Looks like Nintendo, while a bit slow to react, is taking the classy way out of their flimsy Wii strap fiasco.

After staying mum on the issue since launch, the publisher finally admitted they had an issue to the Associated Press and then announced that they are replacing Wii straps for those who would like the peace of mind of knowing that when they play Wii Sports they won't be caving in the front of their $3,000 plasma screen.

The AP reports that the company announced today that they are "recalling" 3.2 million straps for the Wii.

According to the Nintendo site, if you have an original version of the strap you need to complete a form. Once the replacement strap has shipped you will receive an email from the company. They say on the site they expect to start shipping the straps by Dec. 21 and it will take five to nine days for delivery.

I'd love to take credit for this, but since the announcement came about an hour after my call for free replacements, I suspect it was already in the works.

Once more major kudos to Nintendo for handling this properly. I think everyone could learn from how they deal with hardware issues. Brian Crecente

Strap Replacement Form

Wii Remote Wrist Strap Replacement Request Form

Nintendo is offering to replace the original version of the wrist straps for the Wii Remote with a newer version. Because Wii consoles shipped starting in early December already utilized the newer version of the strap, you will need to determine which version of the strap you have before ordering a replacement. To view the difference between the original and the new version of the strap, please click here.

If you have an original version of the strap, please complete the form below to get a replacement (also, to ensure you continue to have a fun & safe experience, please read our Safety Information for Playing Wii by clicking here).

Once your replacement wrist strap has shipped, you will receive a confirmation email from Nintendo. We expect to begin shipping replacement straps around December 21st. It will take 5 to 9 days for delivery depending on your location. Please do not contact Nintendo regarding your replacement wrist strap until after that time period has passed.

We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your interest in our products.

Reg Hardware reports that nearly half of those sold in the first 12 hours after launch. I suspect that as with the PS3 both here and abroad, the Wii's sales were only hampered by supply. Brian Crecente

We've been getting lots of emails from around Europe with people sending in photos and their impressions of the Wii launch. If you have any of your own, please send them in, especially if you got pictures!

From Germany, Kotakuite, paxil, tells of the Wii goings on in Cologne.

The pictures were taken at the official release party at a Toys 'R' Us store in Cologne. They actually had around 400 units (!) for sale with 100 of them already pre-ordered. They told me they had that many because all other German Toys 'R' Us stores had to give a certain amount of their units to the one in Cologne. To be honest the 'main event' kind of sucked. They had a boring show with some wannabe celebrities ... but who cares. I got a Wii!

I want to know who these "wannabe celebrities" were. Kevin Federline? David Spade? Kathy Griffin? Anyone else care to venture any guesses? Flynn De Marco

Filed under news that really doesn't surprise anyone, the Wii is off to a great start in the UK, where Nintendo is reporting more than 50,000 consoles were sold in the first 12 hours since the midnight launches began. I've a feeling that number would be a lot higher had there been more systems available. Nintendo, needless to say, is overjoyed:

Said Nintendo UK general manager David Yarnton, "We are delighted with the amazing response to Wii and that people of all ages and gaming experience are embracing the way that we are turning the industry on its head. With so many units sold it is great to see that people will be enjoying Wii with their families this Christmas.

Wii Reaches 50,000 Sold In UK Launch [Gamasutra]

Even if they don't get the system, four of them got sweet limited edition Wii watches. Man, why can't I wait in line in the bitter cold for days and nights and get a Nintendo watch? It's just not fair! Michael McWhertor

Wii Mania Begins in London [IGN]

Poor Ashcraft, our man in Osaka, stayed up all night, presumably keeping himself warm wrapped in a Burberry blanket, waiting for the Wii to launch in Japan. Now resting at home with the family, Wii and copy of Wii Sports in hand, he's ready for some sleep.

Check out the roundup of our Wii launch coverage on Nintendo's home turf and ask yourself "Why the HELL didn't Ashcraft pick up a copy of Wario Ware Smooth Moves?" Oh, right. He's on allowance.

• Last Minute Info
• And So, It Starts
• "We Only Have a Few Hundred"
• Not Homeless Winos, But Elderly Gamers
• People Come, Sun Sets
• Check Those Aisles
• Upstairs We Go
• Where The Old Dudes Meet
• Waiting In A Parking Garage
• Leaving And Returning
• Almost Home
• The GETs And The GET-NOTS

Chicago's NBC 5 reports that the Better Business Bureau is now "challenging" Toys R Us on it's apparent practice of forcing bundles on people who come in to buy a Wii.

