Wii News Channel Preview

After downloading the necessary update, the Wii News Channel will be functional on your Wii. Before connecting to the Wii News Channel however, supplementary software must be downloaded. An ambient selection of music plays over an apt fitting, papyrus-like background while downloading said software.

While roaming the menus, a more upbeat vibe plays, almost techno-esque in style. There are several news categories to choose from that are featured on the menu. These consist of national news, international news, business, sports, arts/entertainment, health/science, and technology. When a news article is selected, the music abruptly halts. The right half of the screen is filled with the world-map, displaying where the news source is being provided from. The left half is the actual article, being presented in a typical newspaper fashion.

One of the neat features is the ability to freely roam the globe in the same vein as the Wii Weather Channel. The difference is, news articles will be presented instantaneously, and pile on top of each other depending on which region they’re from. You can choose which you’d prefer to read from there.

The last feature comes in the form of a news slideshow. It gives a brief headline about a news story, while displaying which region it’s from on the map. This will stay on screen for a few moments, and then proceed to the next news article. It’s possible to inquire about individual stories by selecting them; these are also presented in a newspaper fashion.

It’s ironic though; the first technology news headline was in regards to the launch details for the PS3 in the UK (March 23rd, 2007 for the uninformed). Guess which region can view this headline, right from their Wii, at their convenience?