Man the Wii sure is getting updated a lot lately!

[Howard_Casto]

Ok if this keeps up I think I'm gonna have to turn off the glowing light email notification.  About a week ago we get that big system update that adds the features to weather and news channel and as a side effect adds keyboard support! (Unfortuantely it also breaks sdloader).  Then a couple of days later, the metroid channel is released.  Then today two new vids for the metroid prime 3 channel and yet another update!  Although nobody knows exactly what this last update did (besides what was mentioned) but since it patches the internet browser it might be that it adds keyboard support to the browser as well.  And of course, two more vids of mp3 will be released thursday.  For a box that sat silent for so long, it seems that nintendo is finally ready to start taking advantage of the channels and connect24 feature.  Mind you I realize that these updates are nothing compared to the cool stuff you get through xb live, or even ps3 home, but it seems to me that they are gearing up towards some kind of big overhaul.  Couple that with the fact that reggie announced we'd find a very happy suprise available for download at the end of august and I'd say we are getting a new channel... a channel that doesn't suck!


p.s.  The last two vids released seem to be going over some people's head in what they are confirming.  The aurora project vid sounds like a bunch of boring back-story until you realize that the monochrome background noise in the vid is showing the final stage in the original metroid.  The aurora computers are "brains" and   the master database construct is mother brain!  This pretty much confirms that mother brain is the final boss this time.  I couldn't be happier considering the last two/three bosses in mp (gaint do-dad that's supposed to be a metroid when it looks nothing like one, a giant turd that's very forgettable and "evil you").  Also the spider ball vid confirms you don't have to set bombs to jump in morph ball mode and that you can use the screw attack to fly when in ball mode!

[sosuke]

When I watched the preview video (the first one) at the very end when that thing is flying through space, the first thing I thought was "mother brain". I can't wait for this game to come out!

I'd be surprised if they added a new channel.  I get the feeling it's going to be something else. But it would be cool if it was a new channel that was... useful.

I turned connect24 off since I found out just how hot the Wii gets with it on. Really don't understand why they couldn't have the fan turn on and off once in a while. So no glowing light notifications for me anymore

[slycrel]

Interesting.

I had forgotten all about the USB port on the wii.  Doh.  I'll have to try this when I get home.

[SavannahLion]

I had forgotten all about the USB port on the wii.  Doh.  I'll have to try this when I get home.

I've completely forgotton about that.


Keyboard support you say? Too bad it wasn't a patch to support a blue tooth keyboard 

Give me that, a jukebox style disc changer, and the ability to power down the Wii via the Wiimote while in GCN mode and I don't think I'd ever have the need to physically touch my Wii again. 

Still pisses me off that I never really got around to downloading the internet channel before they started charging for it.   

[Howard_Casto]

I can't confirm this, but the update is supposed to have also activated "standard" (whatever that means) bluetooth keyboards.  I honestly don't get why you would want to use bluetooth though.... I can get a bluetooth keyboard for a butt-load of money, or I can get a wireless usb keyboard, that does the same thing, for a lot less.


Also that's what reg said in regards to asking about the future of wii connect 24, so we are definately getting a new channel, the question is will it be another everybody votes, or something useful, like the internet channel.

[shmokes]

While I agree with what you just said in spirit, I have to admit that I actually fire up Everybody Votes about 10 times more often than the internet channel.  It's just an incredibly unsatisfying internet experience compared to the one I can get on the computer in the next room, or on a laptop that I could have right there on the sofa with me if I want.  A keyboard, admittedly, would go a long way to improving it, but it would still be pretty inferior at such low resolutions and having to set down the pointer every time the keyboard is used, etc.

[hulkster]

yeah so whatever this new channel is at the end of august....i have a guess....

since we got a "metroid channel" this month i think the new channel will be like a game preview channel showing vids and stuff of new games.  what would be even cooler is if they lumped a demo in with the videos.  for instance, when you connect to the metroid channel, it would have a vids section, but then one day a demo would be there.  i dont know if this would even be possible with the lack of a hard drive on the wii, but it would be cool to have. 

but yeah, my guess is a upcoming release channel type deal with previews similar to what we are seeing now with metroid prime 3.

[Samstag]

I thought Reggie made it clear that the new channel is "Check Mii Out"?

[AcidArmitage]

I thought Reggie made it clear that the new channel is "Check Mii Out"?

