Google Reader - Now for Wii!

Thwomp writes "I love using my Wii to catch up on my Google Reader feeds and now that activity is officially supported by Google. It's really great to see that the Google Reader team has created an improved user interface optimized for the Wii's Opera browser and Wiimote. You can also try out the Google Reader for Wii in your browser. Google account is mandatory, of course."

Why spend the time and resources on this?

[Judinous]

Why do consoles continue to try and integrate "PC-like" features? The *only* reason to use a console over a PC is because the games will be optimized for your specific set of hardware, so you can be sure that there are no compatibility issues and it will probably run pretty smooth. For everything else, a console is really just an overpriced, underpowered, practically non-upgradeable box with almost zero control given to the user. Supporting these features is great and all, but it seems like a waste of resources to me. If you've got the TV/monitor and internet connection, why use the console?

To prevent another XBMC

[tepples]

Why do consoles continue to try and integrate "PC-like" features?

To discourage would-be homebrewers from modding their console to add PC-like features *cough*XBMC*cough* and then discovering piracy.

If you've got the TV/monitor and internet connection, why use the console?

Because another family member is using the PC.

Re:Why spend the time and resources on this?

[AKAImBatman]

The *only* reason to use a console over a PC is because the games will be optimized for your specific set of hardware, so you can be sure that there are no compatibility issues and it will probably run pretty smooth.

Actually, there's another reason. The Internet Channel in the Wii provides a net-enabled entertainment center. For example, if you browse to video.stumbleupon.com [stumbleupon.com] on your Wii, you can watch various "channels" of net videos on your television. Not only does this easily allow you to share the experience with others around you, but it allows you to view the videos on a larger screen. (Most people still have far larger televisions than they do computer screens. Only us geeks use an HDTV as a computer monitor. :P)

You can't share that sort of content on a computer nearly as easily as you can on something like the Wii. Sure, you could hook up your computer with a TV-out, but how many average people are really going to do that? And that's not even mentioning sites that provide homebrew video game content through the web browser.

Re:Wha?

[prelelat]

I think this is news because it is saying that the reader has now been optimized for the Wii where as before it was just using what was available.

Re:Why spend the time and resources on this?

[HoneyBunchesOfGoats]

I can't speak of other consoles, but I like the Wii browser because it's easy to use from the couch. The Wii is already hooked up to my TV, so I don't have to fumble about with cables to hook up my laptop, change the display settings to put the image on the TV, and then have to sit right next to the TV while I use it. I could get an older computer to leave permanently hooked up to the TV, and a wireless keyboard and mouse for it, but that'd be a whole lot of hassle, and would still have input devices that are less ideal to use from the couch... and for what, to have a more PC-like interface to pull up Wikipedia when people are over? The Wii isn't going to replace my PC and monitor for most of my web usage, but it's ideal for using the web for casual entertainment.

Re:Why spend the time and resources on this?

[donaldm]

It really depends on how far back you like to go. I suppose I could say why do PC's try to emulate workstations, because back in the early 1980's PC's were tty based and if they had graphics they were very clunky compared to the high resolution but expensive graphics of a workstation. If we go back even further I am sure mainframe people were saying the same against workstations.

The first time I ever saw a FPS game was Wolfenstein and it was running on a 1024x1024 Silicon Graphics Workstation and this was months before it came out on the PC.

You are right in saying "The *only* reason to use a console over a PC is because the games will be optimized for your specific set of hardware, so you can be sure that there are no compatibility issues and it will probably run pretty smooth".

Why do people prefer a console game over a PC game or the other way round really depends on the individual. For most people a console game is easy to get running or to quote "Just Works". On the other hand a PC game can have much better graphics and is really great for First Person Shooters (FPS), Strategy and Simulation games and it's on-lie capability is great.

Now the line between PC and Console is blurring although PC's can have a much higher resolution but smaller monitor so basically it really boils down to what games you like.

An example of console to PC FPS games is to compare Metroid (Gamecube) to Halo 1 on the PC. For Some the answer would be Metroid for others Halo.

Re:Why NOT spend the time and resources on this?

[trdrstv]

Why do consoles continue to try and integrate "PC-like" features? The *only* reason to use a console over a PC is because the games will be optimized for your specific set of hardware, so you can be sure that there are no compatibility issues and it will probably run pretty smooth. For everything else, a console is really just an overpriced, underpowered, practically non-upgradeable box with almost zero control given to the user. Supporting these features is great and all, but it seems like a waste of resources to me. If you've got the TV/monitor and internet connection, why use the console?

First of all, who is "Wasting resources" on this? Nintendo? Hardly. This isn't a "Nintendo Browser" that they have to develop and maintain, they made a deal with Opera so they could provide a version of "Opera for Devices" to that platform. It's Win-Win-Win. Nintendo offers a feature to their customers, that does not drive up the price of the system (completely optional, and free until July 1) and Opera has exclusive rights to that marketplace. The consumer gets a good browser for Free or cheap, (depending on when you get it). If you want a web browser on your PC, the choices are abundant. If you want it on the Wii, you get Opera. The console life span is about 4-6 years (historicaly speaking) and for all but the first 6 months that browser will be $ for Opera ($5 -minus whatever Nintendo gets) and more exposure to their brand for their other products. Nintendo probably does QA testing for certification, but likely nothing greater than what they would do for a game.

As far as "Why would anyone use this over a PC?" I admit, I was skeptical, but most of my 'leasurely web-surfing' is pretty simple with a mouse only (and short inputs with the software keyboard). Strong Bad works, Slashdot works, YouTube works... and for relaxing, my couch beats my computer chair every time. It also boots up alot faster than my PC. It's ironic that I use the Wii nearly every day, but don't play games on it every day. I check the weather, the headlines and my email when I get up and have my coffee. For about 80% of what I use the computer for, the Wii has already replaced it... Now if their Opera would just support Divx...