Well, Christmas 2013 is nearly upon us.
It has been an interesting year. A lot has happened in the world in general, and in technology.
2014 promises to bring more; I am particularly interested in what Ubuntu do next year with their Touch OS, and I will be keeping an eye on Firefox too.
The new generation of consoles will have time to settle down, and we might start to see some games that really start to take advantage of the extra processing and graphical power. Some new Wii U games would be welcome too, I fancy some Mario Kart Wii U.
Valve will launch its new Steam machines officially, and we can start to see how that will all work, and what it will all cost too. I'd like to join in the fun but unfortunately I need better hardware or a steambox and neither are likely to happen anytime soon! However, I will continue to look in with interest.
It will also be interesting to see what direction Google take with Android, and Google TV, and a European Chromecast launch is a guarantee, just a matter of when.
So, for those of you that read this, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year!
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Plex, Chromecast and streaming movies (and TV)
Finally, finally, the Chromecast supports Plex.
For those of you unfamiliar with Plex is an a brilliant media server that allows content to be streamed to PCs initially, but now all manner of devices.
It allows full control over the content, and when and where you can stream to. It provides artwork automatically and matches the media (with very good results usually) so it can then provide further information on the film/TV show/etc.
So for those of us that want to have our media (DVDs for example) physically still it is a great solution. (I am a bit old-fashioned I suppose, and I like to possess a physical copy of the DVD. It means I will always have that film/show regardless of what might happen with the Internet and streaming services for example. This doesn't apply to CDs and music I purchase - these are always digital downloads for me, but the difference is you can permanently download this to a PC and burn a disk for safekeeping). Obviously you will need to be able to rip and encode DVDs. I use DVD Shrink (or DVD Fab when this fails) and encode with Handbrake.
I have been using Plex for a while, but I really wanted an easy way to stream to a TV, or a device wherever it may happen to be. And now Chromecast has filled this gap.
I can now connect to my library wherever I happen to be, and stream content via the Chromecast. In practice this means at home, but I could take the device anywhere it is so portable. The quality is excellent (though obviously is reliant on your own hardware and internet connection). Controlling what to stream is so easy, all the content easily viewable on a device (phone, tablet, etc) and then send it to the TV. Excellent.
So Chromecast is really starting to be genuinely useful for me now. I look forward to more apps to be added to the growing list of those with Chromecast support.
For those of you unfamiliar with Plex is an a brilliant media server that allows content to be streamed to PCs initially, but now all manner of devices.
It allows full control over the content, and when and where you can stream to. It provides artwork automatically and matches the media (with very good results usually) so it can then provide further information on the film/TV show/etc.
So for those of us that want to have our media (DVDs for example) physically still it is a great solution. (I am a bit old-fashioned I suppose, and I like to possess a physical copy of the DVD. It means I will always have that film/show regardless of what might happen with the Internet and streaming services for example. This doesn't apply to CDs and music I purchase - these are always digital downloads for me, but the difference is you can permanently download this to a PC and burn a disk for safekeeping). Obviously you will need to be able to rip and encode DVDs. I use DVD Shrink (or DVD Fab when this fails) and encode with Handbrake.
I have been using Plex for a while, but I really wanted an easy way to stream to a TV, or a device wherever it may happen to be. And now Chromecast has filled this gap.
I can now connect to my library wherever I happen to be, and stream content via the Chromecast. In practice this means at home, but I could take the device anywhere it is so portable. The quality is excellent (though obviously is reliant on your own hardware and internet connection). Controlling what to stream is so easy, all the content easily viewable on a device (phone, tablet, etc) and then send it to the TV. Excellent.
So Chromecast is really starting to be genuinely useful for me now. I look forward to more apps to be added to the growing list of those with Chromecast support.
Monday, 2 December 2013
Steam and the future of PC gaming
This weekend I decided to hook up my aging Dell PC to my TV and AV system, and see what it is like to use Steam, and the "Big Screen" mode.
I have been a member of Steam for some time - I joined when my interest in PC gaming had been piqued by some great offers on decent games, plus and interest in the Steam service, how it worked and what it offered. This was initially to see what would run on a Linux PC (Ubuntu), but I have progressed (or regressed?!) to Windows to try linking to the TV. Perhaps I should also try booting into Linux (the machine is set up to dual boot) and see how that works on the big screen?
