Nintendo Releases Wii Browser For Free, Updates Flash

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Nintendo Releases Wii Browser For Free, Updates Flash

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday September 1, 2009 @07:06PM from the price-is-right dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Nintendo has released an update for the Wii Internet Channel (a version of the Opera browser). It is now a free download (if you already paid for it, you get a free NES game), and finally supports Flash 9 content after being limited to Flash 7 ever since it was launched in late 2006."

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I hope the sensor bar can deploy airbags... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 19:13 · Score: 2, Funny

...because you'll need them with all the crashing that browser is going to do. Every browser that runs Flash 9 and up without some sort of isolation or sandbox crashes frequently. I hope it doesn't hard lock the console.
1. Re:I hope the sensor bar can deploy airbags... by Rah'Dick · 2009-09-01 20:53 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe people will find new ways of injecting code and running their own stuff through manipulated SWFs - not sure if that's possible at all. If Nintendo intends on updating the browser once every three years, that's less often than their pushing of homebrew-disabling "updates".
2. Re:I hope the sensor bar can deploy airbags... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 21:19 · Score: 0
  
  Don't think that would be necessary, it's already possible to execute arbitrary code on every version of the Wii firmware to date. Hackers have been doing a good job of keeping two steps ahead of Nintendo.
3. Re:I hope the sensor bar can deploy airbags... by eric_brissette · 2009-09-02 00:44 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  I believe that I read in the update notes that the new browser is using Flash Lite 3.1, which is like Flash 8 only... lite-er?. At any rate, my first (and only) attempt to load Pandora caused the browser to lock up solid.
4. Re:I hope the sensor bar can deploy airbags... by RoverDaddy · 2009-09-02 01:33 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Well it won't happen here. Most slashdotters have no idea how to manipulate a SWF.
  
  --
  RETURN without GOSUB in line 1050
5. Re:I hope the sensor bar can deploy airbags... by Captain+Spam · 2009-09-02 03:46 · Score: 1
  
  FlashLite is, in effect, Flash for embedded devices (so, yes, lite-er). I do know that FL3 can only take ActionScript 2 for code, so, yeah, probably only in the Flash 8 range.
  My first test of the new version was to hit up one of the Homestar Runner main pages, the one that's entirely blurred as if you needed better glasses. Or, more to the point, as if they were using the Gaussian blur filter in Flash, which didn't exist in Flash 8, and thus didn't work on the latest version of Internet Channel. Hrmph.
  Which I guess isn't that much an issue, I sort of have a computer for my web browsing. And a laptop. And a cell phone. And...
  
  --
  Demanding constant attention will only lead to attention.
hahah finally :) by bennito · 2009-09-01 19:13 · Score: 1

Oh this is just great! finally webgames on my wii! woohoo :) to bad the onscreen keyboard is a bit sucky :)
1. Re:hahah finally :) by master5o1 · 2009-09-01 20:17 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  It's got USB keyboard support for that.
  
  --
  signature is pants
2. Re:hahah finally :) by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 01:19 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  Until the system runs out of memory loading a decent game.
The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 19:20 · Score: -1, Troll

There are pretty much no new games for it. I think it has peaked and is on the way down. Too bad, though.
1. Re:The Wii is on the way down by interkin3tic · 2009-09-01 20:04 · Score: 1
  
  There are pretty much no new games for it.
  That has been true of the wii for most of it's life, yet oddly...
  
  I think it has peaked and is on the way down.
  ...it has a long way it would need to fall before it reaches the other two
2. Re:The Wii is on the way down by am+2k · 2009-09-01 20:05 · Score: 1
  
  The game developers probably have realized that even though the Wii has a better market penetration, the people that have it at home just use it for WiiFit and similar stuff, not gaming. Nintendo is the only one gaining from the Wii sales.
3. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 20:09 · Score: 0
  
  I haven't bought a game since we got it. It was deadweight until I found the Homebrew Channel.
4. Re:The Wii is on the way down by KDR_11k · 2009-09-01 20:11 · Score: 1
  
  The Wii has the highest number of third party million sellers this generation.
  
  --
  Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
5. Re:The Wii is on the way down by stephanruby · 2009-09-01 20:11 · Score: 1
  
  Someone better tell the Unity Game Engine developers then, they just introduced a new plugin for Wii (and I'm sure they're not the only ones).
6. Re:The Wii is on the way down by pat+sajak · 2009-09-01 20:11 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I don't know about that... Remember when the Wii was the "cheap" system? Now we have a $200 xbox and a $300 ps3, both half their original launch prices. But the Wii has actually gone up from $269 to $279 (inflation?). (Canadian prices) There's a reason the other guys are aggressively lowering their prices...
7. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 20:12 · Score: 0
  
  Everybody says this. I don't get it, unless by "games" they mean "first-person shooters." If you can look past all the cooking games and puppy petting simulators, the Wii has a lot of great titles that nobody seems to acknowledge.
8. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anne+Thwacks · 2009-09-01 20:17 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Wii have one, and ot be honest, wiifit is the only game worth playing - mostly because the developers have not followed the UI standards, and generally followed the same look and feel. The result is that the games appear badly implemented.
  It may be that Nintendo do not supply guidelines in writing, but if the develoeprs had actually used a Wii before writing ther games, wii would not be faced with the POS tha is our limited choice. Several times we have gone out to buy games for a party or other excuse, and come back wiht dross because we felt obliged to buy *something*. Honestly, the Wii market is desperate for any new game that is playable.
  I remain in home of a multi-player World Mapouka Championship, but I am not hlding my breath. (It it was released, I might end up holding some other part of my anatomy :-)
  
  --
  Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
9. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anne+Thwacks · 2009-09-01 20:21 · Score: 1
  
  Sorry, hit the wrong button thats
  World Mapouka Championship
  
  --
  Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
10. Re:The Wii is on the way down by am+2k · 2009-09-01 20:29 · Score: 1
  
  Since Nintendo has to approve all games before they're brought to the market, that's mostly their fault.
11. Re:The Wii is on the way down by cgenman · 2009-09-01 20:29 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Wii Fit Plus
  Wii Sports Resort
  Muramasa: The Demon Blade
  Red Steel 2
  New Super Mario Brothers
  Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
  + a bunch of 360 ports that probably won't be as good.
  + a bunch of sports games that are better on the Wii thanks to the Wii Motion Plus.
  Post Christmas there is:
  Mario Galaxy 2
  Metroid: Other M
  No More Heroes 2
  + a bunch of 360 ports that probably won't be as good.
  