We first reported on the Toys R Us Wii bundle scam back on xxx, in a broadcast story today, a spokeswoman for the toy retailer said that the issue was not one of false advertising, but rather a "misunderstanding."

She said consumers like the Achims should have been able to buy the Wii at that advertised price, despite what they were told inside stores.

The spokeswoman added that consumers who were screwed by stores will get the advertised price straight away, though she doesn't point out how that will happen.

The station's report goes on to quote a bunch of angry consumers and even points out that bloggers are irrate. Specifically bloggers on Kotaku. That's right, the video actually shows our site. Sweet, huh? Brian Crecente

Target 5: Toys 'R' Us Accused Of 'Bait-And-Switch' [NBC5, thanks BeeJay]

In addition to racking up lots of monies with their profitable Gamecube Turbo, Nintendo is also very proud of themselves for selling over 454,000 copies of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. (I assume this game is very good. Since I don't have a Wii to play my copy on, I wouldn't know, would I?)

Hit the jump for the full back-slapping, rubbing-it-in-my-face press release, while I slink off to hug my unopened Wii-mote, then write an angry letter to Reggie. Michael McWhertor

WII IS A MASSIVE HIT

600,000 First-Week Purchases Attracting Veteran and New Gamers

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 27, 2006 - Built on a foundation of pure fun, Nintendo's new Wii video game availability. That's a rate of nearly one per second continuously since the Nov. 19 launch. Including just first-party software and accessory sales, Wii instantly has become a $190 million business in the Americas.

During the Thanksgiving holiday shopping weekend, there was plenty of conversation across the nation about the high demand for the Wii system, with the acknowledgment that if you see one, you'd better buy it.

"Even with sales already in excess of 600,000 units, demand continues to exceed supply, as it's clear this is one of the 'gotta-have' products for the holiday season," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "We've shipped retailers several times the amount of hardware the other company was able to deliver for its launch around the same time - and we still sold out. Given the inclusive nature of Wii game play, we're seeing this new form of video gaming is already a huge hit with gamers and newcomers alike. It continues to be a phenomenal launch."

The system also is succeeding in its stated mission of reinvigorating current players, while attracting new ones. Every Wii system includes the five-game Wii Sports software, which is the talk of the Internet, featuring countless reports on how previously devout non-gamers have suddenly been converted via the amazing new way games are experienced using the system's remarkable controller. At the same time, the masterful The Legend of Zelda : Twilight Princess, a favorite of avid gamers, already has achieved sales of more than 454,000 units in the Americas, representing more than 75 percent of all hardware purchasers.

Licensees, pleased not only with the sales performance of the Wii, but also its creative development capabilities, are publicly sharing their comments:

"Madden NFL 07 is a great example of how the Wii gives players a whole new experience on their favorite games," says EA Studio President Paul Lee. "EA's creative teams are working to build more Wii features into some of our most popular franchises."

"The creativity we've been able to unleash on the Wii system with our game Red Steel has been eye-opening for our development teams," explains Ubisoft President Laurent Detoc. "Having the opportunity to design and develop entirely new game-play experiences using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk is both exciting and rewarding."

Classic games also are proving to be a hit on Wii, which offers downloadable access to 20 years of the best of Nintendo , Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx16 hits via the system's Virtual Console feature.

The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii , Nintendo DS , Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 387 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario , Donkey Kong , Metroid , Zelda and Pok mon . A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Their "research" concludes that the actual Playstation 3 launch numbers were in the range of 125,000 to 175,000 and that includes the 15,000 or so being used for kiosks. No wonder people were shooting each other for the console.

If correct, its about half what McNealy though the company would get into stores for the console's launch.

On the Wii side of things, McNealy thinks Nintendo managed to get 425,000 to 475,000 out the door for their launch and expects the company to ship 1.5 to 2 million of the consoles to North American stores by the end of the year.

So far neither Sony nor Nintendo have released hard numbers for their consoles, though I suspect at least one to talk numbers for the upcoming long weekend. Brian Crecente

Yesterday our Consumerist bros reported on a foul little bait-and-switch FYE pulled on their Wii customers during launch.

Last night a reader wrote to us to point out that FYE isn't the only retailer bending their customers over to make a Wii extra money.

