wii

The 404 1,209: Where we chalk it up to cosmic coincidence (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Fiery meteor explodes over Russia's Ural Mountains; 1,100 injured as shock wave breaks windows.

- Watch asteroid 2012 DA14 fade out via streaming video.

- Iceland wants to ban Internet porn.

- Chubby Checker in a twist over an old app.

- One Direction's new toothbrush streams sound vibrations through your teeth.… Read more

Uh-oh: Nintendo sold 57,000 Wii U units in the U.S. in January

Nintendo's Wii U had a rough January, CNET has learned.

Nintendo sold only 57,000 Wii U units in the U.S. in January, a person familiar with NPD's game industry sales data has confirmed to CNET. The leading console maker during the period, Microsoft, sold 281,000 units in January.

Gamasutra was first to report that Wii U sales were sluggish in January. That publication's source said only that January sales were "well under" 100,000 units.

The Wii U's trouble in January stands in stark contrast to its predecessor, the Wii. In … Read more

How to make a video game console patch bay

Over the years you may have accumulated a lot of old video game consoles and, naturally, getting rid of them is not an option. After all, you've spent so much time with your beloved console. Like an old friend, full of memories and adventures, it's hard to let go.

Or maybe you're a collector who likes to play older games every now and then for the nostalgia. I'm in both camps. And unfortunately my television is not equipped with enough inputs to have all my game systems connected at once and ready to play at a moment's notice.

There is a solution to this problem! … Read more

After delay, Google Street View comes to Wii U -- in Japan

Google's Street View is now available to Wii U owners in Japan.

Nintendo announced the availability of Street View in its eShop today. The application can be downloaded to the Wii U for free and works on both the GamePad and the television through the console.

On the GamePad, Street View provides a full 360-degree view of the world's streets. While holding the GamePad, users can move it up, down, left, and right to see different views. In addition, the app will display Street View images on the television. If users decide to look at Street View on … Read more

Facebook testing new status icons

Thursday's CNET Update talks about feelings:

Facebook has been busy coming up with new icons to share your moods. It's also launching a new type of gift card that can be assigned to different merchants before being mailed to friends. But make its own Facebook phone? Well that's just silly.

Also in this news roundup:

- Twitter tweaks photos and video viewing

- GameSpot: No Wii U price cut

- Foursquare reveals "best of" based on check-ins

Watch CNET Update in the video above, or subscribe to the podcast via the links below.

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iTunes (HD) |&… Read more

Despite waning demand, Nintendo rules out Wii U price cut

The Wii U's troubles attracting gamers won't be solved by a price cut, Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata argues.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo yesterday, Iwata acknowledged that Wii U sales disappointed last year, but he didn't necessarily feel that dropping the price of the $299 basic set or the $349 deluxe set would do the company much good.

"We are already offering it at a good price," Iwata said, according to the Associated Press.

Nintendo yesterday announced its earnings for the nine-month period that ended December 31. Although it was able to turn a slight … Read more

Nintendo woes continue as Wii U launch trails Wii

Nintendo had a rough end to 2012, and the situation might become a bit more difficult in the coming months.

The company today announced its earnings (PDF) for the nine months ended December 31. During that period, Nintendo generated 543 billion yen (about $6 billion) in revenue, dropping 2.4 percent compared with the same period in 2011. Despite that decline, Nintendo was able to muster a small profit of 14.5 billion yen, up significantly from the 48.4 billion yen it lost a year earlier.

The Nintendo 3DS handheld game player was the highlight of the company's … Read more

Bask in the glow of Zelda: Wind Waker in HD

To enhance the appeal of the Wii U, Nintendo plans to re-release several cherished classics, including the epic The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for GameCube, with snazzy high-definition graphics. Below, we present a set of images that show off the HD remastering of the game next to the original version that debuted in 2003.

Prepare yourself for lots of dynamic lighting and bloom when Wind Waker HD hits later this year. … Read more

Four great game deals for PC and Wii

For the past several nights, my son and I have been battling orcs, wizards, wargs, and cave trolls -- and having a blast doing it.

Want to get in on that action? Ending today, Steam has LEGO Lord of the Rings (PC) for $14.99. That's half the regular price, and way less than half what I paid for the Xbox version just last month (grumble, grumble).

The LEGO games are all kinds of awesome. They're fun, funny, and challenging, with at least as many puzzles to solve as foes to dispatch. And there's not a trace … Read more

Wii U getting updates, new games

Wednesday's CNET Update:

Stories mentioned in today's tech news roundup:

- Nintendo announced several updates and new games for the Wii U console.

- GigaOM's report on DIAL, a protocol being worked on by Netflix and YouTube for second-screen apps.

- Google beat analyst expectations by reporting its first-ever $50 billion year.

- Tumblr: Actual Facebook Graph Searches

Watch CNET Update in the video above, or subscribe to the podcast via the links below.

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