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Wii's Opera Internet channel goes Web 2.0

Yesterday an update rolled out from the folks at Opera, bringing the highly popular Wii Internet channel into the 20th century with full support for USB keyboards, widgets, and link sharing. Normally this news would not excite me, but as a Wii owner, having struggled to actually type an e-mail, or enter anything more than a URL or login using a Wiimote on the onscreen keyboard, believe me when I say this is big.

In addition to the keyboard news, Opera is now supporting two very interesting Web features. The first is a new "Widget View" mode, letting … Read more

Is the Wii a fad?

IGN News is reporting that Wii developers are becoming 'nervous' about the console's prospects and believe the device may be nothing more than a fad.

Nikkei Business Daily is reporting that anonymous developers are concerned that the Wii is only benefiting Nintendo and third-party developers are forced to play catch up in the hope their games will become a success. So far, some are claiming their games have been nothing more than expensive flops.

In fact, one developer explained that, "The Wii is like the 'Billy's Boot Camp' weight-loss program on DVD. People bought it out of curiosity, and it's likely a lot of them haven't used it."

So which is it? Is the Wii really a flop in the waiting? Or is it the video game savior we've all been waiting for? It's neither.… Read more

An ode to Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Apple, and Linux zealots

As I'm sure many of you are aware, there are a number of factions in the technology world that seem to share extreme love for one company and severe distaste for another. Some side with Bill Gates and his buddies in Redmond. Of course, that group is met by a fierce resistance that genuflects at the altar of Steve Jobs. On the other hand, there is a cadre of individuals that believe Sony is the greatest company in the world, and still others that put Shigeru Miyamoto and his gang of creations on a pedestal. And yet, no matter what you say, every group will believe you're a member of the competing zealot faction. After a while, it actually becomes quite comical.

Take for example, this article I wrote just yesterday about Sony's desperation. You'll notice that in the comments, I was called all kinds of names. And while you get used to this as a writer, some really blow your socks off. For example, one commenter went so far as to say that I and the rest of the CNET writers are "typical." Why you ask? Because the commenter needed to ask us if "Gate's butt smells fresh today." In essence, I was a Microsoft fanboy for a day -- at least in the words of the cadre of Sony fanboys.

Unfortunately, my love for Microsoft must have been fleeting. For if you read the comments from readers on this day, I am nothing more than an Apple zealot that hates Microsoft. Even better, we even got some extra "typical CNET" comments which, for some reason, didn't reference the same smelling analogy. Can I be both? Can I be all five? Can everyone be all five?

No. And this is the issue we're left with today -- why can't everyone stop being zealots and realize that we all want the same thing -- the very best performance out of every tech company. We shouldn't be apologists -- we should be asking for a company's level best.… Read more

Sonic versus Mario, Luigi on a motorcycle, and lots of other Nintendo news

Nintendo held its Fall Conference this week, and the company has revealed some interesting news about its upcoming games. Some of the biggest news of the conference is the announcement that Super Smash Bros. Brawl will include Sonic the Hedgehog as a playable character. While Sonic's been long-speculated as a character in SSBB, this is the first time his presence has been officially confirmed. Unfortunately, the game itself has been pushed back in Japan until January 2008, which could mean that an American release will also be pushed back until next year. In other news, the new Mario Kart WiiRead more

Is Sony as desperate as it looks?

With a rumored $399 40GB Playstation 3 on the way, a cheaper device hitting shelves in Japan and UK, and announcements of an all-out price blitz this holiday season, is Sony really as desperate as it looks?

By just looking at news from the last week, it's quite easy to see that Sony is grasping at anything that will make the PS3 stick. Whether it's a new color, a cheaper price, or a rumbling controller, the company is hoping we will like something that make us spend our hard-earned money. I can't blame Sony for trying--the PS3 is hands-down, the most important device Sony is selling right now. Not only is it the harbinger of Blu-ray, it represents one of the most economically stable divisions of the company over the past decade.

But once again, Sony has it all wrong. The company is a victim of its own self-image and there is no stopping it with the current management in place. Simply put, Sony sees itself as a hardware company and in this business, that's the last thing you want to do.… Read more

First free Wiimote sleeves, now free DS stylii

Last week, you might have read about Nintendo giving away free Wiimote sleeves. Well, that's not the only swag you can get from Big N in exchange for a serial number. Proud owners of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass can order their own free, feather-shaped stylus. Just register your game at Nintendo.com, fill out a short survey, and you'll get a shiny new stylus in 4 to 6 weeks. It's neither the most useful stylus (it probably won't fit in the DS Lite's stylus slot), nor is it the most Zelda-centric (is a … Read more

Wii virtual console releases for this week: NEOGEO fighters edition

As promised, Nintendo has rolled out a brand new Virtual Console category today. NEOGEO titles will now be available for download for 900 Wii points each and to celebrate, Nintendo has released three today--all of which are fighters. Cheesy box art not included.

Fatal Fury (1991, NEOGEO, 900 Wii points)--One of the original games in the fighting genre, Fatal Fury gained much attention for its unique gameplay that allowed fighters to switch between two planes, thus dodging attacks. World Heroes (1992, NEOGEO, 900 Wii points)--This fighting game based its characters on historical figures all throughout time and had … Read more