... I hate it already
 

[Howard_Casto]

I thought Reggie made it clear that the new channel is "Check Mii Out"?

Nope, it's a new channel IN ADDITION to that!  Am I the only one that actually watches/reads these interviews?

[hulkster]

I thought Reggie made it clear that the new channel is "Check Mii Out"?

Nope, it's a new channel IN ADDITION to that!  Am I the only one that actually watches/reads these interviews?

no, i read them as well.... you arent alone.  every time the regginator speaks, im always reading/listening.  the "check mii out" channel was announced at e3 if memory serves me correctly as part of nintendo press conf.  however, reggie has said in an interview with (not sure) that nintendo fans will be very happy and to watch for a new update by the end of august.

[Howard_Casto]

glad to know someone else is paying attention.   

[hulkster]

glad to know someone else is paying attention.   

im really good at paying attention...just ask my wife!!!  oh wait, nevermind.

[SavannahLion]

I honestly don't get why you would want to use bluetooth though.... I can get a bluetooth keyboard for a butt-load of money, or I can get a wireless usb keyboard, that does the same thing, for a lot less.

It's the lame BT licensing fees I think. You would think someone who wants BT to be readily accepted by the masses would lower the freaking licensing fees. Or is the BT group the one that disbanded? Can't remember.

What I really want from the wireless market is a wireless keyboard that'll let me configure a specific number of hosts then let me synch to different wireless hosts when I need to control them. To put it another way, visualize a collection of MAME cabs in a room. Instead of installing cheap keyboards on all of them. Grab your wireless keyboard from your desktop (bed or wherever it's located) hit a key combo or switch to automagically synch to a different, memorized, host, do your thing, then switch back.

Basically an integrated wireless KVM.

BT is pretty much the only wireless protocol that lets me pull this off... sort of. It saves a person from figuring out which dongle goes with what peripheral in exchange for jumping through hoops for discovery and synch.

[Red]

Ok if this keeps up I think I'm gonna have to turn off the glowing light email notification.  About a week ago we get that big system update that adds the features to weather and news channel and as a side effect adds keyboard support! (Unfortuantely it also breaks sdloader).

I don't have a Wii, but was wondering if you don't connect the Wii to the internet, can you not update and still use the SD Launcher?  Or is the update on the game discs and mandatory?

[lcddream]

the wii updates are not forced, although some games will "force" you to update in the sense that if you don't have the firmware that the game requires or more current it will not load.

a for instance would be super paper mario

[Samstag]

I honestly don't get why you would want to use bluetooth though.... I can get a bluetooth keyboard for a butt-load of money, or I can get a wireless usb keyboard, that does the same thing, for a lot less.

It's the lame BT licensing fees I think. You would think someone who wants BT to be readily accepted by the masses would lower the freaking licensing fees. Or is the BT group the one that disbanded? Can't remember.

What licensing fees?  Bluetooth is an open standard and not owned by anyone.  It was expensive for a little while because it was new and cool, but nowadays you can buy a cheap headset for $10 or a keyboard/mouse set for $20.  The BT stuff that's still outrageously priced is due to the "early adopter" tax.

[Howard_Casto]

Man I'd sure like to know where you get your stuff.   I thought maybe I was out of the loop so I did a quick google product search.  The cheapest new bt mouse was 45 bucks... the cheapest bt keyboard was 40.  There aren't any 20 dollar combos that I'm aware of unless they are used or hot.  On the other hand I found a new wireless keyboard/mouse combo for around 7 bucks. 

I'm sure if you scrounge you can find a deal, but for the most part, nah man, bluetooth is still way more expensive. 


There are liscense fees btw, just not on the protocol itself, rather the drivers, chips, and other such stuff.


SavannahLion:  Hadn't thought of that, seems like a good idea!

[Samstag]

Man I'd sure like to know where you get your stuff.   I thought maybe I was out of the loop so I did a quick google product search.  The cheapest new bt mouse was 45 bucks... the cheapest bt keyboard was 40.  There aren't any 20 dollar combos that I'm aware of unless they are used or hot.  On the other hand I found a new wireless keyboard/mouse combo for around 7 bucks. 

A google search for "bluetooth mouse" turns up a $30 mouse as the first hit, Howard.

I got my combo (Dell) from woot for $20 back in January.  I'm sure if you do a little more intelligent searching you can find similar deals.

EDIT:  I was mistaken.  It was actually $35.

