1. Add More Colors To Choose From

Sure, the white and gentle blue scheme currently being sold is nice, but come on now, people want a choice. Sure, you can currently purchase vinyl skins and faceplates that cover your Wii with a new theme. If Nintendo offered a variety of different colors though, they could pocket the money for themselves. Also, we wouldn’t have to hunt these 3rd party skins down on places like eBay and go through the trouble of sticking them on ourselves.

2. Add Support For The Firefox Browser

Currently the Nintendo Wii runs with a version of the Opera browser, but it’s somewhat limited. If Firefox became available for the Wii, it would create competition that could quickly improve internet browsing with this console. There have been a few rumors recently that just such a browser is in the works, but so far these are unconfirmed.

3. High Definition Support

Why on earth wasn’t the Wii designed with HD support? Non HD television sets are already going the way of the eight-track and you’d think Nintendo would have wanted to be ahead of the trend. On the other hand, there is talk that HD support is in the works. Maybe it’s all ready to go, and Nintendo was waiting until everyone in the world has a Wii, and then they’ll offer HD support as an upgrade and pocket even more money. Time will tell.

4. Play DVDs

This is another feature that should have been a no-brainer. As it is, Nintendo has already confirmed that the next version of the Wii released in Japan will likely be able to play DVDs. What about the rest of us on the other side of the planet though? Including the ability to play DVDs means one less component in the home theater, which would make the Wii even more attractive to potential customers.

5. Automatic Updates

Why can’t the Wii update by itself when it is in standby mode? That would be so much easier than the waiting for lengthy downloads when the console is on. Heck, all the other guys are doing it, just look at the update service provide for the xBox through xBox live. We know Nintendo has the infrastructure to do this, but apparently they are still a little uncomfortable with online integration.

Maybe the above is expecting too much too soon for such a new unit. Hopefully though, Nintendo won’t rest on its laurels and will continue to update and improve the Wii based on what their customers are asking for.

The first thing to mention is that currently the remote play option is only available with the 60GB PS3 unit. This is because the feature realies on WiFi and only the 60GB PS3 comes with WiFi capabilities. Also, for the time being, you can only access your PS3 content from your PSP while you are in range of your unit’s WiFi signal. It gets even better though, as Sony is currently planning to allow IP access which would allow you to use your PSP to access your PS3 from anywhere.

To prepare your sytems for remote play, you must first update both your PSP and your PS3. Your Playstation 3’s software must be version 1.10 and your PSP’s firmware must be version 3.00. With this completed, you now have to spend some time configuring both the PSP and PS3 so that they can “talk” to each other.

From Your PSP’s network settings, you want to edit the infrastructure mode and set up a new connection. Follow the instructions on the screen, being sure to keep track of the name and password you create. Once this is completed, be sure to save your new settings by hitting the X button.

Next you’ll want to turn on your PS3 and let it know about your PSP. Go to “Network Settings” in your PS3’s menu and continue through to the “Remote Play Connection Settings”. You’ll be prompted for the SSID and WAP name and password you created on your PSP. With these settings saved, you’re almost ready to go.

Now, return to your PSP. All you need to do know is choose the connection you created in the “Remote Play” option under “Network”. If everything went smoothly, you should now see your PS3’s menu on your PSP! You’ll be able to control many functions and access much of the content on your PS3 from your portable.

There is still some content that cannot be accessed from the PS3 with your PS3; for example, you can’t play most games. On the other hand, the ability to be able to watch any of your downloaded videos and listen to any of your music you have stored on your PS3 from anywhere in your house makes the remote play function very useful.

As time passes, Sony will likely add more features to remote play. Already, at least two games can take advantage of this feature including Grand Turismo HD. Also, once access is expanded from the now limited WiFi range of the PS3 to global access, the PSP will likely become a very popular must-have for any PS3 owner.

For the time being though, if you already possess both a PS3 and PSP, be sure to set up the remote play option yourself. It’s very useful for example, if someone else wants to watch TV. In this case, you can just take your PSP to another room and still watch your videos or listen to your music that’s residing on your PS3.

