System update brings ugly clock, slew of changes
We could complain all day about the new digital clock that came with this morning's 3.0 firmware update for the Wii, but it really seems foolish to gripe about a such an inconsequential detail. So, much like with the system's name change or the children we've mistakenly fathered, it'll just have to be something we learn to live with.
The big improvements for this version upgrade are additional navigation options for the Shop Channel and shorter loading times when bringing up channels. Also, according to a few incoming reports, the console's fan now runs while in WiiConnect24 mode, addressing rumors of Wiis overheating when left in standby. Check past the post break for the complete list of updated items, and let us know what you think of all these new bells and whistles!
Channels:
- Digital Clock added to the Wii Menu right under the channel bar
- Forecast Channel now displays the current condition directly in the Wii Menu in the Forecast Channel box
- News Channel can now show 2 scrolling headlines at a time in the Wii Menu, 3 when you click on the button
- Message Board now has the "Today's Accomplishments" message as a white message which allows it to stand out from other messages
- Address Book entries can now be shifted around using A+B but only to empty spaces.
- Calendar in Message Board no longer shows "Today's Accomplishment"
- Scrolling messages in the Message Board now uses a different sound
Wii Shop Channel
- New Welcome screen detailing 4 Recommended Titles and the points they cost. The title bar can be clicked on to bring up a list of 20 recommended games.
- Titles You've Downloaded was moved to the main shop menu
- New ways to browse
- Popular Titles
- Newest Additions remains the same
- Search for a title which can use partial names
- Search by Category
- Search by Publisher
- Search by Genre
- System shows the different systems and how many titles have been released under each
Settings
- Pre-system update warning details that technically modified consoles may cease to function upon being updated. Also the only way to not accept an update is to power down the console by holding the button for 4 seconds.
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shogan @ Aug 7th 2007 10:03AM
The clock is not centered, which is annoying. The Shop Channel interface has been made more plain and ugly, and the new search options don't do much. Who is going to search for a game by Publisher? Since when is Alien Crush a Board Game? Why are there two Capcoms?
Bleeat @ Aug 7th 2007 10:19AM
Don't know if anyone else as noticed but the console now shows up with a hostname of "Wii" instead of blank
danny. @ Aug 7th 2007 10:23AM
The colon is centered which makes no sense and I don't see the "AM" on that screen shot, but that makes it even worse. Also, why doesn't it match the font directly below it? Digital? Really?
The double scroll on the news sucks too. One scroll please.
I was excited when the blue light came on, but it really uglied up the front page.
I'd have forgiven it for another page or two of blank channels
luppy @ Aug 7th 2007 10:45AM
Singapore now appears in the Wii settings country list (finally!). But if I set the country to Singapore I can't use Wii Shop / WiiConnect24 / Forecast Channel -- it says "service not available".
Jonathan Tran @ Aug 7th 2007 10:55AM
Can anyone confirm the fan issue? Like, did someone test it? I will turn on my WiiConnect24 the second I know it keeps the fan on!
Drahken @ Aug 7th 2007 11:02AM
It's really going to keep the fan on ALL the time? Unlike Dr. Tran here, if it's true, I'm going to turn OFF my WiiConnect24 the second I know it keeps the fan on. I mean, it's not like the fan is loud, but that's still a constant whirring fan noise. And I need to be able to sleep.
troy @ Aug 7th 2007 11:17AM
I have to stick my head by my Wii to hear my fan. But I am at work, and can't test my Wii's fan until around noon or so. I will the second I get home. I don't think everyone should freak so much about the changes, the quicker loading times for channels is nice and the clock is convenient. I'm sure that they will implement future aesthetic improvements, but for now updated functionality is more important to me.
Jonathan Tran @ Aug 7th 2007 11:23AM
well, there have been reports/rumors that the wiiconnect was frying some boards due to overheat with no fan on.
also the wii is not in my bedroom so fans don't bother me! I would rather have a slight whir than have to replace my Wii
Zaxo VonDak @ Aug 7th 2007 11:28AM
The fan isn't on constantly with WiiConnect24. If it does turn on I guess it's periodic. Maybe when it checks for updates?
