It's generally agreed that the Nintendo DS's successor will be revealed sooner rather than later, and now 1UP reports on claims that development kits for the next generation of dual screen handheld system are in the hands of select third-party developers.  Supposedly the new system includes the much-predicted motion sensor.  Here's the relevant text:

The Nintendo DS continues to sell incredibly well month after month, but that doesn't mean Nintendo isn't thinking about the future. One particular plan involving a successor to the DS might be closer to a reality than some would think. A new rumor (via GoNintendo) regarding the DS2 claims that developers already have the system in their possession. Following up on that, CVG is now reporting that DS2 development kits are indeed in the hands of "select developers in Japan." Not only that, but the system includes a motion-sensing feature that one anonymous developer with access to the system described as "a 'tilt' function that's not dissimilar to iPhone," but added that it "does a lot more."  Among the third party companies that have access to the DS2 is The Pokemon Company, which the source said "are getting special attention with it."

Favored talk is that we'll see the DS2 (or whatever they actually call it) at E3 this year.  I guess I'm ready for a new generation of DS.  The current DS line seems to have done all it's going to do in terms of gameplay, and the rumored tilt aspect of its successor has me curious.  Some may be cranky that they just bought a DSi / DSi XL and are now expected to upgrade again, but I now feel vindicated since I never bothered to replace my first-generation 2004 original DS model.  Now we get to watch the original DS / DS Lite / DSi line fade away into Game Boy Advance end-of-life obscurity with a glut of licensed kiddie junk.  I call it the grand transition tradition.