Japanese games magazine Famitsu is reporting that, following a successful trial in 2008, the ‘Nintendo Spot’ service (originally available at a handful of Japanese McDonald’s and around some Tokyo train stations) will be rolled out nationally later this year.

The service offers Nintendo DS owners within a restraunt’s Wi-Fi range access to McDonald’s news (which, let’s be honest, is the real money card), actual news, local hotel guides and other hand-picked content tailored for the DS interface. More interestingly, Nintendo will be exclusivley distributing downloadable content via the ‘Mac de DS‘ service, although at this point it seems to be limited to cross promotional Pokemon collectables.

Grand mediator Ronald.

It’s interesting to see, in Japan at least, the DS become an increasingly multipurpose device. The handheld’s penetration is so significant that even financial institutions are developing downloadable trading applications for Nintendo’s portable. One application already released, Hideo Kojima’s Kabutore FX, encourages players to tackle the Japanese economy. Future applications will allow for real-time Wi-Fi trading. Capcom’s on board too.

A lime green DSi - probably the same colour as your McDonald's in an hour's time.

Nintendo’s flirted with Australian Wi-Fi Connection partners in the past – similar non gaming DS applications and services might be here sooner than you’d think.