DSi Pre-X4 Prototype

Another Nintendo DSi prototype popped up on GBAtemp, posted by a user by the name of HI_Ricky. It has been rumoured that this unit was made before CPU-X4, perhaps this is CPU-X3.

• 

  The front.

• 

  Only the bottom DSi is a prototype, the top one is retail.

• 

  The back of the prototype, with a green sticker that was pulled off. Perhaps this was a DSi checked by the FCC?

• 

  Side by side.

• 

  Side by side, again.

A video was also posted showing that the unit has no menu. It autoboots into an inserted cartridge, similar to CPU-X4.

Unit differences

• Just like CPU-X4, there are no prints for "POWER", "START", "SELECT", or for the power, charging or wireless communications icons.
• The unit is black and white, but not in a way so it looks like a DSi Panda.
• The power button (can be heard in the video) is more clicky than the final. It's also white instead of gray.
• Next to the A button, there's a small notch that's missing. This might be a Micro SD card slot.
• Instead of having an early version of the System Settings app when you start up the system, there is no menu at all, and nothing will happen until you insert a cartridge and reboot.

Things that need to be done

Try to contact this guy on GBAtemp named "HI_Ricky", but don't spam him to death. He owns the prototype and knows the most about it. Maybe a dump is possible with Normmatt's "NAND Test App"(?) method, which allows him to basically 'inject' a homebrew application in an app that has total NAND access from the cartridge slot. Plus, it's devsigned, so it can be copied over to a devcart. And yes, this is one of the few official Nintendo apps that have NAND access from Slot-1.

Update: The prototype was sold to an unknown seller, this bulls*@# is just CPU-X4 all over again. HI_Ricky also has a Twitter and he is on AssemblerGames, so anyone with a verified account can PM him. Someone on Gaming Alexandria already DMed him on Twitter, but he hasn’t been active in a while, so getting a response may take a while. HI_Ricky also posted more pictures on AssemblerGames, so we should put those here as well.

Update 2: HI_Ricky refused to say who owns it, this REAAAAAALLY is the CPU-X4 bulls*@# all over again. I guess this prototype is now lost, Voodooween didn't buy it, neither did Normmatt. Perhaps ProtonX bought it, but chances are low. Also, AssemblerGames finally shut down, but he's on ObscureGamers.