Frwee Wii Blog

YouTube TV for Wii

2009-01-16T23:48:44Z

It’s taken a while, but YouTube has finally released a Wii (and PS3, etc) optimized interface to their site, which they call “YouTube TV“.

The new YouTube TV interface plays a similar role to sites like moowee.tv, which has been providing a slick Internet Channel Wii-optimised frontend to YouTube (and other video sites) from essentially day one.

I really like this new offering from YouTube; it feels a bit simpler and more reliable than moowee.tv, and switching to fullscreen mode is seemless. It’s quite watchable for some of the higher quality videos. I can see YouTube TV becoming my preferred option for the odd occasion when I want to veg-out on the couch and watch some stupid viral videos.

If you want to check it out without firing up your Wii, you can install the Switch User Agent Add-on for Firefox, and add the User-Agent “Opera/9.00 (Nintendo Wii; U; ; 1038-58; Wii Shop Channel/1.0; en)”. Go to YouTube TV, and you will see the Wii optimized interface in all it’s glory. For the definitive experience, check it out on your Wii.

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Nintendo Wii : most economical now-gen console

2008-11-28T05:07:07Z

Here’s another reason to love your Wii – as far as game consoles go, it’s the most energy efficient of the current generation. As determined by the US Natural Resources Defense Council the Wii uses on average around six times less electricity than the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 when turned on. In fact, it even uses a little less power than the Gamecube !
photo credit: cursedthing

Nintendo’s engineers deserve credit for creating a more environmentally responsible console. Sure the PS3 and Xbox fanboys will never tire of highlighting that the graphics capabilities of their consoles is superior; but it all comes at a cost – a higher carbon footprint (around two refrigerators worth) and a higher electricity bill for every hour of play.

Keep in mind, however, just because the Wii is the best on energy efficiency, every console manufacturer has room to improve …Greenpeace rated the Wii least environmentally friendly compared with Sony and Microsofts offerings, due to the levels of toxic materials in the Wii and Nintendos lack of recycling policy.

Here’s my “environmentally friendly gaming tip” for the day (maybe for the year): help reduce waste and buy secondhand games. Don’t encourage production of more copies of Red Steel or Ninjabread Man “landfill”.

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Play DVDs on your Wii

2008-08-29T23:34:20Z

The news is a couple of weeks old now, but I just got around to testing it out last night. Over at HackMii, Erant announced the release of a ‘hidden channel’ (DVDX) which allows homebrew software to access the DVD drive. It requires the famous Twilight hack or a modchip, like all Wii homebrew so far.

What this means, is that using DVDX installer with Mplayer, you can now watch regular DVDs using your Wii, in addition to regular video files (ie DivX, Xvid, AVI, MPEG-2, WMV etc) placed on the SD-card. It’s kind of dumb that Nintendo simply didn’t include this capability from the start …. anyhow, nice to see the homebrew community has come to the rescue.

Rather than re-iterate here how to set it all up, see the WiiBrew guide and Erants post for instructions.

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The Pinnacles of Awesomeness: Strong Bad hits WiiWare

2008-08-12T05:05:55Z

It’s been pretty quiet here at the Frwee Wii Blog for the last few months. But I can’t resist quickly mentioning that Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People: Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner has been released on WiiWare. You can check out a demo on PC too. This is one of the strongest (pun slightly intended) additions the WiiWare offerings to date, especially for fans of the Homestar Runner and Strong Bad Flash cartoons, or those that enjoy point and click adventures like Sam and Max Hit the Road (the more recent incarnation of which has also been developed by Telltale Games).

Via The Tanooki, among others.

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Wiimote Man in the PS3 Queue

2008-07-12T03:29:38Z

It’s two years old, and pretty stupid, but I wonder how many people in that line wish they’d bought a Wii (or a two ) now …

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Viidelectrix Flash games for the Wii – Awesomeness !

2008-07-06T03:17:27Z

From the team the brought you Homestar Runner, Strong Bad, Trogdor the Burninator and Limozeen comes … Viidelectrix for the Wii.

Always nice to see more Wii-specific Flash games … even better when it is neo-retro-coolness like this !

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The Conduit – Trailer

2008-05-18T05:41:29Z

Hot on the heels of the latest MadWorld trailer comes … The Conduit.

If they get online multiplayer right with this one, things are really looking up for hardcore gamers with a Wii.

(Via N+)

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MadWorld trailer: a dose of the ultraviolent

2008-05-17T02:52:05Z

This is exactly what the Wii needs … a little more stylistic ultraviolence.

What’s the bet this will be censored to buggery for release in Australia (like No More Heroes), or even worse, never released at all. I really should have bought a Japanese or US Wii and just imported everything.

Via The BBPS.

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Oh, this is just wrong :: WiiLove ?

2008-04-29T22:20:04Z

Image via Wikipedia

This post over at kuro5hin describes the latest Wii peripheral driving Nintendo fanboys and fangirls wild in Japan … the WiiLove.

Of course, this is just a rip-off of an idea already released years ago with Rez on the Sega Dreamcast, but it’s nice to see this style of peripheral being introduced to a new audience.

No info on release dates in North America, Europe and Australia yet.

(ah, it’s a joke, Joyce).

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Club Nintendo coming “down under”

2008-04-18T04:37:22Z

I’ve just heard some great news !

“Club Nintendo” will soon be available to Australian Nintendo fans.

More details at Aussie Nintendo, and The Age Screen Play Blog

australia, Culture, Wii news