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HSN Wii Fail

Nerd Grind — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:39:44 +0000

The Home Shopping Network host was demonstrating Wii tennis when his accessory flew into the TV. Yes he had the wrist strap secure, but not the plastic tennis racket attachment.

Always double check your wiimote, or you Wiil be sorry.

Wii Thrown into a TV – Video

Nerd Grind — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:22:41 +0000

This is why wrist straps are worn while playing Wii. When the guy calls for momma it just makes me feel sad.

Man Hacks Nintendo GameCube Controller for Use on the Wii – Video

Nerd Grind — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:08:35 +0000

Everyone has a few old GameCube controllers laying around. Rather than throwing out the cash one of those Classic Controllers for your Wii in order to play some of that retro content, why not give this hack a try instead?

It allows you to convert ancient Cube controllers into Wii-ready peripherals. The hack does require the purchase of a PIC18F4520 microcontroller, though. Which may just offset the price of the hack in the first price. Still, the video is intriguing at least.

TrueMotion 3D Allows Truer Motion Control Than Wii – Video

Nerd Grind — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:50:01 +0000

Nintendo and their Wiimote may have opened the floodgates for motion-sensitive gaming, but a company called Sixense might have leapfrogged the field with their system called TrueMotion 3D. The tech doesn’t rely solely on an accelerometer like most devices, it uses a magnetic field to track both of your hand’s positions in 3D space. Kind of cool.

The refresh rate is an amazing ten milliseconds and they boast accuracy up to a millimeter. Developers, including Activision and EA, have begun to show interest. If you need more convincing, check out the tech demo below:

Wiimote Replica Projects Nintendo-themed Images

Nerd Grind — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:26:55 +0000

Anticipating not being able to find a Wii for your loved one this holiday season? Then appease them with a tiny Wiimote that projects an image from Super Mario Kart when its button is pushed. The 2.25-inch replica is imported from Japan and projects one of six different Mario Mart images. They are available here for $6. And no, your loved one will never forgive you if you get them this in lieu of an actual Wii.

Nokia Seemingly Planning to Release Touch-less and Gesture-controlled Devices – Patent Found

Nerd Grind — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:31:12 +0000

File this in the "overheard at a dinner party but may actually be true" category. Nokia’s chief designer, Alastair Curtis, was at one such dinner party chomping on foie gras and sipping wine when he he was asked why Nokia’s N-series of multimedia devices have yet to receive the multi-touch treatment. Curtis responded with "We’ve not launched what we think is right for N-series in a touch product. You’ll see in the coming months, years… what we feel is right." He then proceeded to make a series of hand gestures meant to suggest a Wii-like interface for the N-series.

This could have been chalked up to some rowdy dinner guests, but a patent for a similar device was just found online. It looks like Nokia may have something up their sleeves after all. It’s a good thing Alastair Curtis hasn’t been gifted with sensitive national secrets. He gets loose lipped after a glass of Pinot or two.

Below is a speculative video of how one such device could work:

Nintendo Releases Wii Speak Microphone Peripheral Tuesday – Impossible to Resell

Nerd Grind — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:32:30 +0000

The Nintendo Wii Speak peripheral releases Tuesday and it’s already causing controversy. The unit allows you to communicate to other Wii users online via a built-in microphone. The unit seems like a good fit for the video game console, however there is a problem. The peripheral demands you input a 16 character code the first time you use it. This is a one time use code, which cannot be replaced if lost. This means the unit can never be sold, never be given away and never be used on another Wii console other than than the one it was purchased on. Nintendo has long maintained animosity towards the used gaming market but some feel this is going too far.

Sams Club Offers Gigantic Wii Deal for Black Friday

Nerd Grind — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:22:04 +0000

Sam’s Club is offering a gargantuan Wii deal for Black Friday. The store is selling a Wii (With accompanying Wii Sports), three Wii Remote controllers, three Nunchuck controllers and two games for just $224. The games included are "Mario Super Sluggers" and "King of Clubs Mini Golf." That price point is about $250 less than what it’d be to buy all of this stuff separate. With that said, it will be a mad house at Sam’s Club come November 28th. You had better get there early, or camp out.

Research Study Says Xbox 360 Selling More Games Per System Than PS3 or Wii

Nerd Grind — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:23:50 +0000

An independent research study has issued their results regarding the attachment rates for each video game console. An attachment rate is taken to be the amount of games sold per console per person. After 23 months on the market, the PS3 and Wii are virtually tied, with 5.3 and 5.5 games sold per system, respectively. During that same time, the Xbox 360 was hanging high at 6.6 games sold per system.

The Xbox 360 does have the benefit of being the first kid on the block, being released a good year before the other two. However, they’ve always had an excellent attachment rate. Whereas, a good portion of Nintendo Wii owners may have never bought anything besides the pack-in Wii Sports, which would bring down their number considerably.

Apple Issues Patent for VR HMD Goggles

Nerd Grind — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:30:11 +0000

Apple has added another bizarre patent to it’s collection; a head-mounting display with head-tracking technology. The unit would be intended to reduce viewer fatigue and disorientation by simulating a theater or other viewing environment. The wearer of the VR device could pick a seat in the fake theater and be bale to manipulate an image, zoom in and out, and look around using a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope. The whole thing comes packed in to a pair of goggles you can see a patent design for above. No word on when and if they plan on bringing this thing into the real world. Shades of Wii, only nuttier.

NerdGrind - How-to Computer Help - Tutorials - Tech and Gadget News » Wii

HSN Wii Fail

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Wii Thrown into a TV – Video

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Man Hacks Nintendo GameCube Controller for Use on the Wii – Video

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Nintendo Releases Wii Speak Microphone Peripheral Tuesday – Impossible to Resell

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