  --
  The ______ Agenda
12. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 20:38 · Score: 0
  
  Well, the Wii IS getting the best version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare outside the PC version, if you can overlook the graphics being pretty dated by comparison.
  Your list could be more comprehensive though, I'm really looking forward to Sin & Punishment 2, Red Steel 2 and the new Super Monkey Ball game for Wii Fit, among others.
13. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 20:41 · Score: 0
  
  Sony and Microsoft have to approve all games for their platforms too. In fact, this has been the case with pretty much every system by any company since the NES, to my knowledge.
14. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 21:58 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  It's easy to make something look good when every other word is a qualifier.
15. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 22:35 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  It's easy to make something look good when it's the Wii.
16. Re:The Wii is on the way down by AlXtreme · 2009-09-01 22:54 · Score: 1
  
  a bunch of sports games that are better on the Wii thanks to the Wii Motion Plus.
  I'm still not sure the motion plus is a good move. They should have put more effort into it.
  Resort is fun, but the motion plus add-on is relatively easy to confuse. Wave a bit around, and your sword / table tennis bat can already be slightly off (or point in a completely different direction).
  Grand slam tennis also supports the motion plus, but it is even worse than Resort (does work well without motion plus though).
  I hope they can iron out the bugs, because at the moment I wouldn't want to bet the future of the Wii on it.
  
  --
  This sig is intentionally left blank
17. Re:The Wii is on the way down by KDR_11k · 2009-09-01 23:14 · Score: 1
  
  It's the third party games people want to know about, everybody knows that Nintendo's games sell craptons but people usually claim noone else can sell Wii games. Of course it only makes sense to compare within the running generation, older generations had more time to build their sales up and for most of the older generations it's not even feasible to make a new game anymore.
  
  --
  Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
18. Re:The Wii is on the way down by tomhudson · 2009-09-01 23:29 · Score: 1
  
  You've never tried the Wii Fit with a snowboarding game, have you?
  I've bought over 30 games for it since I bought my console at the end of February. I also finally got around to replacing my old tube tv with a 50" 1920x1080p plasma tv and sound system - not to watch TV, but so that when my friends come over, they can better enjoy playing games. That DVDs look much better is a nice bonus.
  Game developers took a while to warm up to the Wii, but now there are tons of titles, and the MotionPlus makes a difference. I expect more games to use it, and even better gameplay, over the next year or two.
19. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 23:58 · Score: 0
  
  I suspect that the problem is more that they fail to reject craptacular games, than that symphonies of artful triumph are rejected for having the wrong number of harps.
20. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Kamots · 2009-09-02 00:22 · Score: 1
  
  Give Okami a try. It was originally a PS2 game... but it was almost designed for the wii-mote while on the PS2, so the port made tons of sense, and it works out wonderfully. (You cast magic by drawing on the screen. Yes, even on the PS2 version)
21. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 00:59 · Score: 0
  
  Your motionplus is defective or you're doing something wrong. I've yet to encounter an issue like that, not even during heated swordplay sessions that have spanned several hours.
22. Re:The Wii is on the way down by 644bd346996 · 2009-09-02 01:14 · Score: 1
  
  Did you think that Moore's law would apply to solid-state accelerometers? Most of the cost of an Xbox 360 or PS3 came from the high-end CPUs and GPUs, whereas the Wii's chipset was already at rock-bottom price. Also, Nintendo doesn't sell their stuff at a loss.
23. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Minwee · 2009-09-02 01:47 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  There's a reason the other guys are aggressively lowering their prices...
  Yes, there certainly is.
24. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Desler · 2009-09-02 02:46 · Score: 1
  
  The Wii has the highest number of third party million sellers this generation.
  Bullshit. 360 has 36 third party million sales games. Wii has only 19. Using stats from here and here.
25. Re:The Wii is on the way down by ookaze · 2009-09-02 03:24 · Score: 1
  
  The game developers probably have realized that even though the Wii has a better market penetration, the people that have it at home just use it for WiiFit and similar stuff, not gaming. Nintendo is the only one gaining from the Wii sales.
  Actually, the game developers are going out of business, see their studio closed or are losing tons of money, while Nintendo, the only one making only good games for its console, rakes in the cash.
  So to me that just means the game developers look mor like very stupid entities that deserve what happens to them.
  Since the launch of the Wii, the choices are still the same: support the console correctly to go up, or go down.
26. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Khyber · 2009-09-02 03:33 · Score: 1
  
  Most of those third party sales on the 360 are emulated games or game remakes from older consoles or ports. As far as ACTUAL UNIQUE third-party games designed specifically for each console, Nintendo has Microsoft BEATEN solidly in the third-party maker section as far as games actually designed for the console, and not just emulated or ported.
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
27. Re:The Wii is on the way down by ookaze · 2009-09-02 03:40 · Score: 1
  
  The Wii has the highest number of third party million sellers this generation.
  No, there aren't enough good quality 3rd party games on the Wii for that.
  But the Wii has the highest number of 3rd party games sold already worldwide, despite the XB360 having 1 year headstart on the market.
28. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Maniacal · 2009-09-02 03:44 · Score: 1
  
  I've been playing Call of Duty: World at War on the Wii and I've been pleasantly surprised. I haven't played it on any other console (or on the PC) so I'll probably hear it from people who have but I've been real happy with the controls. I don't use any type of gun to play, just the wiimote with the nunchuck attached, and I really love the controls. I've played other Call of Duty titles on both other consoles and on the PC and I'd pick the Wii controls over them any day.
  
  --
  MG
29. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Zerth · 2009-09-02 04:12 · Score: 1
  
  It must be more common than you'd think. On the reverse sword stages, I get it a lot when doing a wide side-to-side sweep(it's good for getting cheap hits enemies on either side of your current opponent).
  If I'm quick, I can get back into position and hit the down button to reset, but I've gotten hit a couple of times when the enemy recovered while my sword still thought I was committing hari-kari.
30. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 04:14 · Score: 0
  
  No, there aren't enough good quality 3rd party games on the Wii for that.
  Yes, there are. "Core gamers" don't acknowledge them, though, because they aren't brown.
31. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Desler · 2009-09-02 04:16 · Score: 1
  
  Most of those third party sales on the 360 are emulated games or game remakes from older consoles
  Bullshit. None of those games are emulated or remakes. They were all games developed specifically for the 360. I love this shifting goalpost that came about once it was shown that the GP was false because Microsoft or the 360 always has to lose.
32. Re:The Wii is on the way down by WiiVault · 2009-09-02 04:31 · Score: 1
  
  Agreed man COD Wii is awesome! Even if it lacks DLC and Zombie-mode.
33. Re:The Wii is on the way down by WiiVault · 2009-09-02 04:33 · Score: 1
  
  Apparently you have not tried Tiger Woods. It is almost flawless. Motion + is fine it just requires actual skill to use.
34. Re:The Wii is on the way down by dstyle5 · 2009-09-02 04:52 · Score: 1
  
  I'm an old school Nintendo fan from way back, probably like a lot of people here on Slashdot. I still have every console from the NES to the Wii, but I doubt I will be buying Wii HD, or whatever comes next. Nintendo is now for the most part not even trying to cater to its former customers like me. I haven't bought a Wii game since Mario Kart came out last year, though Metroid Prime Trilogy is on my list since I didn't ever get Echoes. Yeah there are a few appealing games on your list above, but for the most part they don't appeal to me.
  
