Nintendo effectively used the E3 2010 platform for the grand unveiling of its new 3DS handheld, which will enable the device’s users to avail the advantage of optional software installs – a feature that is noticeably lacking in the Nintendo DS; but has been available on the rival Sony’s PSP for quite some time.

Despite the fact that Nintendo, surprisingly, neither revealed the new feature during its press event nor during the demonstrations of the new 3DS, Japanese news-watcher Andriasang – citing Nikkei – disclosed that the new 3D gaming device will allow gamers to copy software from game cards to the internal memory of the system.

Furthermore, as per Nikkei, the new feature will allow players to game sans any cartridges – a striking contrast to the Microsoft Xbox 360 feature that allows players to install games to the console’s hard drive, but needs the disc to remain in the slot-loader as confirmation.

However, Nikkei is presently clueless about the amount of internal storage that the 3DS has; though reports reveal that the 3DS game cards will be able to hold up to 2GB of data. There are speculations that Nintendo may sell multiple configurations at different price points.

Other than the software installs feature, the forthcoming Nintendo 3DS will also boast two screens - a widescreen on the top of the device, and a touchscreen on its bottom.