Man, if my Wii looked like this, I wouldn’t want to throw it across the room every time it misreads a disc! Just kidding, I would still want to toss it, but if it looked as cool as this entry into Bit-Tech’s Mod Of The Year Contest, or any of the other amazing entries for that matter, I would feel bad about it after I was done stomping it into oblivion. Take a peek at the rest of the entrants for yourself, but don’t let your console see the pics or it might get jealous!

Link –via Endgadget

Reactions to this new bundle pack will range from “How much? No thanks…” to “Awesome!”, with lots of mehs in-between. But if you’re still using your Wii for anything other than Netflix, and you enjoyed the previous Legend of Zelda games, then you’ll probably want to check out the new Skyward Sword game bundle, even though it’s set to retail at $70. The collector’s bundle includes a golden Motion Plus Wiimote, game and 25th Anniversary Concert CD, so you can take your new theme music with you wherever you go!

Link

1.

2. While in development, the Wii was code named Revolution, but it wasn’t a secret. It changed to Wii on April 27, 2006. The name was chosen because it is short, simple to pronounce in many languages, and needs no abbreviation. The spelling We was considered first, but Wii was more distinctive.

3. Wii sales were launched in November 2006 in the US and December 2006 in the UK. The timing was either a brilliant marketing scheme or a planning disaster, as Christmas demand led to shortages in both countries. The shortage continued through 2007. Many began to suspect that Nintendo was orchestrating artificial demand for the product. For four holiday seasons (so far), there have not been enough Wii systems in all areas.

4. When the Wii was new, there was incident after incident of broken TVs and monitors caused by flung Wii remotes. Windows and household glassware were also victims. Nintendo urged people to use the strap to secure the remote to their wrists while playing games. The website Wii Have A Problem sprung up to document the damage caused by Wii remotes that “got out of hand”, so to speak.

5. Pink and blue Wii remotes were launched for Valentines Day 2010. Sure, it was a gimmick gift, but individual color-coded remotes are handy for families with more than one child, in order to keep track of not only scores, but who lost/damaged the equipment. Remotes now come in quite a few colors, or you can get colored covers for existing remotes.

To properly equip their loved ones in the after life, the Chinese people burn paper effigies of pretty much all modern day conveniences: cars, houses, and of course money.

To keep up with the times, they’re also making paper effigies of videogame systems and gadgets.

“Sometimes their stories are heart-wrenching and sometimes I’m numb to them. I try not to pry,” says Au Yeung. “Making paper effigies of trend items makes death seem less frightening.” His most popular requests are for cameras, video games and brand-name handbags — the things that Hong Kong kids desire while living.

Each of Au Yeung’s unique creations take many hours to research and complete. Once sold, customers take them to gravesites and burn them to ashes in a matter of seconds. Au Yeung says his own special goodbye to each effigy by taking photos of them. “I have to remind myself that they are meant for people in the underworld to use,” he says.

Link | Tiffany Lam and Zoe Li of CNNGo has more: Link

Artist Angela Moramarco has a very odd belief about the innards of video game controllers.

I bet you didn’t know that the average Wii controller has all kinds of guts like this. Guts. I’ve seen a lot of guts projects lately. That one with the lego guy turning around and around, those KAWS Dissected Companions from a few years ago. It’s no longer a joke! But that’s ok, that’s not what this is about anyway. It’s about how physical therapists are using the Wii to help their patients gain muscle strength by playing games! Yay Nintendo!

Link

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by chrisburns.

Disney comissioned artist former Deus Ex designer Warren Spector to come up with his interpretation of a very twisted Disney World as concept art for the Wii game Epic Mickey.

…images from both Gambino and Glover, covering rotted Epcots, foreboding Cinderella castles, terrifying scorpion-like mecha-Country Bears, and more — all of which come with the obvious caveat that they may or may not reflect anything of the current state of the project.

Link

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by xpresscm.

The American Heart Association is funding a student project to develop a CPR certification program that uses the Nintendo Wii:

A biomedical engineering professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham envisioned a program for home computers that could sync via wireless with the Wii remote, and train users on proper resuscitation of people who have suffered cardiac arrest. The students hope to make the program available for download this fall, free of charge, on the American Heart Association’s website.

Link

With Nintendo Wii remote, Nunchuk and Wii Balance Board, it is easy to produce drum kit sounds from programming of their acceleration, joystick and weight data. These data can be transmitted from Wii controllers via Bluetooth to PC or Mac without Wii consoles. Wii Drum High integrates all three kinds of Wii controllers to stimulate a complete drum set of Hi-hat, Snare, Base drum, Crash cymbal, Ride cymbal, Mid tom and Low tom. Up to 4 sets of Wii remote and nunchuk can be used at the same time. (one of my colleague succeeded in connecting 5 wiimotes to a PC, but I’ve never tried)

No, it wouldn’t be an “air drum” because it produces the sound itself. Link (with video) -Thanks, Joe!