Rumble, motion sensors, 3D functions and release dates, along with reaction to the announcement from Sony...

Yesterday's announcement of a new handheld from Nintendo, featuring 3D technology without the need for glasses, was a real surprise for many industry-wide. Now the dust is beginning to settle, here's what we know.

The device will be unveiled and playable at this year's E3 Expo in June. While the release date is officially set for sometime this financial year (anytime before the end of March 2011), analysts suggest a Christmas 2010 release far more likely to capitalise on the boom of holiday-season sales.

According to Nikkei, the device will reportedly also boast motion control (like the current iPhone), rumble capability, and contain a thumbstick for better control in 3D. Improved Wi-Fi speeds and significantly souped-up battery life will also feature. The screens themselves are likely to be Sharp 3D LCD panels which utilise a film covering and small differences between the images seen by your right and left eye to generate a 3D effect.

To the 3D itself then - and CVG has been speculating how the three-dimensional capabilities of the device will work. "Nintendo is likely to use lenticular technology," according to Neil Dodgson, a 3D displays expert at Cambridge University.

"The lenticules direct the pixels' light in different directions, so each eye sees only every alternate column of pixels. The graphics chip renders two images, one for the left eye and one for the right. These two images are displayed on the two sets of alternating columns of pixels."

A plausible solution, this method would however require double the screen resolution to look as good as existing hardware. Gamers are also forced to keep their head in the same position relative to the handheld's screens to allow the 3D effect to work.

Finally, Sony's reaction to the announcement was yet again a belittling of the Nintendo demographic. At least you can say they're consistent. John Koller of Sony America's marketing told IGN: "having been in the portable space for quite awhile, I think it's an interesting move but one I'd like to see where they go from a demographic standpoint. Eight and nine year-olds playing 3D is a little bit of a stretch given where some of our research is right now." Meow.

How hyped are you for the 3DS? Let us know below...