In the shop channel, Star Fox 64 has a tab that says "Updated!". I clicked on update and played a bit and found no difference whatsoever... Anyone notice a change? At any rate, it's great to see that they will update old games if need be.
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 7th 2007 11:30AM
The clock looks really spiffy. You guys know to have night vision with eye patches you have to switch the eye right?
bc @ Aug 7th 2007 11:56AM
"Calendar in Message Board no longer shows "Today's Accomplishment"
WORST CHANGE EVER - I thought it was great to be able to tell, AT A GLANCE, when I did or didn't use the Wii during the past month(s). Just did this yesterday, in fact. There's a calendar & a little icon - very easy! Would think parents would appreciate this gauge of children's usage even more. Now Nintendo axes it??
KirbyMeister @ Aug 7th 2007 12:24PM
Guys,
go into the Wii Channels section of the Data Management page. Anyone else notice a channel named "???"
Skippy @ Aug 7th 2007 12:49PM
That StarFox 64 update has been there since shortly after the initial release of that game.
opimus @ Aug 7th 2007 12:52PM
I just updated the news , weather and shopping channels are not working. The internet and voting channels are. Any ideas why this happening?
Sukaru Kiddo @ Aug 7th 2007 1:04PM
Got a modded Wii with wiikey and it works fine >:D
Jack @ Aug 7th 2007 1:26PM
@12
Whoa, yeah...
I just re-downloaded an old VC title to check and see if the download speeds had been improved as reported. Instead of placing it in the closest available space in the Wii menu, it skipped a space and put it in the second closest.
imbozzy @ Aug 7th 2007 1:30PM
i recommend to anyone that they do a connection test after they update. my roommate couldn't get onto the wii shop channel after update. he was getting error code 205687 after update and there was no explanation from support.nintendo.com.
after connection test, everything worked great.
p.s. my wii with cyclowiz installed is working great after update. love the faster loading of the system.
damon @ Aug 7th 2007 1:41PM
AOSS was added as well or am I late on that?
David432111 @ Aug 7th 2007 1:42PM
If you are a freeloader user DON'T update.I used to use my freeloader for gamecube on my wii but after the update it will give you an error screen when you boot the game.Don't update if your a user of the Freeloader!
Mr Khan @ Aug 7th 2007 3:54PM
@ David
Then you'll still only be able to use freeloader a bit longer (unless you buy no more no games), all the games released after this point (Metroid) will probably contain this firmware update
Mr Khan @ Aug 7th 2007 4:02PM
Well, i didn't get the dummy channel, and i didn't get any errors
Also, "Today's Accomplishments" still appears on mine, just the envelope is now white (which is useful, allows me to find it quicker, not that there's much use for it)
pat @ Aug 7th 2007 4:05PM
Ok, I'm just confused.
I did the update that said it could render the inoperability of my console if I have modded it.
But I haven't and now when I try and use anything that needs access to the internet i get error code: 209600, which states things wrong with my router and such.
But it worked fine before i updated it, and I even did the connection test imbozzy recommended to get it working.
I get the connection test but nothing else will work.
Can anybody help?
Andrew Michaud @ Aug 7th 2007 4:44PM
I keep my Wii on top of two dictionaries so that the intake vent on the bottom has plenty of space. However, the fan never goes on now, which worries me.
Jack @ Aug 7th 2007 6:07PM
Yeah, I think the fan reports are BS. My system has been off with the standby connection on for a few hours now, and it's still hot to the touch.
Matt @ Aug 7th 2007 6:51PM
One other thing no one seems to have mentioned--you can now hold B and point up or down to scroll your messages on the Wii Message board. I don't think you could do that earlier, but I can now with the announcement of the update from Nintendo, which I haven't deleted yet.
