phones when they started having cameras attached to them. Obviously the public wanted something done, so I'm not sure if it's law or not, but everything that I know of made now that takes pictures has some sort of indicator whether visual or audible, most of the time audible.

 

[TheNikkoMan]

Now that you mention it, it does make sense.
What's funny is that you can actually make the 3DS meow or bark when taking a picture. Which gives you the ability to blame your dog everytime you take an upskirt pic.

 

[Slyakin]

It's a law thing. It has to indicate that the cameras are active.

I actually don't think I have ever seen a silent camera on a gaming device/phone before...

 

[AlanJohn]

It's a law thing. It has to indicate that the cameras are active.

I actually don't think I have ever seen a silent camera on a gaming device/phone before...

I just tested on my old nokia 6300. Its silent, and doesn't make any sounds...

 

[MelodieOctavia]

It's a law thing. It has to indicate that the cameras are active.

I actually don't think I have ever seen a silent camera on a gaming device/phone before...

I just tested on my old nokia 6300. Its silent, and doesn't make any sounds...

It may vary by country. I had the same phone here in the US, and it made a VERY loud shutter sound.

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

I have an older phone that has a shutter sound
but you can turn it off.
So I'm not sure it's a law just yet.

 

[CCNaru]

my phone is still silent and ipod touch video is silent too

 

[koji2009]

Again, it depends on the country... It is NOT illegal in the US but it IS illegal in Japan and in several european countries.

 

[HBK]

Then why hasn't Apple been sued in those countries...hum? The iPod touch video is silent haha

 

[Oceanborn712]

Ya it's mostly a Japanese thing with the crowded subways and stuff. People went through the trains and shot everyone with a skirt so they made a law that everything that can take pictures needs to make a clearly hearable sound.
Guess Nintendo didn't bother changing that for international models.