All you talking about how can you possibly give an expensive phone to a teenager, certainly have no problem giving a $250 3DS to a 8 year old. Most of the kids I see playing on a handheld are under 10. I think it is just as risky to give a young kid a 3DS or an NGP. Hell even a regular DSi given to an young kid is just as risky if not more.
You will probably say well yeah it isnt bright to give a young kid a $250 device. Well that is a huge part of Nintendo's market. I dont see the 3DS or the NGP ever having the impact of the DS because it is attacked from less demand by older kids because of phones and less attractive for parents of younger kids because of pricing.
Also by the way our family plan for our phones has insurance that only costs us a few bucks per month. And by the way I have seen just as many adults screw up there phones as teens. My 50 year old sister hopped in the pool with her iphone in the pocket of her swimsuit. She isnt the only adult that I know that has done that.
Its libraries that sell systems not a single game.
