If you’re fond of souping up

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your Wii, you might notice something missing in the D2B model. Apparently some of the pins have been cut, preventing the easy install of a mod chip (’course, this is nothing new - such things were reported in 2007). To wit:

…There are two technique for installing a mod chip in these systems, you can simply solder the small stub back onto the pad where it should go. Or you can grind away some of the top of the chip so that you can solder to the wires that are located in the chip.

“Here is how I handle these cut chips without grinding…

* Strip some 30gauge wire and flux it and tin it really well.
* Apply flux to the cut area on the chip.
* Steadily hold the wire vertically so that the wire makes contact with the solder pad on the board and the stub where the leg was cut.
* Apply your iron on the wire pressing it onto the stub/chip.
* Cut extra wire, install mod chip as normal and test.
* Once verified as working apply some hot glue just to make sure nothing moves.”…MORE…

Kinda makes me wish I had paid more attention in shop class (do they even have those nowadays?).

And if you’re looking for some Wii modding resources, check out:

• Wii Hacks
• HackAWii
• Wii Hacks II

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - looking for some nifty Wii mod tools? Enjoy:

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I’m sure you remember the Star Trek

TNG episode in which Wesley is the only person not to be seduced by a game that operates via brain waves?

Well, it’s coming along sooner than you’d think! To wit:

…

The next video game controller you use might be between your ears. A start-up company called Emotiv Systems has developed a helmet-like headset that, it says, lets users control game characters with their thoughts.

The device looks like something used for heavy-duty orthodontics, and it comes with receptors that read activity among the brain’s neurons. The player then teaches the device’s software to associate thought patterns with commands. According to the game news blog Kotaku, which got an early look, players could push and pull an object by willing it so or scare spirits away with a grimace.

Due out this year, Emotiv’s device offers one of the more far-out views of what the future of the gaming industry could look like….MORE….

Now if that isn’t just plain cool, I don’t know what is.

And you can read more at:

• Emotiv Systems Seeking Volunteers for Brain Research
• Emotiv Set To Deploy First Consumer PC Brain Driven Controller
• Brain control gaming from Emotiv
• You need to think in l33t
• Mind controlled games. Coming this year

What do YOU think?

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - current remote control goodies include:

NEW SONY CDX-H905IP MARINE CD MP3 PLAYER +WIRED REMOTE|SPLASH PROOF! iPod CABLE! WIRED & WIRELESS REMOTE INCL

Universal LCD Display Air Conditioner Remote Control|

GARMIN NUVI 855 AUTO GPS US+CANADA 2010 MAPS+LANE+CASE|

NEW DUAL XDMR7710 Car Audio CD MP3 XM Player Receiver|

GARMIN NUVI 855 AUTO GPS US+CANADA 2010 MAPS+LANE+CASE|

Universal LCD Display Air Conditioner Remote Control|

2010 6.95″ Car High-Definition DVD DVB-T GPS Navigator|4GB Memory, Bluetooth, FM, DVD, IPOD Ready, Rev Camera

TomTom GO 930 GPS NAVIGATION SYS US CAN EUR+BAG+MOU​NT|

This story from Kansas

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does my heart good.

….Can a ninety four-year-old do anything a four-year-old can? One local nursing home activities director thought so after she watched her son enjoy the video game Nintendo Wii. They say a group of nursing home residents stay young by playing a game meant for their grandkids.

The activity room at the Ozark Nursing and Care Center is packed when it’s time for Wii. On Tuesday the crowd was tense. All of them hoping Nondis Payne would knock down two final pins. Applause erupts and Payne shouts, “Yes, yes. It’s my first time.”

The bowling competition at the skilled nursing home is fierce. Activities Director Flo Marcus says, “It’s pretty stiff.” She says it can also be fun. Residents all around the room say ‘good job’ as the nearly 94 year-old Elverdia Griffin gets another spare. Marcus says, “Our best is our oldest. She bowls fast and she got a 161.” Griffin has lots of skills but even more modesty when it comes to mastering a video game most likely made for her grandkids. Griffin says, “I’m not good. I thought that I’d never do anything with that game but with a little practice I’ve improved a little.”…MORE….