Yes, I saw the FYE bait and switch video. ToysRus pulled a quick one on us too. After waiting 5 hours in line for my preorder, I found out on launch day that I was required to buy one game and a 25 dollar warranty. The lady in front of me calmly negotiated with the clerk but was promptly rejected. No information about this requirement was made.

If I recall, Best Buy tried this shit with the Xbox 360 and had their collective asses handed to them by a collective of angry Attorney Generals. Let's hope Toys R Us gets introduced to this legal daisy chain too.

Reader Ed K. has succeeded in making me seethe with jealousy over his haul of swag from the Times Square Toys R Us and Nintendo World Store's Wii launches. I'm particularly eyeing those Mario and Yoshi plushes and the Wii beanie (Please, no Wii-nie jokes or I will be forced to kill). My only solace comes from the fact that he didn't get the sweet Reggie T-shirt. The "Wii <3 You" seat cushion was not provided by Nintendo, but by an outside group of funsters trying to make things easier for the weary crowds. They also passed out cookies and coffee enclosed in the snazzy "Wii <3 You" coffee cup holder.

Every time I hear one of these stories it really warms my heart... and really makes me glad my pre-order line only had 12 people in it.

Kotakuite Howard L. wrote in about his harrowing "Zelda-like quest" throughout the greater Atlanta area to find the elusive Wii Nunchuk Controller. His journey took him to 2 Targets, 1 Wal-Mart, 2 Best Buys, The Fry's in Duluth, 1 Circuit City, and a Comp-USA where Wii-motes were plentiful, but nary a Nunchuk was to be found. During his 7 store trek, he inquired about the availability issue and was told by various employees that very few nunchuks were actually shipped. It seems that they averaged about 1 Nunchuk for every 3 Wii-motes. Finally, at a Best Buy in Duluth, GA. he found one that was being returned to the shelves by an employee.

Hopefully, this isn't indicative of a wider spread problem. Nintendo did an amazing job getting so many consoles in to so many hands but it seems like they may have skimped on the nunchuks. Has anybody else experienced this same issue in their area? Flynn De Marco

Only two emails have made their way into Kotaku central so far of dead Wii.

In the first report, the reader says that the system worked sporadically for an hour and then he started getting disc read errors. Now his Wii read games about five percent of the time.

The second reader's Wii went belly-up in the middle of his network set-up.

After the long hard months of waiting for my wii, was able to get one at target this morning. I get home, set it up, power it on and go through the initial setup. I decide to configure the online settings next, click the first connection profile, and it shuts off. Dead. I try reseating everything, but it's dead. Trying to call nintendo service, but all lines are busy, they won't even let you wait for an operator. Called Target, but of course they don't have any more.

At least that last story has a happy ending. The tipster wrote back a few hours later to say he was able to get through to Nintendo and they are sending him both a new Wii and a free power supply. I assume an extra. Both should be there in three to four days. Brian Crecente

My friend Mike in New Haven, Conn. is a gamer. Not a hardcore gamer, but he's definitely done his share of gaming and console buying over the years. he loves his DS, but since the arrival of his 7 month old son, Paul, he doesn't have time for midnight launch madness or waiting around in the cold all night for the newest console. He was, however, very interested in getting a Wii. Since he had Paul last night, he decided to wait until this morning to see if he could actually acquire one. So, He made his way to the local target around 8am.

Upon arriving, he was greeted with the scene that is so familiar at this point, a huge line of people. There were about 60 people in line and as he walked up, he was informed that there were only 60 Wiis and that they had just given out all the claim tickets. It looked like it was going to be a day of running around with an infant trying to find his system. A daunting task, certainly. So, imagine his surprise when a gentleman approached him as he was leaving.

I had just gotten the car door open for Paul when this guy approached. I have to admit I was a bit dubious of his motives but the whole line was standing there watching. He said he had an extra ticket, and I was thinking he wanted to make money off of me and I said, "You're serious? Do you want something for this?" He just said no, that he saw me with the baby and he had an extra he was going to sell on eBay.

He had camped out with his sister since 11 pm to buy a Wii for his 8 y/o son for Christmas. He had never even heard of the Wii until two days ago. He said he was going to buy his son a PSP, but then the boy said he wanted a Wii instead. Then he walks to his car to get the extra ticket and comes back and hands me the ticket and I take my place next to him in line, feeling a little odd about cutting, but thrilled because I had my Wii!

