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Nintendo to enable USB mass storage devices on Wii?
This kind of stuff is never really set in stone until it's announced, but a press release issued by eSOL announced that Nintendo would be licensing its PrFILE2 FAT file system and PrUSB/Host USB host stack middleware for the Wii. Human-readable translation (if you really want to call it that, since this is the English translation of the Japanese release): "By embedding PrUSB/Host, direct communication with USB devices is supported without using PC. Optional Mass Storage class driver enables using USB flash memory, other mass storage device and digital camera as the external storage." So eSOL's middleware can be used to address devices via USB, but it's still not a sure thing you'll be able to expand storage via USB on your console. Now, why you can only expand via SD is beyond us, but maybe Nintendo's wising up to the fact that maybe they can sell overpriced N-branded USB flash drives, too.[Via C3]
Nintendo to offer USB storage solution soon?
eSOL, a company that offers engineering solutions for companies that look to outsource that stuff, have just announced that Nintendo is using their "PrFILE2" FAT file system and "PrUSB/Host" USB host stack middleware products. What does this mean for us? Well, it could mean plenty of things.First of all, each technology allows for a different aspect of the Wii to be utilized. The company's "PrFILE2" file system provides "file management functions which read and write data of theSD memory card, as well as other media." This could mean any number of things; Nintendo could even see eSOL's middleware tech as allowing faster read and write speeds to the SD card slot on the Wii. Nintendo could also have plans for using the file system as apart of a future add-on for the system. Really, speculation is the only thing to reign here.eSOL's "PrUSB" USB Host stack is where we think this story gets more interesting. In adding their tech for more USB functionality in the Wii, it's possible Nintendo could be looking to issue their own USB HDDs down the road. Or, they could have ideas for other peripherals. Again, speculation is the name of the game here.Finally, our hopes and dreams of Nintendo performing a system update on everyone's Wii, allowing for support of third-party USB HDDs, gain some more credibility. What else would Nintendo be acquiring eSOL's USB tech for? Certainly this is the most far-fetched idea of ours, as if anyone is going to make a profit on adding the functionality for USB HDD support on the Wii, it's going to be Nintendo.What do you readers have to say about this latest news?[Thanks, Barry! Via Cubed3]