Anyway, all this talk of "Steam OS" and the steam boxes in development I thought I would revisit a system that might actually have a chance against the Microsoft/Sony dominated console market. I don't mention the Wii U as I see it more as a niche machine (though I rate it, sadly I see it being swept away by the tsunami that is Xbox One and PS4).
So after digging around for some cables, I found a DVI to HDMI (previous used with a Raspberry Pi, but that is another story) and hooked it up to my Denon AV system. This was very easy, and the PC does offer a great diversity of services, internet, streaming and music, that easily matches any console. I have only stereo sound as my PC does not support sound over HDMI (as it is DVI to HDMI) and I don't have a decent sound card.
So I fired up Steam, and soon was running in full screen mode. This looks good, and offers up the store as well as your library of games. Loading games was simple, although it would be nice to have a more integrated experience when the games start.
I have an Xbox controller that worked well with Trine 2, though the PC itself was unable to run this properly. Damn. Oh well, worth a try. However, what I really wanted to try, EVE, worked a treat (though I am still trying to figure out how to make the fonts bigger as they are pretty small on a large TV). I had to set video to all the lowest settings to run, but was still a good experience. Armed with a wireless mouse and bluetooth keyboard I was off, and it was a good experience.
Now the games themselves in Steam are a steal. They have great sales and the games are available immediately. And they are decent games too. Origin offer a similar service, I bought Sim City (but unfortunately my PC couldn't handle it!!) which is good too, and a hooked up PC to a TV offers numerous services without having to buy new hardware. This is why I think PCs are to experience a resurgence, maybe in the form of small-factor upgradable PCs with modular parts. The Steam boxes sound interesting, and I'll be looking out for progress on that next year.
So all in all, a good test and now I have another useable games machine (just) that can do a lot more besides.
I have been a member of Steam for some time - I joined when my interest in PC gaming had been piqued by some great offers on decent games, plus and interest in the Steam service, how it worked and what it offered. This was initially to see what would run on a Linux PC (Ubuntu), but I have progressed (or regressed?!) to Windows to try linking to the TV. Perhaps I should also try booting into Linux (the machine is set up to dual boot) and see how that works on the big screen?
Anyway, all this talk of "Steam OS" and the steam boxes in development I thought I would revisit a system that might actually have a chance against the Microsoft/Sony dominated console market. I don't mention the Wii U as I see it more as a niche machine (though I rate it, sadly I see it being swept away by the tsunami that is Xbox One and PS4).
So after digging around for some cables, I found a DVI to HDMI (previous used with a Raspberry Pi, but that is another story) and hooked it up to my Denon AV system. This was very easy, and the PC does offer a great diversity of services, internet, streaming and music, that easily matches any console. I have only stereo sound as my PC does not support sound over HDMI (as it is DVI to HDMI) and I don't have a decent sound card.
So I fired up Steam, and soon was running in full screen mode. This looks good, and offers up the store as well as your library of games. Loading games was simple, although it would be nice to have a more integrated experience when the games start.
I have an Xbox controller that worked well with Trine 2, though the PC itself was unable to run this properly. Damn. Oh well, worth a try. However, what I really wanted to try, EVE, worked a treat (though I am still trying to figure out how to make the fonts bigger as they are pretty small on a large TV). I had to set video to all the lowest settings to run, but was still a good experience. Armed with a wireless mouse and bluetooth keyboard I was off, and it was a good experience.
Now the games themselves in Steam are a steal. They have great sales and the games are available immediately. And they are decent games too. Origin offer a similar service, I bought Sim City (but unfortunately my PC couldn't handle it!!) which is good too, and a hooked up PC to a TV offers numerous services without having to buy new hardware. This is why I think PCs are to experience a resurgence, maybe in the form of small-factor upgradable PCs with modular parts. The Steam boxes sound interesting, and I'll be looking out for progress on that next year.
So all in all, a good test and now I have another useable games machine (just) that can do a lot more besides.
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
KitKat
I have been using KitKat on my Nexus 4 for a week or so now, so I thought it might be time to write a few words about what I think of it.
Now I am a big Android fan, but having said that I do like products by Apple and Microsoft are doing (as well as Firefox and Ubuntu, see previous posts).
I would like to say I could happily switch between the platforms, but most people become entrenched in one and after purchasing apps, media, etc.
Anyway, after a lot of API updates behind the scene (which are very welcome of course; I think what Google are doing to take away the reliance on the OS to progress the platform is genius) it is always good to hear of a new version which will deliver new features than API changes are unable to.