It's so nice to hear stories of things like this happening with the Nintendo launch. It really gives one hope for the future. Flynn De Marco

Nintendo held their Los Angeles based midnight launch at Universal Citywalk, which, on a Saturday night, is already filled to near capacity. Add an extra thousand gamers and you get a maddening crowd.

After $20 worth of "preferred" parking, we made the journey through the thick soup of teenagers and families to the far end of the strip. Basking in the tacky neon glow illuminating everything around us, I finally see the sign: EBgames! I'd never been so thrilled to see one.

After witnessing what looked like a surprisingly short (and sparse) line, we learned that the line had been split up into segments, wrapping around the Hard Rock Cafe and far beyond. With gamers stacked several hundred deep, I knew there was no way I'd sneak my way into nabbing a last minute Wii for myself.

The line had started to form early Friday for Saturday night's Wii launch. Staying cool in nothing but red overalls, Jonathan Mann was first in line. He was going to have his Wii handed to him by Nitnendo's very own George Harrison at 12:01.

To keep the Wii faithful entertained while waiting in line—despite the fact the virtually everyone was armed with a DS or DS lite—Nintendo had off-road Segways with widescreen monitors cruising through the crowd.

For line gawkers and passersby, about a dozen Wii demo stations (as well as a handful of DS kiosks) were installed. Gamers lined up to play Excite Truck, Wii Sports, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Red Steel. Hundreds of onlookers got their first exposure to the Wii that night and the buzz seemed positive.

The night kicked off with an interview with Nintendo's George Harrison, who was as excited about the Wii launch as a Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications is allowed to get. In addition to thrilling executive interviews, the crowd was also kept entertained by DJ Rap and the acrobatic group Antigravity. (We were kept entertained by the Rum Runners and Pink Sunsets from the Hard Rock.)

As midnight approached, dozens of Wii retail boxes were pulled from the stock room and stacked on the now empty EBgames register countertops. Following a rousing DJ Rap lead countdown, Mr. Mann entered the store at 12:01 AM.

After picking up his Wii, he read his Nintendo themed poem (seriously) to the gathered media. The first Wii owner exited, booty held aloft, and the patient crowd was allowed entrance. Media were quickly booted out to give the staff some breathing room.

Having engaged in midnight launches myself, I knew that the last person in line wouldn't receive his or her Wii until very, very late that night.

Sleepy from our night of heavy Mexican food, overly sweet adult beverages, we headed back to the lot. Sans pre-order and spot in line, we then set off to find our own Wii. Will we find one? Michael McWhertor

Since I didn't have time before my EB launch to go by Target, I put the Wii under lock and key in the car and trekked over to the Target parking lot. Can you believe my restraint? Trust me, my first instinct was to jump in the car and jam down on the gas, squealing wheels out of the parking lot as I laughed maniacally all the way home.

The line at Target was a bit smaller and apparently had started much later than the Best Buy line. The fellow in the front of the line (I didn't get his name, but I did get his picture) said he had arrived around 10pm. The others waiting all seemed to have come there in the last 45 minutes or so before I got there. I was cautious about letting then know I had my Wii in the car. I didn't want to start a riot of PS3 proportions, although I could tell by the attitudes of the people there that this wouldn't have been a problem.

Again, everyone was happy, in a good mood AND most of them had heard of Kotaku and were more than willing to pose for pictures. As with Best Buy, only a few were actually purchasing Wii's, with the rest there to keep their friends company. An admirable quality in these crazy days of launch shootings and muggings.

By this time, I just couldn't contain myself any longer. I had to get home and finally experience the Wii for myself... and I did. And it was awesome. Flynn De Marco

While waiting for my midnight launch last night, I strolled over to the Best Buy to find a line of about 20-30 people. I approached cautiously. Much like wild animals, gamers can be a bit skittish, especially after launches like last weeks'.

I spoke with the first guy in line to try and get an idea of how long the line had been forming. The lucky first place in line was taken by a guy named Jay (pictured) who said he arrived around 5pm. I was surprised considering I had heard of other folks in other places lining up as early as 9a.m. Everyone was laughing and excited and playing their DS's. I went down the line inquiring about who was keeping and who was selling. The vote was unanimous, "We're keeping them!", they all insisted. Several were actually incredulous that someone would even consider selling them. I was thrilled that most of them had actually heard of Kotaku, breaking the Fahey tradition of meeting non-believers.