  Speaking of Mario Kart Wii, another thing that Nintendo is doing is dumbing down their games for the masses and taking the skill factor out of their games. You could be leading for the whole race and someone in last gets a blue shell and knocks you down to 5th or 6th or worse. Also, the online portion of the game is very lacking in features, with basically 2 modes only. I can see they want to make it easy for all levels of video game players to get into the action, but please leave in some depth for people who have been playing your franchises since their inception!
  
  With the tons of money they are making on the Wii and DS why doesn't Nintendo actually try to make a NEW franchise or two for core gamers, you know, the ones who kept them alive during their GameCube debacle days. Nintendo is one of the few game companies with the resources to spend making new a IP for their base of fans they've built up over he decades, but all they want to do now is pump out sequels and soccer mom fitness programs. The Metroid: Other M team up with Tecmo is a good idea, why don't they do more of that type of thing? Give funding to other game companies to create new IP or acquire companies who want to make those type of games.
  
  At the end of the day they are a company trying to make as much money as they can, which is understandable, but ignoring or disenfranchising a large portion of you built-in fan base is leaving a lot of money on the table for Microsoft and Sony. I own a 360 and a Wii and Billy and Co. have been getting the lions share of my console gaming dollars over the past year and change and probably will for the foreseeable future.
35. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 04:58 · Score: 0
  
  The new Wii Resort game is pretty damned awesome.
  Try it out, it makes the controllers far more ... precise?
36. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Khyber · 2009-09-02 05:12 · Score: 1
  
  None? really? FUCKING REALLY? What about the recent port/remakle of Marvel vs Capcom 2, eh? How about the most recent remake of the old NES 1942 for the 360? Trials HD is just a wannabe remake of fucking EXCITEBIKE for the NES with physics and 3D graphics.
  Are you that out of touch with reality? Or are you just that young, given your incredibly high UID?
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
37. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 05:13 · Score: 0
  
  Nintendo is playing off the familiarity of its franchises to Generation X parents who are now buying video games for their kids. "Guy who bought every Nintendo system ever" is way too hardcore for them and that sort of gamer has never really been their target market.
38. Re:The Wii is on the way down by tixxit · 2009-09-02 05:27 · Score: 1
  
  Have you tried Wii Sports Resort's air plane games? I freaking love them. The controls and the game just work perfectly. If Nintendo would make an on-line version, with a strong focus on racing (a la red bull air races), I'd buy it in a heart beat. The only annoying thing is having to "thrust" for a speed boost.
39. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 06:02 · Score: 0
  
  I haven't bought a Wii game since Mario Kart came out last year
  Shame, you're deliberately depriving yourself of a lot of great Wii games.
40. Re:The Wii is on the way down by AlXtreme · 2009-09-02 07:15 · Score: 1
  
  If I'm quick, I can get back into position and hit the down button to reset, but I've gotten hit a couple of times when the enemy recovered while my sword still thought I was committing hari-kari.
  Exactly. To the parent poster, I've got two motion plus add-on's, bought in different stores, both with this behaviour.
  Another comment was about mp working fine with Tiger woods. I've had less difficulties with Tiger, but the same problem did occur every now and then. The problem seems to occur most often with games that require/allow a lot of swinging for more than a few seconds.
  
  --
  This sig is intentionally left blank
41. Re:The Wii is on the way down by tomhudson · 2009-09-02 08:01 · Score: 1
  
  They're fun all right. I just ignore the whole "thrust" business, since you inevitably lose speed when you pull back (and it's more fun to make a sharper turn by tilting sharply, then pulling back to reduce thrust, then pivoting the controller into the turn).
  Everyone likes the sword game. Just the thing to take out your frustrations on your boss, your sibling, or your co-worker.
  Ping pong is a blast with another person, as opposed to an AI opponent.
  Even the bowling is better.
42. Re:The Wii is on the way down by dstyle5 · 2009-09-02 08:58 · Score: 1
  
  It's not that I'm not buying Wii games deliberately out of spite. I'm not buying them because there hasn't been much that has interested me. I'm looking forward to Contra Rebirth on WiiWare and Super Mario Kart whenever the heck they decide to release it in North America.
  
  Another annoying thing about Nintendo for me is their love of peripherals. Wii Motion Plus should be $10 max, not $25 (Here in Canada). So now if you want to buy a new Nunchuk/Wii Remote/Motion plus combo you are coming in at about $100! A tad pricey IMO. At some point I may break down and get it when a game I want warrants it, but since its rather expensive I'm not buying it without thinking twice. I think Nintendo is hurting themselves by pricing it so high. I know the high price sentiment has prevented other friends from buying it and the games that work with it, especially since so few games do at the moment. Yeah I know it is packed in with Wii Sports Resort and Tiger Woods 10, but if you get Resort you pretty much have to buy another Motion Plus since its predominately a multi player game. No thanks Nintendo, I've already blown enough on Wii peripherals for the time being.
43. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Random+Destruction · 2009-09-02 11:04 · Score: 1
  
  I don't see those games on the list. Do you have a point?
  
  --
  :x
44. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 17:59 · Score: 0
  
  Your motionplus is defective or you're doing something wrong.
45. Re:The Wii is on the way down by pat+sajak · 2009-09-02 20:15 · Score: 1
  
  I can't see that being a major cost component. The accelerometer is in the Wii's controller, which alone retails for $49. This article on Tom's Hardware says that the Wii's manufacturing cost has actually gone down 45% since launch. http://www.tomsguide.com/us/nintendo-wii-price-drop-costs,news-3758.html
46. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Khyber · 2009-09-03 03:55 · Score: 1
  
  He says none of those games are emulated or remakes
  http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/2248/Marvel-vs-Capcom-2/
  http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1964/1942-Joint-Strike/
  He's full of it and you're off on your google fu
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
47. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Macgrrl · 2009-09-03 11:01 · Score: 1
  
  TBH while the WiiMote was initially charming, I miss the old controllers for most of the games we ended up buying. I've even noticed on some games on the PS3 that I tend to hold the controller more vertical than horizontal when I play, and that can result in unexpected game actions.
  Thus is the price of progress.
  
  --
  Sara
  Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
48. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Gizzmonic · 2009-09-04 05:19 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah I know it is packed in with Wii Sports Resort and Tiger Woods 10, but if you get Resort you pretty much have to buy another Motion Plus since its predominately a multi player game. No thanks Nintendo, I've already blown enough on Wii peripherals for the time being.
  The overwhelming majority of Wii Sports Resort games are "pass the controller,"-bowling, archery, Frisbee golf etc. The only one you really need a second controller for is sword fighting.
  
  --
  (-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
49. Re:The Wii is on the way down by Random+Destruction · 2009-09-04 14:26 · Score: 1
  
  neither of those games was on the list in question.
  
  No google required.
  