[slycrel]

Sams, no offense, but a woot isn't exactly a reliable source for good prices on things.  Unless you are really really lucky.

see woot.com if you don't know what I'm referring to.

[Samstag]

Sams, no offense, but a woot isn't exactly a reliable source for good prices on things. 

True, but neither is Howard, apparently.

The original point I was making is that BT is expensive right now because it is new, and that if you really want it you can find some great deals.

[SavannahLion]

I honestly don't get why you would want to use bluetooth though.... I can get a bluetooth keyboard for a butt-load of money, or I can get a wireless usb keyboard, that does the same thing, for a lot less.

It's the lame BT licensing fees I think. You would think someone who wants BT to be readily accepted by the masses would lower the freaking licensing fees. Or is the BT group the one that disbanded? Can't remember.

What licensing fees?  Bluetooth is an open standard and not owned by anyone.

It's open, as in it's well known, published, and the hardware is readily available, it's not open in the sense that I can freely create a BT product and market it to bluetooth consumers. Here, let me help.

From Wikipedia

Bluetooth specifications are developed and licensed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group.

From the BT.org website

Membership within the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is reserved at the company level. Any company incorporating Bluetooth wireless technology into products, using the technology to offer goods and services or simply rebranding a product with Bluetooth technology must become a member of the Bluetooth SIG.

The three membership levels they offer is Adopter, Associate, and Promoter. It's stated that Adopter membership is free, however if you check the fees you'll find that to get QDL is around $10,000. Adopter is probably what most smaller companies pick. Associate has a lower QDL fee of $5,000 but they pay annual fees based on their yearly revenue. Associate has access to undisclosed BT specifications (hhmm.... wasn't it an open specification?) still in development and can influence BT specifications. Membership with the SIG is not open to individuals.

Looking at the listings of membership, most of the companies with the dominate products (such Logitech) are Associates or Promotors and therefor pay licensing fees.

[SavannahLion]

Sams, no offense, but a woot isn't exactly a reliable source for good prices on things. 

True, but neither is Howard, apparently.

The original point I was making is that BT is expensive right now because it is new, and that if you really want it you can find some great deals.

New doesn't always equate to expensive but I do concede your point there.

[Howard_Casto]

Sams, no offense, but a woot isn't exactly a reliable source for good prices on things. 

True, but neither is Howard, apparently.

The original point I was making is that BT is expensive right now because it is new, and that if you really want it you can find some great deals.

I am the cheapest person on the planet, if I can find an actual deal on something (woot doesn't count because you have to just happen upon it that one day and need it at that time) I will.   Used things and things on ebay also don't count because one can get a comparable  wireless product brand new that's STILL cheaper and not have to mess around with the possibility of getting ripped off.

Btw that was a typo in my post, the keyboards are around 45 and the mice around 40.  I typed that at 3am you know!

Sorry man, but the first bluetooth mouse to pop up on google product search using that term is 38.69.  I mean maybe somehow your google magically works differently from mine, but both a google search and a google product search have the first mouse listed at just under 40 bucks.  So change the sort mode to "lowest price" and you get 30 some used mice on ebay and other less than reliable deals.  Now I will concede that since I posted this a 24.99 model has popped up... it's still not on good sites, and it looks very cheap (like the old m$ 3 button deals) but it is new, so that is a lower price.  But remember though, I didn't say that was the lowest price, I said it was the lowest price I could find through a quick search.  Sorry though but you are pulling hairs as that's still three times as much as the average wireless mouse not to mention the fact you can get a wireless mouse AND keyboard for under the price of the cheapest bt mouse.   So basically I guess you just wanted to prove me wrong even though it doesn't help your case or prove your point one bit.  If it makes you feel better that you found a slightly cheaper deal then feel free to do a little dance of superiority or something.  Bluetooth is still much more expensive than traditional wireless though, so I'm still right where it counts (as I always am). 

It's been fun guys but remember, this is a thread about the wii, not keyboards. 

[AtomSmasher]

Just thought I'd mention the first one that comes up on google for me is a $40 mouse with a $10 mail-in rebate, so I can see why one person considers it to be $40 and the other considers it to be $30.

I just hope I get my Wii back from nintendo soon so I too can enjoy this new content.