As I got towards the back of the line a found a group of guys involved in a game of Risk. I asked around and it turned out only 3 or four of them were actually purchasing. The rest were just there for moral support of their friends and, I suspect, to be able to be there when said friend opened the box in the morning.

Once again, another story of a calm and friendly Wii launch line. Flynn De Marco

Best Buy had six people waiting out front in tents by about noon. The line leader had a cool sign up that had written on it: Wii Wii are not waiting for the PS3.

The guys hanging out front were a laid-back, friendly bunch. They said they realized they probably didn't need to wait in line over night to get their Wii, but that they wanted to. It was an experience.

Inside the store the gaming section was hopping with people mostly checking out the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and older gear. While the Wii kiosk was mostly lonely, a few people stopped to look at the looped video.

Circuit City was just sad. An empty parking lot with a sign that read "The line starts here" You wish the line starts there Circuit City. Brian Crecente

Several people approach me, asking if I am planning on camping for the Wii. They've got a list set up. So far they have some 40 people in line, with a total of 102 consoles available. They figure some more folks might show up after the Toys R' Us midnight launch is over, though considering the toy store had 170 Wii's on hand that isn't likely.

I start telling them about the PlayStation launch here two days ago. About Dave, whose car was broken into. "So me and the guy chase off the thieves, and...wait, there he is!"

Yes, it's Dave, the victim of the car break-in the other night, his tent pitched at the very front of the line. He got his car window repaired yesterday, in time to get in line this morning at around 7AM. He's gone from victim to holder of the mystical list of power, containing the numbered names of each person in line. We really need to come up with some official title for the list holder for console and major game launches. Line King or something. We could even get a baboon to present him atop a rocky promontory. It would be magical.

As I catch up with our hero, a Best Buy employee comes out, carrying a large Wii preorder countdown poster. The kind with the digital clock embedded. "Anyone want a sign? It's useless to us. The countdown ends at midnight, and we don't sell the system till 9am." I take the poster, displaying it proudly for several minutes before I get bored and hand it off to someone else - but wait...what's that black box on the back?

What follows is some serious MacGyver shit. Someone calls out for paper clips and a shoelace. I order someone to chew a stick of gum and give me the wrapper. We don't need any of these things, but it's much more exciting than simply fiddling with the buttons and the circuit board. We discover the clock is actually set to countdown to the New Year. We set the internal time to 10 and a half hours before January 1st, 2007, and booya! We have a working countdown clock.

Soon after that I have to leave for my own launch at GameStop, of which you will hear much more of once I've gotten several hours of much-needed sleep, but after I'm done I stop by to check on the Best Buy line one last time.

People are tossing around a frisbee. Someone stops over on their way home from the Toys R' Us launch to sell their extra Wii to a camper for $10 above cost. We're still trying to figure that one out. There's a guy in a tuxedo wandering around, apparently having just come from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

From the pose, I suspect he might secretly be a superhero.

As many of you expected, the Wii launch is a much more lighthearted affair than the PS3's was. Perhaps it's because most of the people in line actually want to play the system rather than sell it. A group of people united by a shared passion is just a lot more fun than a group of people driven by potential profit. It's the difference between work and play.

I am going to miss these launches. Part of me wishes there was one every month. The other part of me is going to bed now. Michael Fahey

I chat with the kids for a little bit. They are awed when I tell them I had a PS3. They're both really overjoyed to be camping for the Wii. It's as if all the excitement from the Sony launch had been compressed into these two little guys.

I walk into the store to pick up a system selector for my new consoles. The boys, leaving their parents to hold down the line, follow me in. "Hey, do you play World of Warcraft?"

"Yep! Got a 60 rogue and a 60 mage."

One looks to the other. "I told you! He's hardcore!" You heard it here first folks. I am hardcore. Michael Fahey

So, I made it back safe, sound and without incident from my midnight Wii launch. I've set the Wii up, done the software updates and created my first Mii. Now, while my roommate is making his Mii I'm going to take some time to jot down what happened.

We arrived around 11:30 and roamed around a bit until they opened the doors and let everyone in around 11:45. We were immediately greeted by a female employee dressed as Link which really set the tone. The mood was upbeat and friendly as everyone was very excited to get their Wii's. There were about 15 people there who had pre-ordered and some of their friends. There were a couple people playing Excite Truck and a few people checking out the PS3. It was very organized and calm with people waiting their turns and being very nice to each other, Apparently, several of the store's employees had friends pre-order their Wii's for them and oddly enough, none of them were there. Still, a good time was had by all and as soon as they made their purchases, everyone was off into the night to go play at their respective homes.

