In my excitement for the Wii (two weeks!!!!), I was thinking about the common perception that it's a gaming only system. That's not true at all. I've broken down the four major functions of a common home computer: -Information -Communication -Multimedia -Gaming The first two are linked together via internet browsing. Granted, it doesn't have a mail client, but you can still go to your provider's website and use e-mail. For multimedia, it gives you the ability to view and edit pictures and videos off a SD card. And of course, there's gaming. Now granted, the first three are available in only limited form. I question the ability to view heavy java websites and video. There is no chat software that I know of. And I assume you can't really throw together music videos, or if you could, it would be extremely limited. I will also grant that it's missing the two oldest functions of any computer: finances and word processing/printing. Still, pound for pound, the Wii does as much tasking as the other two. I wouldn't put it past Nintendo to produce a printer and practical everyday use software. They are promoting this machine as an inexpensive, easy to use, Family Computer. Whereas 360 is for the hardcore gamer, and PS3 is for the hardcore media person.
Isn't Nintendo marketing it as a game only system? Mocking Sony for wanting their machine to do everything.
The marketing on their US website is funky. They don't even mention games really, everything is just software. And using the Wiimote is an "experience".
You can upgrade your Wii ? So 4 years from now, you don't need to buy the next Nintendo/Sony console, I can just buy parts to upgrade it ? HOT DAMN ! SIGN ME UP !!!
Also, if you take off one of the large side panels, scrape out the insides, and put the Wii on your head; the Wii is also a hat!
It may technically be a computer (just like a calculator is), but its software is not comparable to what an actual personal computer's software can do.
The Dreamcast had all of that, and it had a keyboard. The PSP can run windows. Buy one of those if that's all you're looking for. Keep that crap off my Nintendo Awesome Machine.
There are plenty of Wii fans around here. What there aren't plenty of is people willing to discuss the differences between and console and a computer. Anything that uses a CPU to perform different functions is technically a computer. Anything beyond that is just arguing semantics.