[stephenp1983]

I just turned on wii back on after it sitting for about 2 months (got a 360 I've been playing)  Took about 20 minutes to download the updates lol

[hulkster]

I just turned on wii back on after it sitting for about 2 months (got a 360 I've been playing)  Took about 20 minutes to download the updates lol

same here actually....but metroid prime 3 comes out next week....

[stephenp1983]

Yea I'm looking forward to it.  I'm trying to decide if I should buy it or bioshock.  I may wait and get both.

[shmokes]

The original point I was making is that BT is expensive right now because it is new, and that if you really want it you can find some great deals.

Bluetooth is new?  What planet do you live on?  The 2.0 spec for Bluetooth was finalized in 2004.  Bluetooth products have been around since at least 2001, maybe earlier.

[ChadTower]

They haven't been on the mass market for nearly that long and they haven't been practical for reasonable home use for more than a couple of years.

[shmokes]

Bluetooth has been a very common, near standard feature in mobile phones (something I would call reasonable home use) for much more than a couple of years.  Hell, the Motorola RAZR (the most popular phone in history, I believe) was released in 2004 and it certainly wasn't the first phone to have integrated bluetooth.

[ChadTower]

2004 is only a couple of years ago, really, and it wasn't until later than that that bluetooth started appearing in many things other than cell phones.  Most people I know that aren't tech people assume it only applies to cell phones.

[Kangum]

everyone is all excited about mp motherbrain. watch at the end of the game you will fight it then 2 seconds before it dies it will fly up in the air and fade away and music will play doom doom doom.

mp 2! gah.

[shmokes]

2004 is only a couple of years ago, really, and it wasn't until later than that that bluetooth started appearing in many things other than cell phones.  Most people I know that aren't tech people assume it only applies to cell phones.

Keep in mind that the RAZR came out in 2004, which is closer to four years ago than two, and it wasn't the first phone to have bluetooth.  Bluetooth has been around for a long time.  But even if it was only in cell phones, and even if it's tech that the layperson thinks only applies to cell phones, it's still mass market.  You may have noticed that cell phones are rather a common product in the marketplace.  There are literally millions upon millions upon millions of Bluetooth chipsets sitting in people's pockets, handbags, belt-clips etc. 

If Bluetooth is only expensive right now because it is new, when the ---fudgesicle--- exactly is it going to start not being new?  How many millions more chipsets have to be sold before there can be economies of scale to take advantage of?  Before Moore's law makes the processors required so primitive that they can be produced for pennies? 

Seriously, in terms of production costs and market saturation, you'd have to be crazy to call Bluetooth new.  There may be new applications of the technology, such as making bluetooth gamepads for the Playstation 3, but Sony didn't have to start over and develop the technology all over again from scratch.  They used the same technology that has been maturing and presumably becoming less expensive for the last five years in cell phones.

[Green Giant]

How many millions more chipsets have to be sold before there can be economies of scale to take advantage of?  Before Moore's law makes the processors required so primitive that they can be produced for pennies? 

The ecomonics of scale have already taken over.  It only costs pennies on the dollar to produce, but as long as stupid people exist that believe bluetooth is a magic communication using special blue lights, they will keep the price high. 

Hell, the wii could be sold for $160 and still turn a profit for Nintendo, but why lower the price when consumers will give you more money?

[hulkster]

okay, two days left in august.....wheres the new wii channel??!??! 

reggie said we'd get a new one, when is it getting here?  i hope its not just the metroid channel 

[RTSDaddy2]

And now we're into September.  Do I just not know where to look, or has this "pleasant surprise" been pushed back some?   

[shmokes]

I seem to remember him saying, ". . . by september . . ."  Is that wrong?  I don't remember him saying that something was coming "in august".  I could be wrong.

[lcddream]

end of september

http://kotaku.com/gaming/clips/reggie-taunts-us-with-september-wii-surprise-282063.php

[RTSDaddy2]

Hadn't even seen the video, was going by the posts on this thread - thanks for the heads up.  I REALLY hope it's not a disappointment though after all the build up on that video.  Something as dippy sounding as "Check Mii out" would REALLY suck.

[hulkster]

well metroid is sweet  so that will tide me over for now. 

id love to get bioshock and stuff and but yeah..um...my 360 red ringed and im waiting on another console...which will probably tank on me as soon as i get it in.

[lcddream]

it's the last day of september, I wonder if there will be an update or announcement....

[RTSDaddy2]

I've been waiting for the blue light to hit off and on all day - so far nothing.  There better be an announcement as to what happened if no updates....I'm finding teasing by any corporation right now to  be getting pretty old.   