Love to hear the Wii is having such a positive impact in nursing homes. And if you’d like to know learn more about Wiihabilitation, check out:

• Doctors use Wii games for rehab therapy
• Wii and Wiihab

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - want some cool Wii accessories?

Brand New Remote + Nunchuck Controller for Nintendo Wii|

Nintendo Wii Remote+Nunchuck Game Controller+Skin 4 SET|

Remote Controller Charger + 2 Battery Packs For Wii #31|

Nintendo Wii Remote+Nunchuck Game Controller+Skin 4 SET|

Nintendo Wii Remote+Nunchuck Controller+Skin 4 SET, BLK|

CHARGER STATION+4 x BATTERY FOR WII REMOTE CONTROLLER S|

NEW 2 LIGHT GUN FOR NINTENDO WII REMOTE CONTROLLER GAME|

Nintendo Wii Remote+Nunchuck Game Controller+Skin 4 SET|

This is really cool

the next homebrew that works via the Twilight Princess exploit has been released. It’s Tetris! Check out the video below.

Personally, I want to see Millipede, Cosmic Guerrila and Joust. But should you desire to conquer the world in Tetris, you will probably enjoy:

• Tetris Tips
• Tetris Forums
• Mastering Tetris

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - Want other Tetrisy goodness?

Tetris DS DS NDS Game NEW|

LCT46 Replay Design Tetris The Game T-shirt Size L NDS|

TETRIS - the Original Classic NES Nintendo Game!|

RADICA FLIPTOP TETRIS HANDHELD ELECTRONIC GAME SEALED!|

Tetris Hard Case Cover for Samsung Instinct S30 M810|

NINTENDO NES GAME SYSTEM TETRIS SUPER MARIO 2 NEW 72PIN|

TETRIS EVOLUTION XBOX 360 GAME COMPLETE (played once)|

HOLLYWOOD Burn Thin Cotton Tetris Pattern Leggings-DG|

More and more information

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is coming about what really went into developing WiiFIT. Here’s some snippets that involve the actual developers themselves:

…And so, because your repeated attempts to discuss your ideas with scales manufacturers were going nowhere, you decided to make the accessory yourselves. But then the focus switched from ordinary bathroom scales to an accessory that could even measure your balance, which I imagine was a major turning point for the Wii Fit project. Sawano-san, the hardware planner, mentioned in the last interview that the idea for a machine that could measure balance was inspired by the fact that sumo wrestlers weigh themselves on two scales placed side-by-side. When did you software developers first hit on the idea of implementing balance measuring?…

… I was doing a lot of Internet research when I discovered a Seitai³ therapy method for maintaining good posture that involved the use of two scales. Soon afterwards, I discussed the idea of measuring balance with Miyamoto-san….

I knew by then that ordinary bathroom scales couldn’t offer us anything more than they already did, so I spent a lot of time just thinking about what would make an accessory similar to bathroom scales look new and interesting, and in the process ended up with the concept of measuring balance. Next, as Miyamoto-san talked about in the first part of this series, we tested a program that would calculate the balance of a person standing on two bathroom scales and display the figure as two percentages on-screen. Everybody was really enjoying this test. It was really difficult keeping the balance at 50-50, which would have of course required zen-like concentration to achieve. We decided that this was the ultimate challenge, and we’ve kept it alive in the final version of Wii Fit as an Easter egg….MORE….

Easter eggs? Did someone say, Easter Eggs? Love those things. Here are some Wii Easter Eggs sites:

• Nintendo Wii Easter Eeggs
• Twilight Easter Egg

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

PS - until the WiiFit hits these shores, you can enjoy:

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Now, let me be

the first to say, Guitar Hero and Owlbert are two separate, distinct non-intersecting entities. But hey, that’s me.