1. What You’ll Need

Assuming you already have your PS3, there are a few additional pieces of hardware you’ll need to be able to control movie playback with an IR remote control. First, you’ll need a controller-to-USB adapter originally designed for the PS2. You’ll also need to dig up a Sony DVD remote for the original PS2. This is actually two pieces of hardware - the remote and the external receiver. Keep in mind that remotes for the newer version of the PS2 won’t work because they don’t come with the external receiver. (The IR reciever finally got built in to later versions of the PS2). You’ll probably have to check eBay or similar to find these.

2. How To Assemble

Next, attach the controller-to-USB adapter to one of the controller ports on your PS3. You can now attach the external IR reciever that came with the PS2 DVD remote to this. Granted, it can get a bit tangled and unsightly, but with a bit of creative bundling and with the help of twisty ties, your can probably get the whole setup looking fairly tight. You now have a way to control your PS3’s movie playback with your PS2 DVD remote or just about any universal home theater IR remote.

3. Limitations

You’ll find that with this setup, most of the basic features you’ll need to control playback on your PS3 will work with many universal IR remote controls. There are some things you won’t be able to do through the remote though, such as turning the unit on and off. You’ll also find that if you are using the PS2 DVD remote, that many of the buttons won’t do anything at all. For the most part though, these limitations are outweighed by the convenience of being able to control your PS3 movie playback from the same remote as the rest of your home theater setup.

Conclusion

Although this is a fairly fast and inexpensive way for controlling the PS3 with IR, hopefully Sony will see the demand for this and integrate this feature into future updates to the PS3. It’s current use of Bluetooth is excellent in many situations - but not for users of audio and visual equipment that relies on RF and IR controls. By paying attention to the desires of the home theater market that is turning to the PS3, Sony would quickly find a way to increase sales.

WiiCheats.com

This is one of the top ranking websites for Wii Cheats now online. It has a large number of codes and unlockables for Wii Sports which makes it a valuable resource for anyone who enjoys playing this bundled title. Although it has information on many other titles too, there aren’t that many cheats for the other games. Also, the forum at WiiCheats is nearly inactive and there is little to no user interaction, ratings or comments on the site.

MyCheats.com

Now this site is the place every Wii player needs to visit as soon as possible. Not only do they provide some of the most in-depth player guides available online, they also have many video walk-throughs that will show you exactly to find many hidden secrets in many Wii games. Furthermore, MyCheats lets visitors contribute their own tips, cheats and codes which they then add to the website. The multi-page guides here are an incredible resource for any Wii owner. For example, at last check the MyCheats.com guide for Call of Duty 3 on the Wii was over 17 pages long. And if you’re looking on exactly how to win Legend of Zelda; Twilight Princess, you need look no further.

cheats.IGN.com

The Wii cheats section over at IGN is a must stop for anyone who grabs new Wii titles as soon as they come out. IGN’s cheat section for Wii titles updates so fast, you’ll have a hard time staying on top of the new information that comes out. Furthermore, you can request Wii cheats you are looking for. IGN is such a large site, that you’re likely to get a response to your request in a very short period of time. The only downside is that the cheats and codes are mostly user submitted, so you’ll occassionally come across some tips that have not been verified yet. Testing new cheats and codes to see if they actually work is half the fun though, so this is not that big a deal.

As you can see, there are at least a few good places to go online to find guides and cheats for your favorite Nintendo Wii games. Be sure to test them out by yourself ahead of time before you use them when playing against your friends. Hopefully they’ll be impressed by your apparent improvement in gaming skills!

Now receiving transmission… it’s a telepathic message from Zelda again!  Your mission is to find the Master Sword, then descend into the Dark World to do battle with the fearsome Ganon.  Defeating Ganon will bring peace back to Hyrule and, who knows, maybe Link and Zelda have a chance after all.  Eh?  Know what I’m saying?

But the real, exciting, totally new, super-cool feature of the new game is its multiplayer setting.  It’s called “Four Swords.”  You and up to three of your swashbuckling buddies can play the game together.  Four Swords is a totally different mission.  You get a message from Triforce, and the levels are set up so that you have to cooperate with each other to beat them.

In the Four Swords mode, you not only fight, but also have to solve puzzles.  For these, you have to work together with your friends.  You also collect rupees, just like in the original game, so you have a chance to compete with one another too.