[hulkster]

well my wii is currently in the "meh" state.  i didnt finish metroid, although i think im really close.  i got my xbox back, and needed to be halo 2 in 4 days before halo 3 came out so i knew what fight i was actually supposed to finish.  halo 2=meh, same old same old.  halo 3=much better single player, multiplayer better, more options and stuff.  good game.  im hooked. 

[RTSDaddy2]

Blue light hit today - but I swear I've found nothing of use save two things I hadn't noticed before:

1) VC had two new releases, but both had previously only been available in Japan
2) Nintendo is offering those of us who bought our Wiis early free versions of the "Wii Jacket" that they are now including with the new systems....gloves to help protect the Wiimote if dropped or flying aroound, etc. (edit: this was via Wii Mail).

Does anybody know if the region free thing with the VC was supposed to be the big deal?  I grant  you it does open up a lot of games, but seems little to get excited about when I relate it to all the buildup in that video.

[RTSDaddy2]

Yet another update today - Internet Channel and Everybody votes are updated; Wii system upgrade to 3.1, and according to the wiimail, USB keyboards are now useable (check nintendo.com for which ones) with this release.

Of FAR more interest, I'd like to know if anybody else is seeing this next part.  I decided today to delete the MP: Preview channel from my Wii, so I went into the Wii setting /Wii Channel section.  When I did, though there is no new channel appearing on my menu, there is obviously one coming  for it....a white channel block appears with a huge "?" in the center of it.  You point to it and all that appears are three more ?

Apparently we are getting a new channel soon, but no notice of what joy (or disappointment) it may hold.

[patrickl]

Thanks for the heads up, I switched off my WiFi router so I didn't notice.

USB keyboards? Why not Bluetooth keyboards?

Finally Everybody Votes is working for me again. I kept getting some weird network error (while the network obviously was working fine since I downloaded the channel) I think I was able to use it once and then it broke.

[RTSDaddy2]

Nintendo was not specific, but the Wiimail indicated there was a problem with the previous update and Everybody Votes working together in harmony.  As to the USB vs. Bluetooth - your guess is as good as mine.  For me, I"m just glad to know we can stop trying to type with the wiimote....the last time they updated that it wasn't horrid, but damn it still was a pain in the butt compared to using a keyboard.

[patrickl]

They only mention a Logitech keyboard though

[RTSDaddy2]

POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT - NEWS FROM GOOGLE NEWS NOT VALIDATED, BUT INTERESTING! Read no further if you'd rather be surprised!
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I just saw online, via Googling DS News, where they are planning to allow those of us with both Wii and DS units to soon download DS demos from home, via the Wii.  Could we also soon see Wii Demos on the same channel?  Not a new idea, as XBox owners apparently already have this, but certainly a welcome one in my book!

[Samstag]

Why would you use a Wii to download DS demos when the DS has wireless?

[lcddream]

There is no way to connect to the internet for the ds with it's firmware...you would need a game or software to do it.

The wii will act like a download station that they sometimes have at game shows or stores.

[ChadTower]

I thought the DS does have net gaming capability... does it not have general net access?

[RTSDaddy2]

I guess I (once again) didn't do a great job of explaining what I'd found....and right now I'd still count it just as "rumor" and not "fact," because I've found nothing else.

 lcd has it right....instead of going to - say, Wal-Mart, for example - and downloading a demo game to your DS there, supposedly you will be able to do so from home, using the Wii as a download station.

[Samstag]

Apparently Nintendo announced this yesterday at a conference in Tokyo, so it's official.

I'm still wondering why you need a Wii when the DS already has the wireless hardware.  Maybe this is just the first step in making sure everyone with a Wii buys a DS, and vice versa?

Edit: Well, maybe not official, as every english site reporting it as fact seems to be using dsfanboy.com as a source.

[RTSDaddy2]

I do (finally) see your point Samstag...one does wonder, I suppose, why you couldn't just download the DS demo via your wireless link.  Beats me...when I stopped to really think about it, it didn't make much sense.

[AtomSmasher]

I do (finally) see your point Samstag...one does wonder, I suppose, why you couldn't just download the DS demo via your wireless link.  Beats me...when I stopped to really think about it, it didn't make much sense.

I don't think the DS has a lot of onboard memory to store the demos on, which would explain why they're going through the Wii.

