Wii USB keyboard support expanded [Archive]

Doctor Setebos

10-10-2007, 06:43 AM

It now works on the Internet Channel (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/10/wii-update-3-1-includes-usb-keyboard-support-enhanced-everybody/)!

Your Wii system is flashing blue again, yearning for your attention. A new system update is available, version 3.1, and it now officially includes USB keyboard support. (A previous update featured very limited keyboard functionality.) This should greatly increase the usability of the Internet Channel.

Also capitalizing on this new addition is an updated Everybody Votes Channel, which can be upgraded through the Wii Shop Channel. The free update doesn't appear to have any cosmetic changes. Rather, it simply adds keyboard support for submitting questions.

Kamalot

10-10-2007, 06:47 AM

I've also read that you can now copy/paste text from the page into the search, and send/receive links using the Wii messages.

TheFlyingOrc

10-10-2007, 07:24 AM

Well, looks like I'm finally buying a USB Keyboard for my Wii. This makes things infinitely more useful.

Serapth

10-10-2007, 07:30 AM

So, entering friend codes just went from being the most fucking annoying thing ever to being one of the most fucking annoying things ever.

Good job.

TheFlyingOrc

10-10-2007, 07:38 AM

So, entering friend codes just went from being the most fucking annoying thing ever to being one of the most fucking annoying things ever.

Good job.
Also, entering web site addresses. Or searching for videos on youtube.

Serapth

10-10-2007, 07:39 AM

Also, entering web site addresses. Or searching for videos on youtube.

The idea of browsing the web on a Wii is about as appealing as making pasta in a toaster.

Sure it will work, but its not going to be a great experience.

KSmitty

10-10-2007, 07:44 AM

So, entering friend codes just went from being the most fucking annoying thing ever to being one of the most fucking annoying things ever.

Good job.That's not right its more like:
So, entering friend codes just went from being The most fucking annoying thing ever to being one of the most fucking annoying things ever.
There thats better. ;)

I don't do much typing on my Wii, but this may make me look into a cheap wireless usb keyboard. Its very nice for people who do alot of browsing or even (ugh) messaging on the Wii. Its actually a very convenient little set top internet box.

Kamalot

10-10-2007, 07:45 AM

The idea of browsing the web on a Wii is about as appealing as making pasta in a toaster.

Sure it will work, but its not going to be a great experience.

I surf on the Wii, my PS3, and my Cell Phone extensively. Of them all, I prefer the Wii the most. Entering information has always been a pain, but I can type with the Wii's on-screen keyboard quite quickly and accurately now.

It is very enjoyable to surf from the sofa using a magic wand.

TheFlyingOrc

10-10-2007, 07:49 AM

The idea of browsing the web on a Wii is about as appealing as making pasta in a toaster.

Sure it will work, but its not going to be a great experience.

It's great for youtube. One of the worst things about it was lack of keyboard, and now that barrier is gone. I'm pretty happy.
And you shutup, I love my pasta toaster.

Wraith

10-10-2007, 08:17 AM

So the Wii is finally catching up to the high level feature set of the Dreamcast. Excellent! I kid, I kid.

And I just broke 1000 posts. Whee!

Kem0sabe

10-10-2007, 08:40 AM

AndrooGee

10-10-2007, 08:57 AM

Opera on the Wii is a great way to surf the web, an USB keyboard will make the experience that much more enjoyable.

now if only they supported keyboards with a trackball incorporated in them, juggling the wii mote and the keyboard is going to be annoying.

In a perfect world Nintendo would also offer support for Half-QWERTY and DVORAK keyboard layouts. I mean... I wouldn't hold your breath, but who knows?

Adam Blue

10-10-2007, 09:34 AM

So the Wii is finally catching up to the high level feature set of the Dreamcast. Excellent! I kid, I kid.

And I just broke 1000 posts. Whee!

I love that. The Dreamcast had so much that is taking everyone so long to implement.

Bydo_Empire

10-10-2007, 09:35 AM

I was surprised how much more I used wii messages once I plugged in a spare usb keyboard. And I entered in a boatload of new friend codes in about 5 minutes. Nice to see usb keyboard support expanded, it's been a lot more useful than I imagined.

DylonCorp

10-10-2007, 09:42 AM

So the Wii is finally catching up to the high level feature set of the Dreamcast. Excellent!

Funny you mentioned that, just had my best friend over yesterday, huge 360 fan, dogs out my Wii about as often as you can think of. We pull up Glumbert on the internet channel, stoked to find out they have a Wii specific home splash whatever.

We watch for about five minutes, then he looks at me, with the pain of a man who's always carrying his laptop into the living room, and sez "Why the FUCK doesn't the 360 have a browser?" What made this really funny, he loved his dreamcast so much, but I don't think he knows that much about the internet connectivity it had. Which makes his pain all the more delicious.

Skampy

10-10-2007, 09:58 AM

This is a cool feature. I used opera on wii for a total of about 5 minutes. My TV is too far from my couch to consider plugging in a keyboard to it. A wifi keyboard would be convenient but too expensive simply to use on the wii.

Deathwave

10-10-2007, 11:45 AM

You can find wireless keyboards for $25 online. Is that too expensive for you?

Satertek

10-10-2007, 12:29 PM

Woot, it works.

weeeee asdf1234

(sorry :P)

KingGorilla

10-10-2007, 04:32 PM

Aside from Youtube and Porntube, what sites can you use that look bearable in 640X480, or 320X240?

Kamalot

10-10-2007, 05:13 PM

Aside from Youtube and Porntube, what sites can you use that look bearable in 640X480, or 320X240?

Many sites work and are very readable. I read lots of Evil Avatar on the Wii. The + and - buttons allow you to zoom in and out. I typically zoom into the main body of a thread, cutting off the columns on the left and right.

Resolution isn't everything. I also use a laptop with 800x480 (http://www.oqo.com) resolution. In fact, I'm on it right now!

KingGorilla

10-10-2007, 06:30 PM

I just realized that I have never used a computer, in the internet era, at a resolution less that 1024X768. I genuinely cannot imagine it. But Youtube looks great on the Wii.

Doctor Setebos

10-10-2007, 08:23 PM

Feed reading using Google Reader (http://reader.google.com) on the Wii is awesome since Google implemented the Wii version of the site.

Kamalot

10-11-2007, 07:58 AM

I just realized that I have never used a computer, in the internet era, at a resolution less that 1024X768. I genuinely cannot imagine it. But Youtube looks great on the Wii.

My phone has a resolution of 320x320, and Evil Avatar is VERY readable. When moving to smaller devices and lower resolutions, one has to give up the idea that the page will look exactly the same. It won't. But as long as it works and you can access the information then there isn't a problem.

In fact, it is a GOOD thing that specialized browsers don't try to replicate the PC-experience. Trying to view a page just as it looks in Firefox on a cellphone would mean lots of zooming, panning and time wasted. The beauty of HTML is that it can be rendered in a variety of ways as deemed necessary.

Serapth

10-11-2007, 07:59 AM

... is there actually such a thing as Porntube?!?!?!

I am at work, so research into said subject is obviously going to have to wait.

TheFlyingOrc

10-11-2007, 08:05 AM

... is there actually such a thing as Porntube?!?!?!

I am at work, so research into said subject is obviously going to have to wait.

I believe there is both a youporn and a pornotube.

However, most flash-based sites don't work on the Wii, as it only supports Flash version 7. Youtube is an exception.