Well, if you can’t get enough finger exercise, there’s now Teeny Tiny Guitar Hero! First mentioned by Technabob, it reads:

…. Basic Fun’s pint-sized Guitar Hero Caribiner game offers up a variety of rock tunes from both Guitar Hero I and II, including Smoke on the Water, Rock this Town, Cherry Pie, Killer Queen, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Miserlou, Heart Shaped Box, Message in a Bottle, Jessica, and Surrender. An LCD screen displays the notes required, and you simply tap on the color-coded buttons when you’re ready to jam. There’s even a miniature version of the all-important “whammy bar” so you can give your music some extra finesse….MORE….

I wonder if there’s some Barry Manilow tunes?

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - some cool Guitar Hero goodies include:

Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Kit (Guitar+Game)Xb​ox 360|

GUITAR HERO PLAYSTATION 3 GAMES - LOT OF 3 |

Guitar Hero World Tour Replacement Orange Drum Cymbal |*******BRAND NEW***********​***PS3**XBOX 360***WII***

GUITAR HERO DA BOMB PATCH BRAND NEW Licensed Rock Legen|

NEW Guitar Hero World Tour GH4 Drum Yellow Cymbal Left|

Guitar Hero World Tour Drum FOOT PEDAL Wii Xbox 360 PS3|

Faceplate Skin for Guitar Hero World Tour Nintendo Wii|

PS2 PS3 Official Guitar Hero 5 Band Hero Guitar Only|

Guitar Hero 5 (Complete Guitar Game) (Playstation 3…|

Brain wave interfaces!

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It’s the latest in the technological developments of virtual gaming. To wit:

…The breakaway success of Nintendo’s Wii and games like Guitar Hero has game developers exploring new interfaces and inputs that incorporate full body motion, balance - and even thoughts.

A new generation of peripherals - including brain-activated headsets, 3-D cameras and a balance board from Nintendo - offer the potential to create new gaming experiences while broadening the industry’s appeal to mainstream consumers.

Many of the latest offerings will be on display this week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, the largest industry-focused gathering for game professionals….

…In that vein, San Francisco’s Emotiv is expected to announce a new headset Tuesday that measures brain activity and turns it into game play. The headset, which features 16 sensors, allows players to levitate and turn objects and make them disappear. The headset is expected to go on sale this year bundled with a game, but can also be made to work with existing PC titles.

Users “train” the headset by leading it through a series of exercises. As it understands how you think about manipulating an object or executing a move, it remembers those brain wave patterns and allows you to call upon the same thoughts in the game….MORE….

Sounds great to me! And if you’d like to see what the 2008 Game Developers Conference has in store for you, check out:

• 2008 Game Developers Program Guide

• 2008 Game Developers Events Guide
• 2008 Game Developers Exhibitors

Something not to be missed, indeed.

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - want some great game programming resources?

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So! You’ve heard about Wiis

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and you want a Wii and you crave a Wii and yet….you just can’t find the darn Wii!

But not to fear! Thanks to Tekeeze, there are several tricks you can use to better your chances. To wit:

…

Use a Wii tracker. Websites like WiiTracker, Outastock, and Weebly track inventories at hundreds of retailers, such as Circuit City, WalMart, and Dell, and post notices as soon as new Nintendo Wiis become available at any of them.

Get cozy with store owners. Once they trust you, they’ll tell you when new shipments are expected in. I suggest subtle flattery, and bribes if you’re feeling confident. Also, check out smaller, less popular stores. There’s a lot more competition to find a Wii at Wal-Mart than at Randy’s Video Game Shack….MORE….

I’d also like to add, you can post at your local Freecycle.org in the off-chance your millionaire neighbors are cleaning their house and want to reduce their clutter.

And don’t forget the Wii Finder Widget! Add it to your MacOS dashboard.

Want some reviews?