  --
  :x
I'll buy an Apple product before I buy a Wii by thatkid_2002 · 2009-09-01 19:21 · Score: -1, Troll

...And if I ever browse the net on a Wii my ePeen would deflate by 200%.
1. Re:I'll buy an Apple product before I buy a Wii by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 21:17 · Score: 0
  
  Nothing from nothing leeaaaves nothin'
Finally useful... by Max+Romantschuk · 2009-09-01 19:24 · Score: 2, Insightful

...for watching videos on YouTube?
Haven't even bothered to install the browser so far, my wife's netbook runs circles around a Wii for couch surfing.
Actually I'm genuinely curious: Who uses the Wii browser and for what?

--
.: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
1. Re:Finally useful... by Aranykai · 2009-09-01 19:32 · Score: 0
  
  10 year old boys trying to see boobies when they cant get around the parental controls on the family's computer?
  
  --
  If sharing a song makes you a pirate, what do I have to share to be a ninja?
2. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 19:48 · Score: 0
  
  It can be useful if you don't have a laptop available at the couch. A lot of people (i.e. wives and girlfriends) don't want to have a laptop sitting around on their living room table, for aesthetic reasons.
3. Re:Finally useful... by Rogerborg · 2009-09-01 20:00 · Score: 1
  
  PC ownership in the Far East is much lower than in our decadent Westron cultures. In that market, the Wii browser is up against smartphones, not netbooks.
  
  --
  If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
4. Re:Finally useful... by interkin3tic · 2009-09-01 20:00 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  It's just like every other feature that is included for free: you don't think you'll ever use it, but once or twice when you actually do you realize it was totally worth the zero dollars you paid for it. I have it because for some reason it was free when they first offered it. I mainly use it for three things
  1. I am playing a game on the 360, need to check gamefaqs for a hint or something, and the computer is being used or I don't feel like bringing the laptop in
  2. -ahem- websites that I don't want to view on my computer, for a variety of reasons
  3. The wii happens to be on and I don't want to start a game but am bored
5. Re:Finally useful... by Fotograf · 2009-09-01 20:04 · Score: 1
  
  you are so 90ties. you talk like it is a problem for any kid to access adult or at least exciting material. it is everywhere and they often dont bother too much anyway since chicks in school are pretty adapted as well.
  
  --
  God's gift to chicks
6. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 20:08 · Score: -1, Offtopic
  
  [Citation needed]
7. Re:Finally useful... by hcpxvi · 2009-09-01 20:11 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  PC ownership in the Far East is much lower than in our decadent Westron cultures.
  Indeed, the Shire, Bree and what is left of Arnor have saturation computer ownership and ubiquitous WiFi. Mordor, OTOH, is stuck on DOS 5.0 and 33k modems since the recent collapse of political power in that region.
8. Re:Finally useful... by Fex303 · 2009-09-01 20:15 · Score: 0, Redundant
  
  A lot of people (i.e. wives and girlfriends) don't want to have a laptop sitting around on their living room table...
  Get real. This is slashdot. None of us have those things you mentioned - wives, girlfriends, living rooms.
  All of those involve leaving our parents' basements.
9. Re:Finally useful... by master5o1 · 2009-09-01 20:19 · Score: 1
  
  I lol at the ones that can't get past the parental controls on the Wii.
  
  --
  signature is pants
10. Re:Finally useful... by R.Morton · 2009-09-01 20:20 · Score: 1
  
  Well I use it for reading Slashdot :), and checking my Emails in between games and the homebrew channel but that is about it mostly play Wii games and Atari 2600 and 7800 games on it Via Razors Emulators.
  other than that not a hell of a lot, but if you can buy the Wii keyboard it makes it a lot easier to surf the web, I got mine for 15.00 at game stop because it did not have a box or manual but it works great.
  R.Morton
  
  --
  modded quote "what's that he's talking about? Windows , Never had a problem with Windows till I tried to use it."
11. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 20:30 · Score: 0
  
  but if you can buy the Wii keyboard it makes it a lot easier to surf the web, I got mine for 15.00 at game stop because it did not have a box or manual but it works great.
  I didn't know there was a "Wii Keyboard." Is that like those over-priced Wii SD cards? Pretty sure you can plug any old USB keyboard into it.
12. Re:Finally useful... by ciderVisor · 2009-09-01 20:33 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Who uses the Wii browser and for what?
  We use it to watch web-based videos on the living room telly. That means YouTube, BBC iPlayer, etc. You can also play Flash games on the Wii; YetiSports Albatross Overload is a favourite with us. It can also be useful for the eternal question of "Oh, what's that actor's name, and what else was he in ?"
  
  --
  Squirrel!
13. Re:Finally useful... by richy+freeway · 2009-09-01 20:52 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  I just use a wireless USB Logitech keyboard I had lying around. No need to buy a specific Wii keyboard.
14. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 21:14 · Score: 0
  
  I played YouTube videos on my Wii from the first day I got it like a year and a half ago. It's the billions of other flash sites that were screwed up.
  Glad you took the time to post a comment when you openly admit you know nothing about it.
15. Re:Finally useful... by plastbox · 2009-09-01 22:23 · Score: 1
  
  Why isn't this modded +5 Insightfu.. *err* Funny? xD
16. Re:Finally useful... by R.Morton · 2009-09-01 22:36 · Score: 1
  
  cool did not know you could do that I will have to keep that in mind ;), The reason I bought a Wii branded keyboard is because I collect Nintendo Items of any and all kinds if it weren't for that I would most defiantly follow your advice but I can pass it on to friends of mine who may not know that.
  R.Morton
  
  --
  modded quote "what's that he's talking about? Windows , Never had a problem with Windows till I tried to use it."
17. Re:Finally useful... by mlk · 2009-09-01 22:47 · Score: 1
  
  Video still... but
  iPlayer will become useful. Woo!
  
  --
  Wow, I should not post when knackered.
18. Re:Finally useful... by WWWWolf · 2009-09-01 23:20 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  ...for watching videos on YouTube?
  Haven't even bothered to install the browser so far, my wife's netbook runs circles around a Wii for couch surfing.
  Actually I'm genuinely curious: Who uses the Wii browser and for what?
  YouTube works wonderfully, though YouTube seems to serve pretty low-res videos at the moment (I don't think Wii has the processor power to decode HD videos anyway). So it works, but doesn't look exactly glorious - but still pretty watchable if you squint just right. And in this version, based on cursory testing, the YouTube XL fullscreen mode finally seems to work at tolerable framerate - it used to work nicely in non-fullscreen, but went sluggish in fullscreen. (Incidentally, Flash 7 for Linux suffered from the same problem but they fixed it in newer versions...)
  And I've mostly been using the Internet Channel for watching streaming video and HomestarRunner stuff, quickly checking game guides, and occasionally posting to identi.ca. It's not the fastest browser around and goes sluggish on JavaScript-heavy pages like Slashdot (then again, so does my Athlon XP 3000+ desktop.) And there's no AdBlock to alleviate these things. And of course, I haven't figured out how to set up the USB keyboard layout to non-US layouts, but that's a minor problem. All in all, it does most of the stuff I'd expect from a set-top box browser just fine.
19. Re:Finally useful... by tomhudson · 2009-09-01 23:37 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Weather channel. Since I leave mine on all the time (unlike the other consoles, the Wii is a power miser, 18 watts peak draw during a game, as opposed to 250 watts), it's quick and easy to get my local weather.
  Or if I need something more up-to-date, open the wii opera browser and go to the latest official forecast, which is updated quicker.
20. Re:Finally useful... by dreemernj · 2009-09-01 23:52 · Score: 1
  
  I find when people say "Wii Keyboard" they are usually referring to a small Logitech keyboard (that comes in USB or wireless) that has been marketed as a console specific keyboard since the Playstation 2. The only difference is the wireless version available now (comes with its own USB wireless receiver, it isn't detected as a controller) and it is white with custom button printing to make it clear what keyboard keys reproduce WiiMote buttons.
  