So, I was initially impatient, as soon as the factory images were available on Google Developers I downloaded and flashed using ADB sideload. This gave me KRT16O. It soon fired up - I like the new KitKat startup screen, the orbs of colour replacing the long-standing nexus "X".
And then into the system; I ran it vanilla as I want to see what has actually changed, not overlaid with a launcher. At this time the system was running the standard launcher and not the "Google Experience" launcher that you might find on Moto X devices. But I'll come back to this later.
Now, many of the changes are under the hood, and it is noticeable. My Nexus is as speedy as ever, so very happy there. Visually the first thing you might notice is the cleaner look and the white status bar icons, which I like.
Setting up widgets has changed. Rather than accessing these from the application drawer, a long-press on an empty section of the screen pops up some options, one of which is widgets. It makes sense; when you open the app drawer you are most likely looking to open a specific app. The app drawer itself is much cleaner, with bigger, bolder icons and smooth screen transitions.
The other main change is for SMS text messaging. This is now integrated into Hangouts (if you wish, this is optional). I chose to integrate. I actually quite like it all in one place, and it certainly makes sense to me. Maybe it would be better to combine all messages by user; perhaps this will come in time or at least be an option, but for now you need to switch to see specific message types.
Cloud printing is now integrated but for now I haven't tried it.
Accounts seems better now too, and it is here you can start to see where the work has taken place.
Now back to the "Google Experience". The automatic listening when going into Google Now (by saying "Ok Google") can easily be activated, though the language has to be set to US at the time of writing. But I was interested in the full experience so I downloaded the new GoogleHome.apk that is the new launcher.
Once I has installed this I also had the ability to switch between launchers in the "Home" section in Settings.
The screens are much nicer looking now, running in "immersion" mode where the wallpaper extends to both the status bar and the action button bar. Some apps support this also and they look great full screen. A simple swipe restores the button and allows for navigation.
On the home screen now, simply saying "Ok Google" fires up the listen function of Google Now. This is actually quite useful (when it works!) and can control a number of phone functions as well as searching. It would be good if the "hot word" could be changed, but perhaps that will come in time. I certainly felt a bit silly talking to the phone, but I can certainly see its potential.
I kind of miss the Google Now widget on the homescreen, but a flick to the left and Google Now opens up fully, and the new additions to the cards are very welcome, and useful. Though I wish it would create notifications more and let me know some of these newer cards are there. Maybe it does on other devices?
A worthwhile update, looking forward to what is coming next. Hopefully the upcoming Chromecast developer sessions will produce some more Chromecast apps.
Now I am a big Android fan, but having said that I do like products by Apple and Microsoft are doing (as well as Firefox and Ubuntu, see previous posts).
I would like to say I could happily switch between the platforms, but most people become entrenched in one and after purchasing apps, media, etc.
Anyway, after a lot of API updates behind the scene (which are very welcome of course; I think what Google are doing to take away the reliance on the OS to progress the platform is genius) it is always good to hear of a new version which will deliver new features than API changes are unable to.
So, I was initially impatient, as soon as the factory images were available on Google Developers I downloaded and flashed using ADB sideload. This gave me KRT16O. It soon fired up - I like the new KitKat startup screen, the orbs of colour replacing the long-standing nexus "X".
And then into the system; I ran it vanilla as I want to see what has actually changed, not overlaid with a launcher. At this time the system was running the standard launcher and not the "Google Experience" launcher that you might find on Moto X devices. But I'll come back to this later.
Now, many of the changes are under the hood, and it is noticeable. My Nexus is as speedy as ever, so very happy there. Visually the first thing you might notice is the cleaner look and the white status bar icons, which I like.
Setting up widgets has changed. Rather than accessing these from the application drawer, a long-press on an empty section of the screen pops up some options, one of which is widgets. It makes sense; when you open the app drawer you are most likely looking to open a specific app. The app drawer itself is much cleaner, with bigger, bolder icons and smooth screen transitions.
The other main change is for SMS text messaging. This is now integrated into Hangouts (if you wish, this is optional). I chose to integrate. I actually quite like it all in one place, and it certainly makes sense to me. Maybe it would be better to combine all messages by user; perhaps this will come in time or at least be an option, but for now you need to switch to see specific message types.
Cloud printing is now integrated but for now I haven't tried it.
Accounts seems better now too, and it is here you can start to see where the work has taken place.