Family Party 30 Great Games Winter Games

Feature: … All time favorite winter sports includes snowboarding, skiing, skating and hockey; Classic winter playground games such as tubing, snowball fighting, and ice races; Winter mini games included; Medal based reward system for friendly competition; Play solo or in 4 player competition action …more
Customer Reviews — Rating: 4 Date: 2010-03-02 Summary: Tricky at first, then lots of fun! … Just in time for the Winter Olympics, I was able to play along as I played to Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun. I admit, first I was disappointed because I couldn’t use my Wii Balance Board to play, but it didn’t matter. The games were still fun and I loved how there are so many to games to choose from. I actually haven’t been able to play all 30 games yet but I have played a decent amount already. There are competition games and playground snow activities, and I love that you can have four players playing at …more
Editorial Reviews — … Product Description | The greatest value in family entertainment returns for the third time. Family Party 30 Great Games Winter Fun has 30 brand new games with a winter theme, offering hours of extreme winter sports competition and snow play for up to 4 players. Indulge in winter wonderland surroundings from the comfort of home.…more

Hooked Again Fishing Bundle

Feature: … Transform your Wii Remote and Nunchuk into a full form fishing rod; Custom designed fishing rod and reel controller along with Hooked Again offers unparalleled realism - realistic casting, reeling and hook setting action; Wii MotionPlus Compatible; Bundle includes Fishing Rod & Game; Compatible with Wii Motion Plus …more
Customer Reviews — [1] Rating: 5 Date: 2010-02-01 Summary: Christmas gift … I bought this from my grandson for Christmas. He and his dad have a great time playing. …more
[2] Rating: 4 Date: 2010-01-12 Summary: Fun game … This is one of the most fun fishing games I have played on any game console. The fishing rod doesn’t work but it is fine to play with the regular controller. Unlike other fishing games, this one allows you to work the lure. Also as weather conditions change throughout the fishing day, you have to change your color/lure. …more
Editorial Reviews — … Product Description | Cast your line and set your hook for fishing fun with the Hooked! Again Fishing Bundle includes Hooked! Again and Fishing Rod Attachment. Universally created for yoru Nintendo Wii and compatible fishing game software. Enjoy great fishing action without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. The fully functional rod and rotating reel simulates a natural fishing experience. Dont let the big one get away!…more

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - and of course, don’t forget about:

Just posted

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on YouTube! Team Twiizers has managed a Hello World display using the exploit available of Zelda. Briefly in a nutshell:

“Once the Wii decrypts the save game, it checks its signature. Every Wii has its own private key which is used to sign save games, and when you save a game, the Wii actually saves three bits of data:

• The encrypted save game
• The signature for the save game (using your console’s private key)
• A copy of your console’s public key, signed by Nintendo.”

Check it out below:

And if you’re just learning about Zelda and the exploit, here are 2 great resources for you:

• Zelda Exploit - Run Unsigned Code w/o Modchip
• HomeBrew Wii Zelda Exploit

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - here are some cool Zelda goodies:

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I confess

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I just can’t get enough of WiiFIT especially after seeing the parody video. But I digress.

The president of Nitendo, Satoru Iwana, talked about his views of the WII Fit and ideas for the future. Utterly fascinating it is, too; here’s a snippet of the transcript:

…Sumo wrestlers are so heavy that when they weigh themselves, they need to step onto two scales laid side by side. I started thinking about this, and thought that it could be really interesting. So I told Yamazaki-san to bring me two scales that can transfer data to a computer, and we immediately started working on a prototype…

…Miyamoto-san had only told me that the idea for measuring balance came from laying two bathroom scales side by side, so I didn’t know about the sumo wrestlers at all. What a surprise! So, you began researching balance measurement next. …

…Which is all very well for bathroom scales, but useless for a game accessory. (laughs) After all, video games process 60 images a second. A game accessory that could send out signals only 4 or 5 times a second would make the controls feel sluggish, and it would be impossible to develop games operated by shifting your balance.…MORE….

Can’t wait for it to hit the US shores! And if you have one, let me know how much you like it.

Oh, and want to network with fellow WiiERs?

• Wii Users.net
• Wii Chat
• Wii Healthy Forum

ThankYouVeryMuch!

Owlbert

ps - need a great Wii console too?