[Samstag]

It uses onboard memory at the kiosks, apparently.  You get to keep the demo until you turn the DS off.

[lcddream]

I'm no expert, but this is how I think it works:

the ds cannot currently be told where to download anything from specifically. it just searches for a local wireless beacon that is serving information it understands (download play) this would come from a download station, another ds or soon the wii.

you would need some special cart that was programmed to specifically access some ip address to download from the internet. remember, when you set up your ds wireless setting you are only giving the software a means to find the internet. a gateway and the dns. The software takes care of connecting to the server. actually I remember there was some software awhile ago,  when people figured out how to transfer demo's downloaded at game shows from ds to rom, that allowed you to use your computer/wireless router as a download station to serve up demos....you had to of course have the flashme installed on your ds.

as far as I know there have been no official firmware updates for the ds, so we're all stuck with what came with it. so while it's possible, unless nintendo decides to issue a new firmware with the new ds's, we are resigned to use the wii or some other download station. after all why would nintendo defeat their own strategy for people to own both a wii and a ds?

edit:here is the instructions for the homebrew download station i mentioned...
http://forums.gametrailers.com/showthread.php?t=29869

[ChadTower]

I bet that if you had a cart that ran a simple DHCP client and a scaled way down web browser in the DS' os it would work just fine.  As you said, the client software is on the cart...

[RTSDaddy2]

Well, I had personally given up on a new channel coming any time soon for the Wii, but the rather lame sounding "Check Mii Out" channel is set to debut tonight, according to google news.

We'll see - it just makes me wonder how long now before all the internet Mii malls shut down.  Apparently this channel will allow users to examine and trade Miis back and forth via wireless. as well as hold contests, etc.  If the contests are fun, I could see some potential, but I'd still rather have the game demo download channel.

It's SUPPOSED to debut tonight (evening of 11/11). I love the Wii and I can't wait for someone to buy me Mario Galaxy, but I just can't get myself excited yet for this channel (although my little girl will love it).

[RTSDaddy2]

As of about 9:30 last night, EST, Check Mii Out had debuted.  It took a LONG time for that sucker to download....I suppose because several million others were doing the same.

Does it have any hope?  Well, perhaps.  It sure is a snoozer right now, but IF they'd tweak it just a little more, let the users suggest some contests (as per create a topic in everybody votes), it might be interesting just to see what folks would come up with. 

For instance, my wife suggested "Mii your favorite band" and challenged me to create a set of ABBA Miis.   Perhaps as a result of winning the contest, the winning creator would get his/her choice of one a) new Wii release,  b) 2000 Wii points, c) Wii zapper / etc.  They could even do this every 5th contest,  make it some grand prize, and have a boatload of people flock to it.

It is what it is - I could think of several other things I would have liked to have seen them done, but hey - today's Super Mario launch day...no need to sweat it too much!  Still a lot to do with the Wii!

[btp2k2]

That latest "Check Mii Out" update broke my internet connection to the Wii!

The damn thing worked fine for about a month, downloaded the new channel and now I get nothing but errors when trying to connect to anything

[RTSDaddy2]

Did you do an update before downloading the channel? Might want to delete it, update, and try again, unless I'm missing what you're telling me in  your post.  No problems with it here, but I'm thinking I did do the update first.  Sometimes that's necessary to make the new channels run.

[Howard_Casto]

As of about 9:30 last night, EST, Check Mii Out had debuted.  It took a LONG time for that sucker to download....I suppose because several million others were doing the same.

Does it have any hope?  Well, perhaps.  It sure is a snoozer right now, but IF they'd tweak it just a little more, let the users suggest some contests (as per create a topic in everybody votes), it might be interesting just to see what folks would come up with. 

For instance, my wife suggested "Mii your favorite band" and challenged me to create a set of ABBA Miis.   Perhaps as a result of winning the contest, the winning creator would get his/her choice of one a) new Wii release,  b) 2000 Wii points, c) Wii zapper / etc.  They could even do this every 5th contest,  make it some grand prize, and have a boatload of people flock to it.

It is what it is - I could think of several other things I would have liked to have seen them done, but hey - today's Super Mario launch day...no need to sweat it too much!  Still a lot to do with the Wii!

It's a nice thought, but unfortunately unless you live in Japan, nintendo doesn't award prizes to it's customers.  Just look at the club nintendo in japan and the lack of one anywhere else.