  I own the Playstation 2 version. Depending on your tastes its not that bad. I like laptop style keys and small, easy to carry keyboards. I bought mine for $5 though, not $15.
  
  --
  1 (short ton / firkin) = 89.1432354 slugs / keg
21. Re:Finally useful... by tepples · 2009-09-01 23:55 · Score: 1
  
  my wife's netbook runs circles around a Wii for couch surfing.
  If you want to watch YouTube on the tube, and you're not ready to splurge on replacing your SDTV with an HDTV, it's easier to find a Wii in stores than a $40 netbook-to-SDTV adapter. And afterward, you can use the Wii to play video games with friends.
22. Re:Finally useful... by RMH101 · 2009-09-02 00:45 · Score: 1
  
  at a guess...
  Youtube
  BBC iPlayer
  Last.FM
  
  Some fairly nice free extras right there...
23. Re:Finally useful... by Vexar · 2009-09-02 01:02 · Score: 1
  
  Game FAQs. Finally, my kid can leave me alone while I'm working, and not ask me to hit 1up.com or somesuch so he can find out how to get that last missile pack for Metroid 3. Thanks, good tip there. Not that he can't do it with the *old* internet channel...
24. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 01:15 · Score: 0
  
  Damn it, your gunna get me fired for laughing!
25. Re:Finally useful... by Khyber · 2009-09-02 03:36 · Score: 1
  
  "you are so 90ties."
  So's your AOL speak. Time to ditch the MC Hammer pants, man.
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
26. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 04:37 · Score: 0
  
  I have used it in the past to watch instructional videos on guitar playing, amongst other pursuits.
  I haven't gotten home to try it, but previously Hulu did not function on my wii due to outdated flash player, so IF hulu works on my wii now.. I could watch TV shows i've missed using it.
27. Re:Finally useful... by Luyseyal · 2009-09-02 04:46 · Score: 1
  
  Awesome. +1 Internets for you.
  -l
  
  --
  Help cure AIDS, cancer, and more. Donate your unused computer time to worldcommunitygrid.org. Join Team Slashdot!
28. Re:Finally useful... by keytoe · 2009-09-02 05:47 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Since I leave mine on all the time
  You can leave it on, but be sure you don't leave a disk in the drive. It'll spin constantly and the drives simply are not rated for that much wear and tear. I left mine on (since they imply you should with the presence of all those spiffy channels on the main menu) but didn't think to pull out the disks. 1.5 years later, I'm dumping $70 on a new optical drive that you can really only get from Nintendo.
  
  --
  Culture is more than commerce
29. Re:Finally useful... by Deosyne · 2009-09-02 06:48 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, went through the same thing. I figure it's the trade-off for not having to spend five minutes starting the console, sitting through the godawfully slow legal screen while hammering the A button, waiting for the disc to finally show up in the game window, waiting for it to do its unskippable noisy thumbnail routing, and then wading through the sea of unskippable splash screens. Nintendo came up with a clever idea for a controller and then proceeded to fuck up every other aspect of the console.
30. Re:Finally useful... by Max+Romantschuk · 2009-09-02 22:36 · Score: 1
  
  Um, I meant I surf with the netbook. I have no desire to hook it up to the TV. Also, that way the TV and browsing don't interfere. :)
  But others did make good points about flash games and video possibilities. I have a Wii so should look into those...
  
  --
  .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
31. Re:Finally useful... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-06 11:19 · Score: 0
  
  to watch porn on tv
http://www.youtube.com/xl by IYagami · 2009-09-01 19:29 · Score: 3, Informative

http://www.youtube.com/xl is an easy way to access youtube content from your wii
Works perfectly in mine with the OLDER version of the internet channel
1. Re:http://www.youtube.com/xl by harrkev · 2009-09-02 03:13 · Score: 1
  
  My experience with YouTube on the Wii browser is that, yes, it works. However, the videos are a LOT more pixelated compared to the same video on a PC.
  
  --
  "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
PORN by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 19:29 · Score: -1

Its a browser. This is /.. you must be new here
come on nintendo by Neotrantor · 2009-09-01 20:14 · Score: 0, Insightful

enough of this crap. we want the zelda game intended for the wii and chrono trigger on virtual console. get off your fat asses plz plz
1. Re:come on nintendo by Rah'Dick · 2009-09-01 20:47 · Score: 1
  
  Chrono Trigger probably won't be released on the Wii, because Nintendo just recently released it as a special version for the DS. But of course you can use Bannerbomb, The Homebrew Channel and SNES9xGX to get a ROM running... Same with Yoshi's Island. There's a DS version, although totally different from the original, but no VC for the Wii.
2. Re:come on nintendo by KDR_11k · 2009-09-01 23:19 · Score: 1
  
  Nintendo released the DS version? Last I checked Square-Enix is in charge of Chrono Trigger, not Nintendo.
  
  --
  Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
3. Re:come on nintendo by Rah'Dick · 2009-09-01 23:41 · Score: 1
  
  Ok, you're right. But then again, Nintendo controls everything that's being released for their consoles, so I guess one can say they both released it.
4. Re:come on nintendo by KillerBob · 2009-09-02 00:12 · Score: 1
  
  Ok, you're right. But then again, Nintendo controls everything that's being released for their consoles, so I guess one can say they both released it.
  It's coming, I'm sure. They're not stupid, and they know they can make money from it. But it takes time to adapt the engines to work with the Wii.
  Case in point, I've had my Wii for almost 2 years now, and I just now broke down and bought my first Wii points card. Why? Because they finally got off their asses and released Secret of Mana. They have partnerned with Square/Enix on VC titles, and I think it's a matter of time before they release other really popular titles.
  
  --
  If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
5. Re:come on nintendo by Khyber · 2009-09-02 03:42 · Score: 1
  
  "enough of this crap. we want the zelda game intended for the wii and chrono trigger on virtual console. get off your fat asses plz plz"
  Fuck that. I want the goddamned games that aren't a rehash of the same shit over and over and over again. Zelda's been the same damned thing since the N64. Chrono Trigger just got a DS rerelease. Metroid Prime Trilogy just got reported and re-coded to work flawlessly with the Wii.
  To quote an old UPN commercial from the 90s - "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW! ISN'T THERE ANYTHING NEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWW?"
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
I should have waited by DanTheManMS · 2009-09-01 20:27 · Score: 2, Informative

My apartment roommates and I just set up a Wii in our common living area 2 days ago, and I was the one to shell out the $10 to buy the browser (leaving us with 500 points left we don't really plan to use at the moment). Had I waited a few more days, we could have gotten it for free. Curses.

