Nintendo Announces New Console: Wii U

_xeno_ writes "Nintendo has announced the official name for what had been known as 'Project Cafe:' the Wii U. It is an HD console, it retains backwards compatibility with the Wii (it's unclear if this includes GameCube software), and the controller does, in fact, have a touch screen on it. Nintendo demoed moving a game off the TV and playing it solely on the Wii U controller." Also in E3 news, cylonlover writes "At its E3 press conference Sony finally revealed that its next generation handheld — previously codenamed the NGP — will carry the official moniker of the 'PlayStation Vita.' The PS Vita — which is Latin for 'life' — will come in two flavors: a Wi-Fi only version priced at $249 in the US, JPY24,980 in Japan, and EUR249 in Europe, and a 3G/Wi-Fi version going for US$299, JPY29,980 and EUR299."

It's just a rehash of stuff they've already tried

[Jabrwock]

Actually it's just an evolution of some ideas they've been poking around with tethering DSs to the Wii. There were a few games where you could use the DS as a Wiimote, and you had your own individual screen info.

Looks like a UAV controller

[bughunter]

That Wii U photo makes it look a whole lot like one of several [unmanned.co.uk] makes [suasnews.com] of Small UAV hand controllers [avinc.com].

A lot of work goes into the ergonomics of these things, because soldiers spend a lot of time using them, so there's a reason they all look very similar. Several ergonomic factors, obvious from the convergence of these designs, appear to be universal:

- Touchscreens are sexy but impractical. They're imprecise without a stylus, awkward to hold, and you have to obscure your view of the action to effect a control.
- It's nearly impossible make the screen too large. There's a reason the screen is big and dominates the faces of all of these units.
- Controls are arranged on the sides so that the fingers can take the weight while the thumbs work the controls without requiring the user adjust his grip.
- Control paradigms are borrowed from the original Playstation hand controllers because most users have prior experience with them.
- Light weight tradeoff against battery life, screen size, and ruggedness.

Looks like the convergence is happening from both directions. And it's not surprising because the human interface requirements are very similar in both applications.

Re:My hands hurt...

[jbonomi]

IGN's hands on says it's light and comfortable to hold. I think we should hold off judgement until we can hold them ourselves.

Re:price

[MBGMorden]

Virtual Boy
PowerGlove
PowerPad
SuperScope
Super Gameboy
SNES Mouse
Satellaview
N64 Transferpack
Nintendo 64DD
N64 VRU
Gameboy Printer

There are a ton of Nintendo Accessories that flopped because they were off the wall and not supported by many games.