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WHAT IS THE NINTENDO WII...

The Wii (pronounced as the English pronoun we, IPA: /wiː/) is the fifth home video game console released by Nintendo. The console is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3,[3] but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of gaming systems.

A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration in three dimensions. Another is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.[4]

Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show.[5] At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards.[6] By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets. During the week of September 12, 2007, the Financial Times declared that the Wii was the current sales leader of its generation.

WII HISTORY...

The console was conceived in 2001, as the Nintendo GameCube was first seeing release. According to an interview with Nintendo's game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, the concept involved focusing on a new form of player interaction. "The consensus was that power isn't everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can't coexist. It's like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction."[8]

Two years later, engineers and designers were brought together to develop the concept further. By 2005, the controller interface had taken form, but a public showing at that year's E3 was withdrawn. Miyamoto stated that, "We had some troubleshooting to do. So, we decided not to reveal the controller and instead we displayed just the console."[8] Nintendo president Satoru Iwata later unveiled and demonstrated the Wii Remote at the September Tokyo Game Show.[5]

The Nintendo DS is stated to have influenced the Wii design. Designer Ken'ichiro Ashida noted, "We had the DS on our minds as we worked on the Wii. We thought about copying the DS's touch-panel interface and even came up with a prototype." The idea was eventually rejected, with the notion that the two gaming systems would be identical. Miyamoto also expressed that: "If the DS had flopped, we might have taken the Wii back to the drawing board.























SYSTEM SALES...

Since its launch, the monthly sales numbers of the console have been higher than its competitors across the globe. According to the NPD Group, the Wii sold more units in North America than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 combined in the first half of 2007.[24] This lead is even larger in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total sales, having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1[25] to 6:1[26] nearly every week from launch until November 2007.[27] In Australia, the Wii exceeded the Xbox 360 to become the fastest selling games console in Australian history.[28] On September 12, 2007, it was reported by the Financial Times that the Wii had surpassed the Xbox 360, which was released one year previously, and had become the market leader in worldwide home console sales for the current generation. This is the first time a Nintendo console has led its generation in sales since the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.[7] Nintendo warned that the Wii would remain in short supply throughout 2007.[29]

While Microsoft and Sony had experienced losses producing their consoles in the hopes of making a long-term profit on software sales, Nintendo claims to have optimized production costs to obtain a significant profit margin with each Wii unit sold.[30] According to the Financial Times, this direct profit per Wii sold may vary from $13 in Japan to $49 in the United States and $79 in Europe.














TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS...

Nintendo has released few technical details regarding the Wii system, but some key facts have leaked through the press. Though none of these reports has been officially confirmed, they generally point to the console as being an extension or advancement of the Nintendo GameCube architecture. More specifically, the reported analyses state that the Wii is roughly 1.5 to 2 times as powerful as its predecessor.[1][45]

Processors:

CPU: PowerPC-based "Broadway" processor, made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, reportedly† clocked at 729 MHz[46]
GPU: ATI "Hollywood" GPU made with a 90 nm CMOS process,[47] reportedly† clocked at 243 MHz[46]
Memory:

88 MiB main memory (24 MiB "internal" 1T-SRAM integrated into graphics package, 64 MiB "external" GDDR3 SDRAM)[48]
3 MiB embedded GPU texture memory and framebuffer.
Ports and peripheral capabilities:

Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth)
Nintendo GameCube controller ports (4) (one can be used in conjunction with four Wii Remote units for five-player multiplayer capability)
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card slots (2)
SD memory card slot
USB 2.0 ports (2)
Sensor Bar port
Accessory port on bottom of Wii Remote
Optional USB keyboard input in message board, Wii Shop Channel, and the Internet Channel (as of 3.0 and 3.1 firmware update)[49]
Mitsumi DWM-W004 WiFi 802.11b/g wireless module[50]
Compatible with optional USB 2.0 to Ethernet LAN adaptor
Multi-output port for component, composite or S-Video
Built-in content ratings systems:

BBFC, CERO, ESRB, OFLC, OFLC (NZ), PEGI, USK
Storage:

512 MiB built-in NAND flash memory
Expanded storage via SD card memory (up to 2 GB)
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card (required for GameCube game saves)

IBM's Wii "Broadway" CPU
ATI's Wii "Hollywood" GPUSlot-loading disc drive compatible with 8 cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc and 12 cm Wii Optical Disc
Mask ROM by Macronix[51]
Video:

480p (PAL/NTSC), 480i (NTSC) or 576i (PAL/SECAM), standard 4:3 and 16:9 anamorphic widescreen[52]
AV multi-output port for component, composite or S-video.[53]
Audio:

Main: Stereo – Dolby Pro Logic II-capable[54]
Controller: Built-in speaker
Power consumption:

18 watts when switched on[55]
1.3 watts in standby[55]


†None of the clock rates have been confirmed by Nintendo, IBM or ATI.



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