Meh, at least there's a slight compensation =/

Regarding Youtube, we tried watching some videos but I found the framerate to be very laggy, especially in the full-screen mode. I didn't do extensive testing of YoutubeXL vs standard Youtube site, so I don't know the full extent of this issue, but I'm hoping it improves with this upgrade.
1. Re:I should have waited by daid303 · 2009-09-01 21:14 · Score: 1
  
  MPlayer can play youtube, so that might help?
2. Re:I should have waited by tomhudson · 2009-09-01 23:41 · Score: 1
  
  According to some of the articles I read, you'll get a 500 point credit towards wiiware, so nothing lost :-)
3. Re:I should have waited by MasterOfMagic · 2009-09-02 00:49 · Score: 1
  
  Except the $10 that was turned into Wii points and can't be turned back into cash.
  So exactly $10 was lost.
4. Re:I should have waited by Vexar · 2009-09-02 01:07 · Score: 1
  
  I thought the guy paid $10 (assuming USD here, sorry), so isn't that 1000 wii points?
5. Re:I should have waited by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 01:14 · Score: 0
  
  No; he used half of his $10. Can't you read?
6. Re:I should have waited by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 02:06 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, but no.
  
  I was the one to shell out the $10 to buy the browser (leaving us with 500 points left we don't really plan to use at the moment)
  Wii Points can't be purchased "a la carte", so you have to buy a 2000-point card in stores or purchase 1000, 2000, 3000, or 5000 points directly through the Shop Channel. The cheapest of those options was the 1000 points for $10 USD. The browser only costs 500 points, leaving another 500. So, he got his 500 back giving him the 1000 originally purchased.
  It's enough to buy Mega Man 9 without all the DLC, and if the OP hasn't already bought it then I recommend it.
7. Re:I should have waited by tomhudson · 2009-09-02 02:32 · Score: 1
  
  Except the $10 that was turned into Wii points and can't be turned back into cash.
  So exactly $10 was lost.
  
  You can transfer Wii points to other people. Find someone who wants to download a game, trade the points for cash, and you're not out a penny.
8. Re:I should have waited by Jiro · 2009-09-02 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  It's not going to let him buy Mega Man 9. The article (and an actual Wii) says that if you paid the 500 points for the now-free browser, you can get a 500 point NES game to make up for it. You don't get 500 points added back into your point total to use for whatever you want; you get a NES game, and only a NES game. It's like receiving a coupon instead of a refund
9. Re:I should have waited by Ash-Fox · 2009-09-02 11:03 · Score: 1
  
  You can transfer Wii points to other people. Find someone who wants to download a game, trade the points for cash, and you're not out a penny.
  I can't think of anyone who would trade $10 unreliably from someone, when they can get it brand new.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
10. Re:I should have waited by tomhudson · 2009-09-02 11:24 · Score: 1
  
  The trade isn't unreliable - you do it through the Wii online store - click on (iirc) "Gift Wii Points" and gift them to the other user.
11. Re:I should have waited by Ash-Fox · 2009-09-02 14:45 · Score: 1
  
  The trade isn't unreliable - you do it through the Wii online store - click on (iirc) "Gift Wii Points" and gift them to the other user.
  It is when you need to trust the other person to pay you. Or the other person needs to trust you as they're paying you before you credit them etc.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
12. Re:I should have waited by tomhudson · 2009-09-03 05:09 · Score: 1
  
  It is when you need to trust the other person to pay you. Or the other person needs to trust you as they're paying you before you credit them etc.
  
  Oh, for goodness sake, if you're that paranoid over $10 in Wii points ... just sell them to a friend. Or donate them to a local hospital - there are plenty of hospitals and senior citizen's homes that use Wiis for exrcise.
13. Re:I should have waited by Ash-Fox · 2009-09-03 06:27 · Score: 1
  
  Oh, for goodness sake, if you're that paranoid over $10 in Wii points ... just sell them to a friend.
  I'd give it away to a friend, I'm too kind that way (Note: I am not the OP). But I don't think I'd see that money again, people I don't trust would be the only ones left and I don't believe the character of most people I meet can even be trusted with money.
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
Wiibserver? by damburger · 2009-09-01 20:50 · Score: 2, Interesting

Anyone know if there are any plans to merge Unite into the version of Opera that ships for the Wii? It would be quite interesting if every Wii owner had a lego-brick server in their lounge..

--
If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we shoot people for Apollo-related non-sequiturs?
Google Maps not working anymore by Rah'Dick · 2009-09-01 20:59 · Score: 1

Did anyone else notice that Google Maps doesn't work anymore, or is it just me? Well, I'll use WiiEarth (homebrew) meanwhile.
Does it work with Hulu? by marshalium · 2009-09-01 21:18 · Score: 1

Since it now supports Flash 9 it seems like it should.
Can anyone comment on how well Hulu works on the Wii with this new version?
1. Re:Does it work with Hulu? by nixkuroi · 2009-09-01 22:35 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  HuluDoesn't appear to work at all. I visited Hulu.com and only got a black screen with all videos. It's possible I didn't wait long enough for their player to load, but Youtube.com/xl comes up right away.
2. Re:Does it work with Hulu? by langelgjm · 2009-09-01 23:39 · Score: 1
  
  Hulu was the first site I checked, and no, it doesn't work. Apparently Hulu used to work with Flash 9, but now requires Flash 10 (I have my suspicions this new requirement was added to prevent embedded browsers like the Wii's Opera from being able to use it).
  However, there is software called "PlayOn" that will act as a UPnP server and stream Hulu content to the Wii. It's not free and requires Windows.
  
  --
  "Anyone who [rips a CD] is probably engaging in copyright infringement." - David O. Carson
3. Re:Does it work with Hulu? by dreemernj · 2009-09-01 23:59 · Score: 1
  
  It sounds like the Internet Channel doesn't actually have Flash 9 either. It has Flash Lite 3 which is similar but lacks support for ActionScript 3.
  
  --
  1 (short ton / firkin) = 89.1432354 slugs / keg
Arse, why kill iPlayer? by hattig · 2009-09-01 21:39 · Score: 1

the new update disables support for the BBC iPlayer, which "cannot stream video or audio content but it still allows you to browse content.
It is a shame as that is pretty much all I use the Wii internet channel for. My Virgin Media cable box crashes 100% of the time when I try to access iPlayer through its interface. I also don't like watching iPlayer on my computer screen in another room when I want to be on my sofa.
1. Re:Arse, why kill iPlayer? by petermgreen · 2009-09-01 22:07 · Score: 1
  
  BTW you can get all the iplayer content through the "all a-z" menus of catch up TV on demand. I generally find this to be a much more reliable route than the iplayer specific menus.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
2. Re:Arse, why kill iPlayer? by hattig · 2009-09-02 00:04 · Score: 1
  
  Pretty much doing anything except watch TV kills the Virgin Box dead.
  Sometimes it can't change channel, instead thinking you want to view the programme guide.
  Never mind the glacial speed of the interface. A-Z? Horrific, it would take a day to get to M (for Mock the Week), never mind T (for Top Gear).
3. Re:Arse, why kill iPlayer? by Don_dumb · 2009-09-02 00:46 · Score: 1
  
  That's just awful, it's generally the only thing I use the internet channel for (excep perhaps when my computer is in deep repair and I need the net to help). I thought it was my ISP when I tried iPlayer on the updated channel last night and the stream wouldn't work.
  
