Channel Changes for Wii
New firmware update overhauls the Wii Shop and other interface features.
by Rob Burman, IGN UK
UK, August 7, 2007 - Keep an eye on your Wii today as that sexy blue light will be blinking away to indicate there's a new firmware update to download. Time-piece fans can look forward to a nice digital clock for the main menu and some aesthetic changes to the Wii Shop.
If you're keeping count of your firmwares, this one is 3.0 and is available in Europe, Japan and the States right now. While most of the updates are fairly minor, they all help to make the overall Wii experience a little bit smoother and more user-friendly.
Changes include a digital clock on the Wii menu, the Forecast Channel displays the current weather in its little window, message board has a special "Today's Accomplishments" message to show what you've played and address book entries can be moved around with the Wii-mote.
Meanwhile, the Wii Shop has had a sleek makeover, which changes the way Virtual Console games are ordered. A new welcome screen now shows four recommended titles and then once inside the Shop there's a list of popular titles, the ability to search for a game, a genre category and a category that organizes entries by the original publisher.
However, if you've illegally modded your Wii to play import games or copied titles then be warned. Before you update your firmware a message from Nintendo reads: "If your Wii console has an unautorized technical modification, this upgrade could cause inoperability of your console." Looks like Nintendo is clamping down on modders.