Wii Warm Up: USB me

by David Hinkle { Dec 1st 2007 at 10:30AM }

Aside from charging a Wiimote dock or utilization the limited keyboard support, you might not think the USB ports on the back of that sexy Wii of yours are useful in regards to much else. In this day and age, lots of things can charge or run on USB. Heck, we know we charge our cell phone on USB more often than whipping out the AC adapter and plugging it into an outlet.

Considering that, we wanted to know how you're making use of the Wii's USB ports. If you leave your console in standby, you can charge this or that through your Wii. So, how do you make use of the USB ports?

Tags: dock, standby, usb

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Kerio @ Dec 1st 2007 10:42AM

i charge my ipod when i'm on holiday, but that's it.
i'm going to buy an usb charger for my phone, though

sn1per420 @ Dec 1st 2007 10:59AM

my roommate uses it to charge his ps3 controllers, cause the ps3's ports aren't powered when it's in standby.

Carlos @ Dec 2nd 2007 10:40PM

they're not??? what were they thinking?

Andres @ Dec 1st 2007 11:01AM

You can charge things whit the Wii's USB ports......????

Cool I didn't know that It would be cool if They would let you put music on the Wii tought.......>.>

ChaoticTails @ Dec 26th 2007 6:00PM

You can, use the photo channel...

Shadow31 @ Dec 1st 2007 11:01AM

I just charge my Wiimote when I'm not playing the Wii. I've used a keyboard on it, but it was too much of a pain. I haven't even thought of charging my MP3 player on it, that's a good idea.

epynephrin @ Dec 1st 2007 11:03AM

mine is generally used to charge up the dust it collects.

Good_Bytes @ Dec 1st 2007 11:11AM

I have a feeling it will just as useful as the bottom 3 ports of the game cube.

USB Keybord -> GameBoy adapter to play games on the big screen.
Network adapter -> Network Adapter

Well at least the Wii allows you to recharge stuff, and put a loud USB fan for some reason.

Metal_Link @ Dec 1st 2007 11:12AM

I don't use it at all.

THRILLHO @ Dec 1st 2007 11:15AM

i use them for a usb keyboard that i think works great for sending messages and when i feel like using the browser, and i also charge my AA batteries and my DS lite with them also

Geoff @ Dec 1st 2007 11:25AM

The wired Ethernet adapter is the current official reason for their existence.

wiiluver135 @ Dec 1st 2007 11:52AM

When I get mine, it'll be primarily used for Wired Internet Access, and thew USB Keyboard option, but the other thing is the ability to charge things, I have an iPod I don't really use, but now I'll use it for this ;)

Mr Khan @ Dec 1st 2007 11:53AM

I'm looking for a workable keyboard to plug in there, but retail keyboards seem to be luxury items, they don't sell standard, $20 keyboards anywhere, apparently

Otherwise, yeah, i think it will wind up like the bottom 3 ports on the GC. The Modem adapter, Broadband adapter, and GBA Player (ok, the last is kind of useful)

iofthestorm @ Dec 1st 2007 2:34PM

Here's a keyboard you might like:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126012
I have it myself and it's great, and works fine with my Wii although I only used it once because I bought it for my computer.

Malik @ Dec 1st 2007 11:56AM

I use it for my wireless keyboard.

Apple Keyboards are cheap, cheap, cheap!

AndrewNeo @ Dec 1st 2007 7:23PM

How is $50 a cheap keyboard?

raindog @ Dec 1st 2007 11:58AM

My DS Lite car charger is actually a USB charger with a car adaptor. I didn't realize the Wii's USB ports were powered up during standby, so I'll absolutely start using it to charge my DS.

And I don't know if it was Wal-Mart or BJ's, but this past week while out shopping I saw a wired USB keyboard for $9 and a wireless one with a 30 foot range (and a cheap mouse) for $25. I've been too engrossed with Galaxy to think about the Wii web browser, but I'll probably get the wireless keyboard and start messing with it soon. Anyway, $10-15 wired keyboards can be had almost anywhere that sells computer stuff. Even CompUSA had an $11 one last time I was in there.

Oshio @ Dec 1st 2007 12:00PM

I use mine to charge my ipod, cellphone, and use it for my keyboard. I once connect my external hard drive to it and it turned on but nothing happen. Man if only we can use them to save our VC and other stuff in it. :

sn1per420 @ Dec 1st 2007 12:22PM

Honestly, Nintendo really needs to realize that even if they don't see a need for external storage, a good deal of users (and some devs) do. Also, it doesn't hurt them in any way to add support for external storage.
Hopefully EA can somehow force Ninty to add HDD support as a condition for porting rock band over to the wii....

seetrapp @ Dec 1st 2007 12:49PM

I would settle for something like an SD channel on which you could access your saved VC games.