Billy_McBong @ Aug 7th 2007 7:48PM
how did you get the clock in military time?
i cant find it in the settings :(
Timerider @ Aug 7th 2007 9:27PM
I liked the play timer. It's useful to see what days i've played and how long.
Timerider @ Aug 7th 2007 9:28PM
@Billy_McBong
Isn't it always in military time?
John @ Aug 8th 2007 12:31AM
Looking more and more like a jumbled UI mess everyday.
The clock font should look centered, and match the date font below it.
The news channel items are a difficult to read and follow distraction now.
And, not that it is any different than before, but why does there have to be such large discrepancies between the UI utilized for checking messages, checking system settings, and navigating the shopping channel? Ever notice each app has a different set of buttons to get back to the main channel menu? Why?
tiamat1990 @ Aug 8th 2007 12:43AM
Oh praise the lord I can finally use StandBy!! HUZZA!!! HUZZA!!
Doug @ Aug 8th 2007 1:10AM
Oh my gosh this thing updates slowly! And I thought PS3 updates were slow! My 360 updated its dashboard today in about 30 seconds, and my Wii has been going for about 10 minutes so far.
The least technically advanced of the current gen consoles, and it takes the longest to update. Hmmm...
Mike E. @ Aug 8th 2007 1:43AM
I think the clock looks fine...I don't see the big deal.
Billy_McBong @ Aug 8th 2007 1:52AM
@Timerider
no its AM/PM which sucks because if it was military then it would always be centered
Tim @ Aug 8th 2007 2:27AM
@KirbyMeister
Yeah same, I wonder what this "???" channel is. The only thing I can tell is that it takes up 7 blocks.
Perhaps it's a stealthy Wii Ware?
Tim @ Aug 8th 2007 2:36AM
@Billy_McBong
That's odd, because mine is in military time but I want AM/PM time :\ Maybe there's a regional difference? I've got a PAL version with country set to Australia.
KQ @ Aug 8th 2007 1:33PM
this update also breaks the datel 'sd media launcher', i get the sam error as the freeloader. damn. :(
ben @ Aug 8th 2007 4:59PM
Can anyone confirm if WiiKey still works?
dylansunshinesaliba @ Aug 9th 2007 11:32AM
WiiKey works fine with the update, the config disc no longer boots by itself, but just use GCoS to boot that DVD if you need too.
Daniel @ Aug 9th 2007 6:39PM
I have been using stand-by since I first got the system. and I have not had any problems.... My updates are great.... I think is cool. Also My time is the 12 hour time not the 24 hour.... and I think it's in digital form for the rest of the world also..they do not have America to only service.... most of the world uses digital form..... as far as the ??? channel... Im stuck no clue! But oh well, Im sure they are just starting points for improved forms of what's is store..... email me at dwritchie@yahoo.com if you want my Wii name and code! Come on lets start a BLUE Flash all over the world! :)
Eric @ Aug 12th 2007 9:41AM
I also have a channel called "???" in my channel management screen. I'm scared to delete it. What is it? Also, the ascetic updates are horrible. Why doesn't the forecast channel show the temp on the button? I can look out the window and tell that's it's sunny, rainy, cloudy! And as mentioned above, how do you get the clock to 24 hour time? Ok, sorry for the rant. It's hot in my apartment and I'm feeling irritable!
Ragnar @ Aug 14th 2007 10:36AM
another addition/change which they FINALLY made is, that you can "backspace" your text with the - (minus, that is) key, you where only able to do that in the browser, but not in any wii text fields but now they changed that...i love it, i have been using wiiconnect24 since day 1 and haven't had any problems with it, but i haven't had the chance to see whether or not the fan turns on (at night or so...whenever the sconsole is OFF
/in STANDBY)
anyay, i think the new changes are mostly great...i don't mind the clock being off center, neither do i mind the newslines going through the button...or the weather image...doesn't matter...