tv-schedule
Latest
Wii Warm Up: Getting your TV on
To our pleasant surprise, the Television no Tomo Channel G Guide turned out to be even more well-rounded and awesome than we first anticipated. This is cause for cheer, obviously, but also makes us wonder: will U.S. Wii owners ever get the chance to channel surf with their Wiimotes? There are no plans announced yet, but perhaps we need to demonstrate to Nintendo that we're interested! So people, who would use this if it ever came stateside?
Video demo of Wiimote and TV playing nice
With the TV Guide Channel releasing in Japan today, many wondered exactly how the Wiimote would be used as a remote for the television, as well. Thanks to the video above, this important new features needs not reside only in the darkest corners of your imagination. And ... uh, it works just like you would expect. It changes channels and works the volume. It even looks really fun.%Gallery-17533%
Wii TV Guide Channel debuts! ... in Japan
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Wii_TV_Guide_Channel_debuts'; We were skeptical about the usefulness of Nintendo's Television no Tomo Channel G Guide when the application was first announced -- we assumed it would be a simple listing of future and currently-playing shows. According to initial impressions of the recently launched (in Japan) channel, however, there's a lot more to it! Users can rate shows, share their favorite shows with friends, and mark their favorite programs to receive email/text alerts a half hour before they begin ... in Japan.The coolest feature we've heard about, though, is the ability to use the Wii remote as a universal remote control. Wii owners can use the controller to change channels, adjust the volume, and switch back and forth between their shows and the TV Guide Channel. Apparently, the sensor bar transmits your commands to your TV, making this all possible ... in Japan.%Gallery-17533%
Reggie on TV listings channel, development costs and shortages
Speaking at the Dow Jones Consumer Technology Innovations Conference, Reggie Fils-Aime talked about some upcoming Wii-related topics, including things other than how great Wii Fit will be. He discussed Japan's new TV Program Schedule Channel briefly, but only to mention that there are no plans for a U.S. release of such a service. Then, to answer the question proposed in the CNet article's title "Will the Wii be a set-top box?": no. Look to something like the Xbox 360, with which you can already purchase TV shows and movies, for something like that. The TV Program Schedule Channel is a neat convenience designed to get people messing with the Wiimote. Reggie mentioned that future channels "... may look like games. They may not look like games." Other topics included Wii and DS development costs, which are obviously lower in comparison to other systems', meaning that a game can sell fewer copies and still make a profit. For Nintendo, of course, who is aiming at the biggest mass-market audience they can, this doesn't necessarily mean experimentation, but ridiculous profits. He also went on to talk about shortages, calling them "missed opportunities".He also talked about how great Wii Fit will be.[Via NeoGAF]
Financial Briefing: TV guide videos, gift channel, and more
Nintendo has transcribed a Financial Results briefing given by president Satoru Iwata. Being a Financial Results briefing, it of course focuses on sales history, but it is also loaded with information that may be of interest to you beyond the charts and graphs detailing how awesome Nintendo is.* This includes Iwata's new philosophy of the roles of Nintendo's gaming systems. The DS is now being seen as a "machine to enrich its owners' lives," in ways beyond gaming. Nintendo's plan for new DS-based utilities is an instantiation of this idea, allowing users to carry their DS systems around for many purposes, improving the quality of their lives. The Wii, on the other hand, is seen as the "Machine to put smiles on people surrounding it," meaning that entire households should be encouraged to interact with the Wii, even when not playing games. You are free, of course, to moan about this being the death of gaming or whatever.Spreading happiness is the goal of the two new updates headed to the Wii. Check pages 6 and 7 for video of the gift-giving function of the Wii Shop Channel, which will work for both VC and Wii Ware games, and a demonstration of an early version of the TV Program Schedule Channel. It allows users to search by genre or keyword, and to mark their favorite programs with a color code.*For an analysis of the charts and graphs detailing how awesome Nintendo is, check out this Gamasutra feature from our own Eric Caoili!