  I can't tell, did they do this deliberately? An update to Flash that makes it harder to view Flash sites, brilliant.
  
  --
  If this were really happening, what would you think?
4. Re:Arse, why kill iPlayer? by mrsmiggs · 2009-09-02 03:52 · Score: 1
  
  The bbc created specific version for the iplayer adapted to the older version of flash on the Wii. I'm sure the bbc iplayer programmers are retreating to their coding den right this minute to get an update together...
5. Re:Arse, why kill iPlayer? by petermgreen · 2009-09-03 23:41 · Score: 1
  
  Sounds like you need to bug virgin until they replace the box.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
6. Re:Arse, why kill iPlayer? by hattig · 2009-09-04 01:16 · Score: 1
  
  That sounds as fun as using an electric power rasp to scratch my balls!
Cool by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 21:51 · Score: 0

How useful, Finally i might be able to stream decent quality video to my wii :)
42" browsing? by jonaskoelker · 2009-09-01 22:18 · Score: 3, Insightful

Actually I'm genuinely curious: Who uses the Wii browser and for what?
Browsing the web on a very bright 42" monitor is kinda' cool :)
With a wiimote, it means you'll have neither of: a hot laptop on your ball sack; or a desk between the couch and your TV.
1. Re:42" browsing? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 23:01 · Score: 0
  
  not when the wii's standard definition resolution means you can only see 1/4 of the page at once.
  if you can afford a 42" screen and its HD: you can afford to buy a netbook, plug it into the tv, and use the wii remote with the netbook
2. Re:42" browsing? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-01 23:51 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  1) "If you can afford X, then you can afford Y" is always a bad argument.
  2) Your solution is a pain in the ass, not nearly as intuitive.
  3) The Wii's screen resolution is just fine for most pages, and if it isn't you can zoom out or scroll left and right.
3. Re:42" browsing? by tepples · 2009-09-02 00:05 · Score: 1
  
  Browsing the web on a very bright 42" monitor is kinda' cool :)
  When TVs that big became popular, VGA and HDMI inputs also became popular.
  
  With a wiimote, it means you'll have neither of: a hot laptop on your ball sack; or a desk between the couch and your TV.
  My Eee PC doesn't get hot enough to hurt my genitals. And if you eat on the couch, you probably already have a desk of sorts; run a USB cable from a Mac mini (which looks like a Wii) to a hub by the couch, set your keyboard and mouse on the TV tray, and you're set.
4. Re:42" browsing? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 01:07 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, because every person has a random laptop or netbook lying around they can quickly run into their TV.
  Not everyone's desktop is near their TV either.
5. Re:42" browsing? by tepples · 2009-09-02 01:22 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, because every person has a random laptop or netbook lying around they can quickly run into their TV.
  Some people replace their desktop PC every three or four years. Instead of giving the old hardware up to the recycler, they can reimage it and put it by the TV.
  
  Not everyone's desktop is near their TV either.
  In the case of a Mac mini or other nettop, it's as easy as unplugging USB, video, and power, and then plugging in to the TV. One has to do the same thing to play a console on a secondary TV if the main TV is in use.
6. Re:42" browsing? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 03:34 · Score: 0
  
  And lots of people don't have a spare computer lying around, or don't want to have a mid-tower sitting in their living room occupying 5 times the space of a machine that surfs the net and that also plays Wii and Gamecube games. Most people don't think about what they're going to do with their computer when it gets old, and most especially don't think about running it to a TV to surf the net.
  The big difference between connecting a console or a portable computer to a TV is that the console is almost always connected to the TV in the first place. Most people would rather not have to deal with the hassle of hooking up their laptop to their TV every time they want to use the internet. If you have a group of people over and want to show them something quick on the net (say a Youtube video) and already have the Wii hooked up to a TV, why bother dealing with the hassle of hooking up a laptop to it?
  That said, internet on the Wii is still more a novelty than anything else.
7. Re:42" browsing? by Khyber · 2009-09-02 03:38 · Score: 1
  
  480P/I is *NOT* standard definition. Halve that again to get closer to reality.
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
8. Re:42" browsing? by UltimApe · 2009-09-02 05:02 · Score: 1
  
  You can hook up a wiimote to an eeepc. its quite nice when you hook the eeepc up to a 42incher.
  
  --
  "Infecting minds with my own memetic virus, one post at a time." Ultimape
9. Re:42" browsing? by tepples · 2009-09-02 05:26 · Score: 1
  
  The big difference between connecting a console or a portable computer to a TV is that the console is almost always connected to the TV in the first place.
  Then, for instance, what should developers who want to develop console-style games but aren't yet established enough for a console license do?
10. Re:42" browsing? by Gulthek · 2009-09-02 07:42 · Score: 1
  
  My wife and I just plugged an old G5 tower into the screen and control it using screen sharing + jaadu vnc on our iPods.
Old one was better by Crock23A · 2009-09-01 23:10 · Score: 1

The older version of flash was it's own version of an ad blocker. The new browser is now downloading flash ads from everywhere. It sucks.
Wii Forecast Channel != The Weather Channel by tepples · 2009-09-02 00:01 · Score: 1

Weather channel.
For one thing, Wii has Forecast Channel powered by Weathernews, not the real Weather Channel, unless you've bookmarked weather.com in Internet Channel. In the summer of 2008, I noticed Forecast Channel wasn't nearly as accurate as The Weather Channel. For another, if you're playing the Wii on a TV that gets cable, you can always pause whatever Wii game you're playing, change the channel to The Weather Channel, and watch Local on the 8s.
!Flash 9 by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 00:21 · Score: 5, Informative

I am (unfortunately) a Flash dev.
The new Internet Channel supports Flash Lite 3, not Flash 9. Flash Lite 3 supports all the ActionScript Virtual Machine 1 (AVM1) content that will run on or before Flash 9. However, it does not support AVM2 content -- that is, content created with ActionScript 3 or Flex. ActionScript 3 was released with Flash 9. I don't know of any Flash 9 content that isn't written using AS3/AVM2 -- if you're trying to be backwards compatible (say, you're a corporation, and every 0.01% penetration counts) you're gonna code in Flash 7 or 8 anyway.
This opens up a bunch of content written with Flash 8, but it still means you're not going to able to use, say, the vast majority of games on Kongregate or YouTube HD. Besides that, the browser has so little memory available to it that any "high end" Flash content is off-limits anyway. This update really doesn't do much for me.
1. Re:!Flash 9 by mzs · 2009-09-02 02:38 · Score: 1
  
  Somebody mod this up.
2. Re:!Flash 9 by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 12:21 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  APIs within APIs? Flash: I give up on you!
My wii question... by damn_registrars · 2009-09-02 00:23 · Score: 1

Will we (wii?) ever see the price come down? It has been on the market for almost 3 years now and the price has yet to change.