Now it's back to the Wii for me to check out Zelda, Trauma Center, Wii Sports and Raving Rabbids. Flynn De Marco

I'm in the middle of a second update that is for Channels and the Wii console, according to the download message.

Check back in a bit for some video of Wii Weather and News if I can get them to work.

"Yup it seems the Wii is already in the display I wonder if I could have bought one earlier like the DS incident in Wal-Mart."

He WONDERS if he could have gotten one early? Good God, man, you didn't ask? You didn't pull your credit card out, slam it on the counter and say "I'll take that Wii!" ? For shame! Flynn De Marco

I've totally caught launch weekend fever! Nothing like waiting in sitting on a cold sidewalk in below freezing temperatures for a good 6-8 hours to bring out the 101 temperature in a man. I've been shot at (with fruit punch!), pulled over by the police (broken tail light), witness to attempted theft, and threatened by a mountain woman who thought I might be a line crasher. And now I'm sick. Huzzah!

My head is throbbing, my body aches, and I would love nothing more than to have a nice little lie down right about now, but I've got places to be tonight, and Wiis to play with, so I soldier on for you folks, because I love you.

If I die, it's all your fault. Michael Fahey

From his post on NeoGAF:

My friend and i went to a local Sears this morning in hopes to buy a ps3. though the Sears turned out to only have 2 in stock. but for some reason they were telling us that the Wii was on sale. it was weird, so they had 6 Wiis in stock, my friend and i of course bought one! along w/ 4 other ppl that was there w/ us.

What a lucky break. This certainly wasn't going on at the Sears I visited today.

And, no, this doesn't mean you can storm your local shop and demand that they sell you one, just because a couple systems slipped under the radar, sadly. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Michael McWhertor

I Got a Wii on the Ps3 Launch date!!!! [NeoGAF]

In New York City, Nintendo will hold a midnight launch event at the Times Square Toys "R" Us, with Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime selling off the first Wii at 12:01 AM. If you're one of the Nintendo faithful, you'll be treated to "interactive game play while waiting in line" and "live entertainment including acrobats and performances by DJ Ravidrums". The festivities, but certainly not the line, begin at 8 PM.

In the Los Angeles area, the GameStop at Universal CityWalk will see a similar event, but with unspecified Nintendo "guests", an unspecified DJ, and you guessed it, acrobats. Gamers LOVE the acrobats.

I'll be at the LA area event, taking in the madness, hopefully scoring a Wii (but not holding my breath). See you there! Michael McWhertor

Looks like some of the promised functionality of the Nintendo Wii (and we're not talking about the DVD playback stuff) won't make it for Sunday's launch. According to the release Nintendo issued today, the Forecast Channel and Wii News won't be available until December and January respectively.

On Dec. 20, Nintendo will roll out the Forecast Channel. Users will be able to access free local weather information, which is continually updated. Users can access worldwide weather information by browsing a 3-D globe. Weather information will be supplied by Weathernews.

Then on Jan. 27, the Wii Menu News Channel will make headlines with the latest news from around the world provided by the Associated Press.

Now where will I get my news and weather? Oh, right, the Web! On the bright side, I'll have more time to recreate my entire wardrobe on various Mii's. Fabuloussssss! Michael McWhertor

Nintendo's Wii: A Gateway to New Experiences

Amazon plans to start selling the Wii Sunday morning, for those of you who don't feel like like-sitting, or missed out at the store.

The Nintendo Wii will be available for purchase on Amazon.com on 11/19, Sunday morning (PST). We will be limiting purchases to one per household and we anticipate that we will sell through our inventory very quickly as we've received 100 times more Wii email sign-ups than consoles we'll have available for sale (i.e., for every Nintendo Wii we'll have for sale, over 100 people have signed up to be notified).

We expect to receive periodic shipments of the Wii from Nintendo throughout the holidays and we will post availability updates on the product detail page as well as in the customer discussions on the Nintendo Wii product page:

Cyber-squatting, sure beats the alternative. Brian Crecente

Amazon Wii [Amazon]

Man, there don't look like there are a whole lotta Wii's behind that grumpy UPS man as he hands over the first box to the Atlanta Best Buy guy. At least the guy cheered up when he saw what was inside that box. Brian Crecente