Now back to the "Google Experience". The automatic listening when going into Google Now (by saying "Ok Google") can easily be activated, though the language has to be set to US at the time of writing. But I was interested in the full experience so I downloaded the new GoogleHome.apk that is the new launcher.
Once I has installed this I also had the ability to switch between launchers in the "Home" section in Settings.
The screens are much nicer looking now, running in "immersion" mode where the wallpaper extends to both the status bar and the action button bar. Some apps support this also and they look great full screen. A simple swipe restores the button and allows for navigation.
On the home screen now, simply saying "Ok Google" fires up the listen function of Google Now. This is actually quite useful (when it works!) and can control a number of phone functions as well as searching. It would be good if the "hot word" could be changed, but perhaps that will come in time. I certainly felt a bit silly talking to the phone, but I can certainly see its potential.
I kind of miss the Google Now widget on the homescreen, but a flick to the left and Google Now opens up fully, and the new additions to the cards are very welcome, and useful. Though I wish it would create notifications more and let me know some of these newer cards are there. Maybe it does on other devices?
A worthwhile update, looking forward to what is coming next. Hopefully the upcoming Chromecast developer sessions will produce some more Chromecast apps.
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
Google Chromecast
I have been itching to get my hands on a Chromecast since they were announced by Google many moons ago. Soon after the device became available in the US (why must everything Google come to just the US first?! We are a great test bed for Technology!) and most jealous was I.
Not so much about having a "gadget" to tinker around with; but rather to have something that might simplify my life, in terms of my enjoyment of films and TV. Currently (as far as film is concerned) I like to get the latest films released, and watch with my family on a "film night". After one outing with the DVD (sometimes Bluray) the DVD is promptly ripped and encoded so that I can transfer the film to a media player so the disk doesn't get scratched by careless hands. It also means that all my films are available to watch any time.
This is a real pain, sometimes my ripper of choice (DVD Shrink) fails and I have to resort to using my back-up ripper, DVD Fab. To be fair DVD Fab is very good, but I like the simplicity and control of Shrink. After this I set my aging PC to encode the film using Handbrake (very simple to use, and create presets that work well with my equipment). In the past this has not worked quite right and films end up with just stereo audio rather than 5.1 for example.
The job will be done after maybe 3 hours, after which I copy this to the player to watch.
I suppose a NAS might have been the answer, but I still need to go through the hassle of ripping and encoding, and compatibility has always been an issue. There is, of course, the cost of this equipment as well. Playback on my PS3 is generally very good; the XBox less so. I use Plex which works well as a media server but unfortunately there is no client for either of these platforms so DLNA is the only route, and this is often unsuccessful.
Plex on Android is excellent and I hope this will eventually be available for the Chromecast to stream. It would also be great if a streaming service that supported Ultraviolet would become available also.
Anyway, I managed to get a Chromecast eventually from Zavvi. Plugged it in, it connected to the network, then updated the software. Then it was ready to go - it was that simple.
Now, instead of buying DVDs I plan to purchase from the Play store. The only slight feeling of uneasiness is the fact that I do not any longer possess a physical copy of the film I have bought, or any means to permanently download it to play elsewhere. Maybe this will come in time? It would be great if the Movies/TV section worked liked the Music area, and allowed the user to upload all their stuff and then stream everything they own without the hassle of ripping/etc, though I'm not sure how if this would ever be able to be licenced. But if I could just burn a DVD of my purchase, that would be good, just to make me feel better even if it just sits in a cupboard gathering dust!
So in conclusion, if you want a cheap streaming device then look no further than the Chromecast. I haven't mentioned the streaming from Music and YouTube which is flawless; and I'm sure the device has a bright future with support from a whole host of other apps.
Not so much about having a "gadget" to tinker around with; but rather to have something that might simplify my life, in terms of my enjoyment of films and TV. Currently (as far as film is concerned) I like to get the latest films released, and watch with my family on a "film night". After one outing with the DVD (sometimes Bluray) the DVD is promptly ripped and encoded so that I can transfer the film to a media player so the disk doesn't get scratched by careless hands. It also means that all my films are available to watch any time.
This is a real pain, sometimes my ripper of choice (DVD Shrink) fails and I have to resort to using my back-up ripper, DVD Fab. To be fair DVD Fab is very good, but I like the simplicity and control of Shrink. After this I set my aging PC to encode the film using Handbrake (very simple to use, and create presets that work well with my equipment). In the past this has not worked quite right and films end up with just stereo audio rather than 5.1 for example.