Like all the games in the series, you meet strange men in caves who give you tips and sell you things.  You get crazy abilities from things you find.  You battle your way through the depths of Hyrule to get keys that open doors to the places you need to go.  One of the magical items that you use is a Magic Mirror that allows you to teleport from the Light to the Dark Worlds.

The graphics look great, and the music is fantastic.  It has the classic graphics from the old game.  They haven’t changed a thing, which makes it kind of charming.  The music is new, though, and it’s just as cool as you would expect from a new Zelda game.

One thing that’s caused us to lose hours of our life with Zelda games is that they are long.  A Link To The Past is no exception.  It takes forever to get through the whole game, so it’ll suck you in.  And, once you beat it, it’s been so long since you first started it, that you’re ready to go back through it all over again.  If you buy this game, you might as well take a lengthy vacation from work and hang up your social obligations for a while.  It’s engrossing.

A Link To The Past is the third Zelda game to be released on Wii in a relatively short time, but it is definitely the best of the three.  It was released some time ago on the Game Boy, but other than that, it hasn’t been available.  It’s definitely worth the money, especially if you’re a lifelong Zelda fan like me.

Attempt #1: The “GOD/WOD Unscrambler”

Recently, someone claiming to be an engineering student released what was supposedly a Windows application that could copy Wii games. He says that the app will take the data from any Wii title and dump it onto your PC as an ISO file. Supposedly, his program works similar to DVD ripping programs and if you doubt it you can check the source code as he released it publicly.

The problem? Since there’s no Wii mod chip or emulator, there’s no way to test and find out if the ISO files created work. Furthermore, anyone who downloads and runs his app takes the risk that he’s actually just trying to poison your PC with malicious code.

Attempt #2: The So Called “Wii Disc Dumper”

Any fool brave enough to use a trademark as powerful as one owned by Nintendo in the name of a program that claims to steal content certainly deserves a mention here. This program is supposed to be able to rip your Wii titles straight to a DVD-R for playing later on.

Of course, the developer states that it only works with several specific models of LG DVD drives. Also, it takes at least 50 hours - that’s right, more than two full days - to dump one title. Then, once you’ve wasted all that time, you still just have a DVD with data on it that you can’t test, because again, there is no mod-chip for the Wii that will allow you to play burned games.

If only you spent those fifty hours doing legitimate work at a real job, you would have earned enough to buy all the latest Wii titles legally. Also, you would have been supporting all those game developers whose hard work and creativity provide this form of entertainment for you.

Attempt #3: The SD Card Hack

There’s also a popular video over at YouTube that supposedly shows someone playing a burned copy of Zelda: Twightlight Princess. Apparently, they use a combination of a burned DVD-R dump of the original title, plus an SD card with some special mod on it that tricks the Wii into playing the ripped disc.

This video was quickly debunked though by those watching it. Turns out, the guy likely had another Wii plugged into the TV set that was running a legit copy of the game. So much for that illusion.

Eventually of course, the hackers will likely find a way to quickly and easily rip illegal copies of Nintendo Wii games, and develop a mod chip that will allow you to play the burned copies on your Wii. Hopefully though, Nintendo will make life as difficult as possible for these thieves and do their best to protect the hard work of the game creators.

Online retailers run out of Wii almost as fast as their offline counterparts. Lucky for you, there are several services that monitor the major online retailers 24 hours a day to keep track of any new Wiis that arrive. You can sign up with these services and they will send you an email whenever new units appear in stock. Then, you just have to be ready to click over to these online stores and be the first to purchase. Although you still have to monitor your email regularly to catch these alerts, it still gives you an edge over those who spend the day refreshing the Amazon page for the Wii. MySimon has one of the more popular Wii alert by email services.

Tip #2 - Buy Through eBay

The Nintendo Wii continues to show up regularly on eBay auctions. Unfortunately, the demand is so high that there are some real downsides to purchasing through this popular online auction site. First off, even though eBay does a fairly good job of enforcing its rules, a few unsavory individuals still manage to list fraudulent auctions for the Wii. That is, they’ll take your money, but you’ll never get your console. Before you can do anything about it, their account has disappeared and you have no recourse.

