Wii News Channel Goes Live!
If you found your Wii pulsating blue this morning, it's because the Wii New Channel has launched a day early. Yesterday, we mentioned that it would launch on Saturday, a Nintendo press release also gave the date of January 27, 2007. I suppose they were just too damn excited and let it loose prematurely (it happens). So there you have it! You now have news available on your Wii.
Remember, you will need to have a broadband internet connection and download the free beta of the Opera web browser in the Wii Shopping Channel. If you want your news to be updated constantly, you should enable WiiConnect24. If you get to the News Channel before we do, let us know what you think. The full press release, after the jump.
News at Your Fingertips: AP and Nintendo Launch Wii News Channel Across AmericasInstant Access, Constant Updates
REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- As the options for news multiply, Nintendo is putting a simple solution for straight news right in the palm of your hand -- in the form of the Wii Remote(TM). The News Channel, free to Wii(TM) owners, will debut on the console's Wii Menu beginning tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 27. Using the international resources of the Associated Press, the News Channel gives you key stories in multiple categories from across the
country and around the world."What Wii has done for video gaming, we hope it will also accomplish for news," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Just by pointing at your TV screen, you become your own interactive editor, instantly accessing the latest headline stories, whether they originate in Kansas City or Kyoto."
"The Associated Press is always looking for innovative ways to expand its
audience for news and information," said Jane Seagrave, vice president and
director of AP's digital division. "The Wii News Channel extends our global
reach even further, on yet another platform, offering our news to people who
otherwise might not see it."The simple user interface allows Wii owners to spin a virtual globe and point to the location of a news event using the Wii Remote. Stories will be listed under headings including Business, Sports, Arts/Entertainment, Technology and Science/Health to allow users to quickly access information in the order they want. At any given time, dozens of stories might be available for each category. In the global view, stories can be grouped by region instead of category. Icons show which stories have been read, which stories are text-only and which ones come with news photos. Because Wii caters to all different ages, the interface allows users to change the size of the text. By using the "always-on" system functionality of WiiConnect24(TM), stories will be updated frequently, even while owners are sleeping.
Super Timsy
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 26 January 2007
· Comments (8)
Other stuff like this: ap, associated press, news channel, nintendo, opera, wii
Got it this morning. The slideshow is great, and you can zoom in on the map for local stories. Sweet. Much more than I expected.
I'm having more fun watching this than the local morning news drivel.
Great Job Nintendo! I liked how it pin pointed the location on a Map for each news story and how there is a ticker tape of the article before you select it. More fun with my Wii!
Not only was it pulsating blue this morning, it woke me up in time to make it to class when I had forgotten to set my alarm.
I filmed it this morning! Just off camera are a sleeping boyfriend and a couple of kitties. :-)
http://notawesome.wordpress.com/2007/01/26/wii-news-channel-launches-a-day-early/
I play video games to ESCAPE the news, not watch it. If you really need news that bad, just turn on your freakin TV or fire up your web browser and get it online.
I don't see what all the excitement is about. Give me games, dammit, not news.
Aww that is sooo cool!! Wish I had one XD
All these media functions... No DVD playback.
Off topic but I'm still disappointed that YTMND doesn't work on the Wii Opera browser.