The job will be done after maybe 3 hours, after which I copy this to the player to watch.
I suppose a NAS might have been the answer, but I still need to go through the hassle of ripping and encoding, and compatibility has always been an issue. There is, of course, the cost of this equipment as well. Playback on my PS3 is generally very good; the XBox less so. I use Plex which works well as a media server but unfortunately there is no client for either of these platforms so DLNA is the only route, and this is often unsuccessful.
Plex on Android is excellent and I hope this will eventually be available for the Chromecast to stream. It would also be great if a streaming service that supported Ultraviolet would become available also.
Anyway, I managed to get a Chromecast eventually from Zavvi. Plugged it in, it connected to the network, then updated the software. Then it was ready to go - it was that simple.
Now, instead of buying DVDs I plan to purchase from the Play store. The only slight feeling of uneasiness is the fact that I do not any longer possess a physical copy of the film I have bought, or any means to permanently download it to play elsewhere. Maybe this will come in time? It would be great if the Movies/TV section worked liked the Music area, and allowed the user to upload all their stuff and then stream everything they own without the hassle of ripping/etc, though I'm not sure how if this would ever be able to be licenced. But if I could just burn a DVD of my purchase, that would be good, just to make me feel better even if it just sits in a cupboard gathering dust!
So in conclusion, if you want a cheap streaming device then look no further than the Chromecast. I haven't mentioned the streaming from Music and YouTube which is flawless; and I'm sure the device has a bright future with support from a whole host of other apps.
Monday, 18 November 2013
Ubuntu Touch
Previously I happened to mention that I had tried out Ubuntu Touch.
I was pretty excited at getting something new to try, so I decided to turn my trusty Nexus 4 into a Ubuntu Touch device by grabbing the images and flashing.
I go the images from the Ubuntu Touch images repository and used the Nexus 4 Toolkit to fire the files over to my Nexus (which was already rooted and running PA). I flashed using TWRP after doing a factory reset.
After a while the new OS was flashed (this seemed to take a lot longer than flashing Android ROMs) and I was able to reboot. The initial boot was fairly slow but then typical of a new flash I would guess. I had no issue with loops and eventually Touch fired up.
First impressions were good; I like the way Ubuntu is styled anyway, and this styling is carried over rather nicely to the phone screens. The ubiquitous Ubuntu colours and fonts were there, and it all seemed rather familiar which was rather nice.
Navigation took a little while to get to grips with, but after a while it was second-nature, the "swiping" system certainly worked for me.
Webapps was something of a surprise, as with my Firefox phone. They all looked pretty good and operated really rather well, though some better that others. Facebook was decent, as was Twitter for social networking, Tumblr was ok, but areas definitely need work. And navigation needs sorting on the Touch as there didn't seem to be a working "back" button for everything and sometimes you would end up stuck.
The main apps were decent too, but were definitely a work in progress, especially integration with other accounts such as Google, Facebook, etc, to pull through friends and contacts.
I was hoping to use this as my main device, and weather out the problems as best I could as the OS evolved into a more polished product. This is where I started to have issues; and the deal-breaker? An alarm that didn't work for me. It was such a shame as I could live with the other issues. However as the main device to get me up in the morning, I had no intention of resorting to using the old clock radio, and I think many smart phone and normal phone users use this feature daily as well. To find it broken was really very surprising. I reported the bug, which was quickly acknowledged and put on the list of things to fix, but I wasn't given a timescale so I am now back on Android, and Android KitKat at that.
I was looking forward to the ride, and reporting minor bugfixes along the way, but sadly the OS is too broken at this stage. Surprisingly Firefox (who I'm sure has been at work on their OS a fraction of the time of Ubuntu) delivers a working solution that is far better in my opinion, one which I could probably live with if a higher-end phone was available to run it on. But that is another story.
I think I will probably try Touch again next year, when version 14 comes out, assuming of course it still supports my hardware. I think one device for everything is a fantastic idea, and I support it all the way, but without a "test" device I cannot recommend this as an everyday OS just yet.
I was pretty excited at getting something new to try, so I decided to turn my trusty Nexus 4 into a Ubuntu Touch device by grabbing the images and flashing.
I go the images from the Ubuntu Touch images repository and used the Nexus 4 Toolkit to fire the files over to my Nexus (which was already rooted and running PA). I flashed using TWRP after doing a factory reset.