If you buy from eBay, make sure to check previous feedback so you know you are dealing with a reputable seller. Once you have that base covered, there’s still one more big hurdle to overcome - the cost. Auctions for the Wii on eBay typically end with prices much higher than the retail price. For those who can’t get their hands on one any other way, the extra cost may be worth it though.

Tip #3 Buy From Japan

Japan is the home of Nintendo, and although initially stock of the Wii was sold out frequently, it has started to become much easier to get your hands on one there. Most of the major electronics retailers have Wiis in stock on a regular basis. Combined with the fact that the US dollar is very strong against the yen now, coming to Japan and buying up a couple of Wiis, one for yourself, and one to resell for a profit back home might be an opportunity to consider.

Alternatively, if you can find a friend who writes or speaks Japanese, you can bid on the Nintendo Wii on Japan’s top auction site Yahoo Auctions Japan. Here, Wii’s are regularly available for just over $200.00. Even adding in the extra shipping cost, this can still be cheaper than purchasing through eBay thanks to the power of the current exchange rate.

Without doubt, the most popular choice of games console by the Japanese people is the Nintendo Wii, although the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 have sold quite well in Japan. You couldn’t escape the ads for Wii anywhere last year, and it seemed to be all Japanese video games were talking about. So, why is the Nintendo Wii, loved so much in Japan?

To start with, the Nintendo’s have always outsold the other gaming systems in Japan. A survey noted that the Nintendo games tend to contain subject matter that was interesting to Japanese gamers. They said that the Nintendo games appeal to all ages and tastes.

The interactive features of the Nintendo Wii have become extremely popular. The Nintendo Wii makes use of a new remote sensing technology, which means that while playing a game, such as golf you can actually take a swing to hit the ball. Naturally, this technology has caught on with the non-gamers as well as gamers. Recent studies have discovered that more woman and older adults, demographic groups that don’t normally go for games consoles in a big way, get a big kick out of the Wii’s interactive features.

There was tons of promotion and advertising. It was almost impossible to get anywhere near an electronics store in Japan at the end of last year without noticing a guy dressed up like a giant remote controller, of kids of all ages crammed around a Wii demo console. The Wii was witness just about everywhere last year, much more so the any of the other consoles. With such a big push off, it had to be popular.

One of the main strengths of the Wii console is it sports games. Lately, sports games have become more and more popular in Japan, and they have started to outsell the more traditionally popular adventure games such as Legend of Zelda. The Wii offers great quality, realistic golf, baseball and tennis, among others. For the Japanese gamers, these are a great step forward from the sports games of yesterday.

Then again, maybe the massive popularity of the Wii in Japan is due to those wacky pictures in its safety manual. The Wii has been stirring up headlines worldwide mainly because of the Wii strap related incidents, and the Japanese safety manual covers everything. It’s packed with comically rendered pictures of housewives whacking their husbands around the head with controllers, Wii-motes stuck halfway down a child’s throats, and people injuring themselves in a variety of outlandish ways. Do a quick internet search yourself and see if you can find some pictures!

While the Nintendo Wii is undoubtedly the most popular new gaming system in Japan, the PlayStation 3 does come in as a close second. Some sources on the web believe that the PS3 does actually sell better, but it’s hard to say for sure. Certainly, the new interactive features are a draw for Japanese people, who are always searching for something new to enhance their gaming experience.

Published by Darren Lintern

The Nintendo Wii has establish itself as a ground-breaking system, which is mainly because of it’s accessories that have change the way you can play games. You’ll no longer restricted to the couch with the little controller in your hand; now you can jump all over the room, serving up those bowling swings for real, and taking a roll of the ball in real-time.

Here are some of the new accessories that are available for the Nintendo Wii:

Wii Nun-chuck controller: This controller isn’t designed for kung-fu games, although it can be used for fighting games. The nun-chuck works similar to the Wii-mote. You hold it in your hand, and it is installed with a motion sensor technology so wireless play is intended. It’s designed to fit your hand well and can be used for either right or left.

What’s great about the nun-chuck is that, for some of the games, you use the analogue stick to control the characters basic movements and your wave the nun-chuck around to perform special actions, such as lobbing a ball or shooting a weapon.

The nun-chuck is notably smaller than the standard remote controller, and is fitted with less buttons. It is similar in design and intended for certain games only.