--
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
1. Re:My wii question... by ookaze · 2009-09-02 03:19 · Score: 1
  
  Will we (wii?) ever see the price come down? It has been on the market for almost 3 years now and the price has yet to change.
  Then pray for Nintendo's 3 hit combo games to not improve the sales of their console at all. Then perhaps, if they're not still destroying the competition till march 2010, you will have a chance to see a price cut. Scratch that, they would have to be selling the least of the three consoles for Nintendo to do sth about the price.
  BTW, the 3 hit combo games are Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit + and New Super Mario Bros Wii.
  Nintendo expects each of them to sell 10 millions units for the record, and WSR (the only one already released) is well on its way to do just that.
iPlayer by Don_dumb · 2009-09-02 00:49 · Score: 1

Britisher here. I prefer to watch BBC programs on iPlayer on my couch via the TV, rather than my room on the PC or on a little laptop.

It's just a pity that the update prevents iPlayer from working.

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If this were really happening, what would you think?
1. Re:iPlayer by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 04:40 · Score: 0
  
  Noticed this too. There is a thread open at the beeb:
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbiplayer/F13735683?thread=6893890
  Looks like someone at the BBC iplayer team is already onto this
Except . . . by Don_dumb · 2009-09-02 00:53 · Score: 1

Video still... but iPlayer will become useful. Woo!
Except now iPlayer doesn't work.

From one of TFA -

the new update disables support for the BBC iPlayer, which "cannot stream video or audio content but it still allows you to browse content."
Great, we can see what 'content' we can't actually view or hear.

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If this were really happening, what would you think?
1. Re:Except . . . by Canazza · 2009-09-02 01:40 · Score: 1
  
  that's unfortunate. I remember watching Hole-in-the-wall on the iPlayer on my friends Wii during a party. That was one wild night...
  
  --
  It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
2. Re:Except . . . by mlk · 2009-09-03 04:13 · Score: 1
  
  That is shit.
  
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  Wow, I should not post when knackered.
Not Flash 9 content ! by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 00:55 · Score: 4, Informative

Although the updated Internet Channel identifies itself as a v9 Flash Player, it is actually still incapable of playing what anyone considers 'Flash 9 content' such as applications that use Adobe's Flex framework (or indeed anything that needs ActionScript 3).
It's really 'Flash Lite 3.1' as explained at http://www.adobe.com/products/flashlite/faq/
1. Re:Not Flash 9 content ! by Khyber · 2009-09-02 03:46 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  If the software advertises itself as Flash 9, it better fucking be flash 9. Plain and simple.
  
  --
  Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
2. Re:Not Flash 9 content ! by Ash-Fox · 2009-09-02 10:59 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  If the software advertises itself as Flash 9, it better fucking be flash 9
  Or what? You'll send death threats?
  
  --
  Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
Probably the worst GUI I have seen by Anonymous Coward · 2009-09-02 02:25 · Score: 0

The Wii Fit GUI is about as bad as it can get. Sometimes a button is preselected, sometimes not. Sometimes you can exit with the B button, sometimes not. The number of times you must press A at the end of an exercise may eventually give you more muscle in your thumb than in your leg (or arthritis). Maybe it's because the Japanese fear over-exertion and insist on breaks.
Don't get me started on other inconsistencies, like being admonished to step faster when I'm already at the top speed allowed. Or being unable to jump directly to the complementary exercises that the game recommends. Not that I can find a reasoning which exercises Wii Fit deems complementary anyway. Speaking of breaks, if you do your recommended 30 minutes in three chunks as the game suggests, it'll still tell you to take a break after the third chunk, no matter how short that was. I could go on. This "game" insults my intelligence. If at least you could turn the background music off... you can't just mute the TV because you need the meagre audio feedback in some exercises.
Despite this I've managed to clock 260+ hours in the 500 days since Wii Fit came out, but I desperately hope that Wii Fit Plus will be a significant improvement to keep my motivation.
Wow really?! by Chris+Burke · 2009-09-02 04:19 · Score: 1

I don't think the lower case "channel" was a typo. I think it's pretty clear he meant "the wii channel what has the weather" without caring what the official name is.
"Local on the 8s" is also 7 minutes too slow if you want the weather now (and you can't check weather around the world with a neat spinning globe interface =D). It is more accurate though.

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The enemies of Democracy are
I downloaded the updated version by Korey+Kaczor · 2009-09-02 08:25 · Score: 1

But I can't figure out how to get a nes game. I did pay for the Opera browser, so I'm a bit confused here. Anyone know how?
I want mega man 3, for those who wanted to know.
For them, Flash 9 means youtube by Ilgaz · 2009-09-02 14:39 · Score: 1

Wii is a SD device (TV speaking) that is completely (and electronically) incapable of showing HD content. So, Youtube HD is non issue.
If you speak about high end sites entirely designed on Flash, flash shops etc. that won't be really needed on Wii. I can't picture Wii user profile wondering around with that stick and clicking things. They all have PC/Mac/Linux desktops and laptops anyway.
Think of Wii as a high end smart phone. Like Nokia E90 or N97, they come with Flash Lite 3 too. I think Nintendo thinks about Flash Lite 3 games, active content acting like an app (like Reuters for Symbian) etc.
Quoting a kid who got confused whether to buy Linux netbook or Win XP netbook: "Does this (linux) play Youtube too?". I know Flash developers hate it but it is what Wii owners will expect and cheer about.
So, Hulu is brain dead? by Ilgaz · 2009-09-02 14:45 · Score: 1

Wii or any console is advertisers and content providers dream. No popular adblock hacks, no "flash video ripping", no attention issues. Why would they take measures to prevent Wii browser to embed the videos? IMHO they should start coding a special Hulu for Wii right now.
Sorry for poor taste... by jonaskoelker · 2009-09-02 20:54 · Score: 1

its quite nice [...] a 42incher.
That's what she said...
Actual User Experience by misfit815 · 2009-09-03 02:07 · Score: 1

The potential benefits of this had me salivating. In four words, I can tell you why: Hulu on my HDTV.
So, my results?
- Well, for starters, Hulu doesn't work, as others here have mentioned.
- YouTube works, but was choppy, even though laptops that share the same wireless network don't share the same problem.
- Weather.com, on the radar map for my local area, actually ran out of memory while loading.
- The whole experience was kind of slow.
- Some sites (like YouTube) appear to render themselves specifically for the browser, while others (basically anything less popular) often looked just a little off.
- For the record, Slashdot looked pretty nice.
Overall, I doubt I'm going to be using it much.

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Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. - John 14:6 NLT