After a while the new OS was flashed (this seemed to take a lot longer than flashing Android ROMs) and I was able to reboot. The initial boot was fairly slow but then typical of a new flash I would guess. I had no issue with loops and eventually Touch fired up.
First impressions were good; I like the way Ubuntu is styled anyway, and this styling is carried over rather nicely to the phone screens. The ubiquitous Ubuntu colours and fonts were there, and it all seemed rather familiar which was rather nice.
Navigation took a little while to get to grips with, but after a while it was second-nature, the "swiping" system certainly worked for me.
Webapps was something of a surprise, as with my Firefox phone. They all looked pretty good and operated really rather well, though some better that others. Facebook was decent, as was Twitter for social networking, Tumblr was ok, but areas definitely need work. And navigation needs sorting on the Touch as there didn't seem to be a working "back" button for everything and sometimes you would end up stuck.
The main apps were decent too, but were definitely a work in progress, especially integration with other accounts such as Google, Facebook, etc, to pull through friends and contacts.
I was hoping to use this as my main device, and weather out the problems as best I could as the OS evolved into a more polished product. This is where I started to have issues; and the deal-breaker? An alarm that didn't work for me. It was such a shame as I could live with the other issues. However as the main device to get me up in the morning, I had no intention of resorting to using the old clock radio, and I think many smart phone and normal phone users use this feature daily as well. To find it broken was really very surprising. I reported the bug, which was quickly acknowledged and put on the list of things to fix, but I wasn't given a timescale so I am now back on Android, and Android KitKat at that.
I was looking forward to the ride, and reporting minor bugfixes along the way, but sadly the OS is too broken at this stage. Surprisingly Firefox (who I'm sure has been at work on their OS a fraction of the time of Ubuntu) delivers a working solution that is far better in my opinion, one which I could probably live with if a higher-end phone was available to run it on. But that is another story.
I think I will probably try Touch again next year, when version 14 comes out, assuming of course it still supports my hardware. I think one device for everything is a fantastic idea, and I support it all the way, but without a "test" device I cannot recommend this as an everyday OS just yet.
Friday, 27 September 2013
ZTE Open and Firefox OS
I thought I would give Firefox OS a try, I have used Android and iOS previously and I was interested in another operating system to play around with.
I had also tried an early version of Ubuntu Touch. I'll probably discuss this another time, but needless to say I was rather underwhelmed and expected a bit more but I'm sure this will be smoothed out over time.
Certainly Firefox looks an interesting prospect, and I like the way it works. I have to say they seem to have nailed the webapps more effectively than the current Ubuntu offering.
The device was cheap, but actually operated efficiently. Any device that has web access can view these type of webapps and it is surprising how good many are, after being so used to using native apps.
I am awaiting a big update promised by Mozilla any time soon; I think it is perhaps fairer to comment when that update has been released.
Friday, 13 September 2013
The Wii U
The Wii U
I thought I would kick things off with a few words about the new Nintendo Wii U.
This is a hugely underrated console, with much to offer if only pure horsepower of a new device is overlooked. It is the innovation of the device, its peripherals and the quality of the games that take advantage of those innovations.
I have to admit the biggest weakness of the Wii U has been the lack of games, not lack of innovation. However Nintendo appear to be addressing this at last, and there are some good titles out now, and some good ones on the horizon.
We are also waiting for the "TVii" option to be activated, so hard to say what this will bring, but Nintendo really need to pull their finger out and get these services activated.
But the concept works very well. Having kids, it is great to be able to play games, or watch films and TV shows on both the TV screen and the Wii U screen. The screen itself is a decent size and is quite acceptable for both gameplay and TV viewing. It is just a shame that the range is so small between the console and and handset. It would be great to be able to take the controller to another room to play games or watch TV or a film.
For kids below a certain age this console is ideal, and unlike the other next generation of consoles, will support 7 years' worth of original Wii games and the peripherals. So few people will need to invest in too much more hardware such as controllers, if they already own an original Wii. For older kids I understand the fervour towards the new consoles from Sony and Microsoft. Both will deliver a truly next-generation experience though how much better than the current consoles remains to be seen. But for these older kids and current console fans, I'm sure these consoles will deliver. But this is a different market, one which Nintendo are not targeting.
So good luck to all, and I do hope the Wii U manages to claw back some decent support from both you and I as players and the software houses pushing through new games.
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