Wii Component Cables: The cables that are supplied with Wii are useful for various needs. You have the option of connecting your Wii to an HDTV for improved graphics. Or, you can hook up the Wii to your stereo system for better sound. The component cable basically offers you the chance to hook your Wii up and pimp it out.

Gamers have been delighted with these in view of the better graphics offered. The only set back is that Nintendo have not really made them that easy to purchase, they currently only available of online sale.

Wii LAN Adapter: Although the Wii has WiFi installed, you may want to get wired up, that’s what the LAN adapter is for. It is fitted with a USB port so that you can get a wired connection going through your Nintendo Wii. Many users tend to prefer a wired connection to a wireless when hooking up to the internet.

The start with, the LAN adapter was only available in Japan, and it came to the stage at one point when you couldn’t even purchase them off Play-Asia anymore. They just couldn’t keep up with the demand. Nintendo has now released this accessory worldwide.

Wii Controller Glove: The controller glove is extremely comfortable and stylish, but it’s more important positive point being that it makes gaming safer. Once you begin playing your Wii with the remote, it’s all becomes too easy to get into your game a little too much, and to watch the remote go flying. With the controller glove, it will help to keep the remote where it actually belongs – in your hand, and not flying across the room towards your television screen.

Although, the controller glove aims to make gaming safer, you still need to be careful. Last year, gamers were complaining about the thin straps breaking. Nintendo has stated that the newer one in production will be more durable, but try not to get too out of control.

Published by Darren Lintern

One of the many features of the PlayStation 3 is that it’s capable of using Linux, which means that owners of the PS3 can customize their system and get lots more out of it. Game consoles tend to be designed in order to prevent foreign systems from running on them, but Sony have gone in total the opposite direction with the PS3, allowing an experienced Linux user to personalize their system. Most of the gaming systems will be intentionally locked so that other systems will be unable to run, so the PlayStation is unconventional in allowing this. The only thing that is not possible with the PS3 is to run accelerated graphics.

The PlayStation 3 isn’t the first gaming system to allow Linux. The Xbox also utilizes this feature, but the PS3 differs in several ways. To start with, the PS3 is more powerful. In addition, the Xbox requires an additional chip to run Linux, whereas the PS3 is capable of running it without. In fact, it’s completely free to run Linux on the PlayStation 3.

Here are some options that you have with the Linux on the PlayStation 3:

With an addition of a keyboard and mouse, the PlayStation 3 can be used like a PC. Not all PC programs are able to adapt to the PS3 environment, as least not yet, but Linux enables you many choices.

Run your own operating system. This is a great advantage to those that would prefer to personalize their system.

Make sure of the Internet. You can search the web on your PS3 with the Firefox internet browser.

Use the office software package. Although, at present it’s been reported that Windows doesn’t’ run that well on the PS3. However, in the future, Microsoft may consider creating a version of Windows that can run on the PlayStation 3. There is no official word on this at the moment.

Run various kinds of emulators. This will allow you to play of your favourite games of yesteryear on your brand new PlayStation 3.

Play a variety of media types, such as CD’s, DVD’s and ROM’s. With Linux running, you can listen to music or watch movies on your PS3

Connect to share networks. This will enable you to save and retrieve file on a outside server, meaning a saving in memory.

There is one slight problem with getting Linux on your PlayStation 3 console though, and that is because it’s difficult to install and hard to use. At this moment, it’s pretty much restricted to the programmers and hobbyists. In the future, hopefully, there will be a more user interface to accompany Linux on your games console. Since PS3 emerged, most programmers liked to use Fedora Core to run Linux on their PS3’s, but there is now a new system in town called Yellow Dog, which is intended to be used specifically on the PS3. Yellow Dog is being highly rated ad gaining exposure.

Still, the best thing about Linux is that is totally free. All you need is a PlayStation 3, the necessary cable, a USB keyboard and mouse, a USB flash drive and various other accessories to make the installation run smoother… ok, so if you don’t already have all that stuff, its not really free, but Linux itself certainly is! It may not be that tough to install, if you’ve used Linux before. There is a wide choice of websites out there that provide tips on installation, and most seem to recommend Yellow Dog. You will also discover many great ideas on how to run Linux in the gaming forums.

Published By Darren Lintern