Nintendo DS users in Japan will soon be able to download video, images, books legally.

Generally speaking, little devices for the DS that make use of MicroSD memory are bad for Nintendo’s business – but coming soon for the Japanese market is a fully-licensed Nintendo DS cartridge that will accept MicroSD flash memory as a storage medium to deliver video, images and text onto the handheld.

Developed by Dai Nippon Printing and AM3, the product called DSvision will appear much like any normal Nintendo DS game, except that on its side is a slot to accept a MicroSD card. Users of the product will be able to utilize a download service to load TV shows, comics and books for viewing on the Nintendo DS.

The DSvision will come packed with the Nintendo DS cartridge, 512MB MicroSD and a MicroSD-to-USB adapter for 3,980 yen ($36). Users will use the adapter to load media on using a PC when the program launches in March 2008, though details on pricing for the download service are not clear.

Unlike some other MicroSD devices for the DS, the DSvision is fully licensed by Nintendo. Other similar devices, such as the R4, are sold as gray-market devices and can be used to pirate Nintendo DS games with relative ease.

“We are keeping a close eye on the products and studying them. But we cannot smash all of them,” a Nintendo spokesman said, referring to the popular Nintendo DS piracy tool. But, as the saying goes, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. [Dailytech]