Alex @ Dec 1st 2007 12:21PM

I used it for my iPod, and I think I'm ashamed of this

Rollin @ Dec 1st 2007 12:26PM

Looks like all the bloggers at Wii Fanboy share a single cell phone. And apparently they all live in the same house/apt, judging by how Hyrule is their collective favorite stage when they play Melee.

This whole "we" business on the Joystiq blogs is really somethin.

Mr Khan @ Dec 1st 2007 6:12PM

It bugs me too, like when JC says "we love Devil's Crush" when everyone knows its just him

Not that i'm particularly adverse to it, just that referring to yourself that way is rather peculiar, like Bob Dole or something

stibbons @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:08AM

Dude, the editorial we is pretty standard practice. I think the fact that most blogs avoid it is more a statement on their quality than the few that do.

Garst @ Dec 1st 2007 1:38PM

I only have a PDA that can be charged through USB, and it's actually nicer to connect to my PC to sync. So, I haven't been missing out by not know you can charge things using the Wii. So making a long story short, my Wii is powering nothing.

CcntMnky @ Dec 1st 2007 1:46PM

If you're going to use a USB port to charge your DS, cell phone, or other Li-Ion battery, you should be aware of what you're doing. A USB port will supply 0.5 Amps, but your wall adapter with a USB connector will supply much more. While you may not notice a difference, this type of battery prefers a higher charging current (see this page: http://power.elecdesign.com/Articles/index.cfm?ArticleID=12215&StyleName=maroon)

For example, I tried to re-charge my dead cell phone using a USB cable, but it wouldn't accept the charge. It worked just find when I used the AC adapter.

4N1M3H34D @ Dec 1st 2007 2:05PM

I'd like to have an external hard drive plugged into it but...

Joseph Elwell @ Dec 1st 2007 2:12PM

I plug a Microphone in for Boogie. I use the same microphone that I used on my PS2 Karaoke Revolution games.

ALH @ Dec 1st 2007 2:29PM

i use mine to power a tiny LED lava lamp so i can have double the pretty colour shows when nintendo send me mail :D

saylorsgang @ Dec 1st 2007 2:31PM

I charge my Wii mote thats eat, aftere losing 2 xbox360's to heat, I worry about my beloved Wii getting to warm.

Jake @ Dec 1st 2007 2:32PM

I charge my xbox controller :)

Thursdae @ Dec 1st 2007 2:32PM

Or my phone of course

Bryan Law @ Dec 1st 2007 2:49PM

I use it for CHARGIN' MAH LAZER! And my Wiimote, of course...

meist3r @ Dec 1st 2007 4:27PM

Got a BigBen Wiimote charger plugged in in one of the ports and the other is vacant since I got the machine.

DammitBran @ Dec 1st 2007 4:55PM

Aren't the USB ports used for the mic in Boogie?

Spekkio @ Dec 1st 2007 6:09PM

I didn't know that the Wii USB ports could charge anything. Or at least it didn't occur to me.

I'd like to see the ports get better use. For example, one can purchase USB adapters for older controllers - it would be nice if the ports could be used for that sort of thing.

desparra @ Dec 1st 2007 7:00PM

#1 USb dust collector in the entire tri-console area*

*Tri-console area consists of PS3, Wii, and PS2

Atlantis1982 @ Dec 1st 2007 8:40PM

It's collecting dust. :>

boxmyth @ Dec 1st 2007 9:00PM

As of today I'll be using them to charge my PS3 controller, since for some reason my Apple USB wall adapter won't charge it (though it charges my 360 controller just fine).

Patius @ Dec 1st 2007 9:41PM

I have a Wi-fi antenna because my Wii is in a bad spot for Wifi access.

Thus, the antenna keeps it online

João Gonçalves @ Dec 1st 2007 10:49PM

I've only used them to try out a keyboard on the Wii so far.

Jeremy @ Dec 1st 2007 11:37PM

Mine are used for nothing at the time. I did have a nifty light plugged in but it burnt out.

TK @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:14AM

Yeah, I use mine to charge my phone. It's good use of a standby USB port.

andrew @ Dec 22nd 2007 1:51AM

think about it, stand-by Usb ports, wificonnect24, this can only mean HardDrive to me........

rnelson1 @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:44AM

I'll be using mine very soon for my ipod and phone seeing as how I just fried half my PC's usb ports with a bad cable... T_T

jsa3mm @ Dec 2nd 2007 2:48AM

I keep my wireless keyboard dongle in one and my lighted stand w/ fan to keep my Wii cooler in the other.

Adrian @ Dec 2nd 2007 4:18AM

Both the USB ports on my Wii are currently stuffed.
1) USB keyboard.
2) LAN adapter.
I never use the keyboard 'cause the cord's too short & you gotta sit on the floor to type. But, the LAN adapter works great. As for charging stuff, I hadn't found a good reason to used the standby connection until now. I mean really, who buys a Wii for news and weather?