Today's hottest game video: Wii forecast channel
What's the Wii weather forecast? Chili today, hot tamale! HO HO HO!
Sorry, that's stuck in our head from some really flimsy joke book we read during our childhood. Apparently the joke doesn't really hold up, but it's about the only weather-related joke we've got at the moment. Today's hottest video covers the newly released Wii Forecast channel now gracing screens everywhere. If Nintendo would just release a Murder, She Wrote and a Matlock channel, they could really market this thing to seniors everywhere.
Check out the video after the jump, and then look up the Wii-nter weather on a console near you.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mo @ Dec 20th 2006 12:05AM
the forecast channel is so friggib uslesssssssssss
i love wii but comonn weather........ argggg
Komrade Kayce @ Dec 20th 2006 12:08AM
I disagree. If they put as much effort into the news channel as they did into the weather channel (not content, effort. Obviously the news channel will need some hefty content), they make for some pretty sweet 'freebies' in the system.
I spent a good 15 minutes just grabbing and spinning the virtual globe as fast as I could, lol.
Mr. Cox @ Dec 20th 2006 12:14AM
Actually I find the Forecast Channel quite useful. I turn on the TV for weather, but wait through a bunch of fucking news that I don't care for to get, if I even get it before I have to leave.
Forecast Channel on the wii = faster than looking it up online, so there ya go. My new best friend.
vc @ Dec 20th 2006 12:15AM
So this is how Nintendo's "pure" gaming vision is translated to the Wii? How does knowledge of the weather enhance "gaming fun."
Nintendo should have invested more in strap quality and less in superfluous add-ons that do nothing for the game experience.
Nicholas Sulikowski @ Dec 20th 2006 12:19AM
It's stupid gamers' own fault their straps broke. You don't swing so hard like you're trying to kill the ball.
Linkakami @ Dec 20th 2006 12:21AM
It was okay and cool to see a real system update, but I was dissapointed how the temperature wasn't constantly updated like..every hour or so, and how my Wii didn't realize it was night time.
I doubt I'll use it, but spinning the globe is always fun. Kinda reminds me of the Star screen in Katamari.
Kevin @ Dec 20th 2006 12:23AM
Uhm if your fingers are that fat that they sweat constantly so a plastic object slips out of it or if you're that reckless to throw it at 60 MPH then you deserve to have it snap or your tv break.
Frank Tinsley @ Dec 20th 2006 12:25AM
My favorite part about the Forecast Channel is the way only Japan gets cute weather icons and the rest of the world gets realistic ones. So typical I almost saw it coming.
Matt Rix @ Dec 20th 2006 12:26AM
@4 - No offense, but thicker straps do nothing for the game experience either. And do you really think that the money they spent developing the forecast channel affects the quality of the straps? Ugh.
If you've read anything about the Wii, you know that they're going for the "Always On" WiiConnect24 approach. They don't JUST want it to be a gaming console, they want it to be a handy device that the whole family can use. That's why there's the "Wii Message Board" and the channels.
Anyway, I also played around with the Forecast channel just spinning the globe for around 15 minutes... I wish they had all the high-res satellite stuff that Google Earth does... Then it would be truly awesome, but even now it's really fun.
vc @ Dec 20th 2006 12:32AM
"They don't JUST want it to be a gaming console"
Really? It's too easy to find Nintendo exec quotes saying that this is precisely what they're trying to do, while Sony and MS put together the "everything box," a strategy that Nintendo execs disparage.
What's up with that? They're talking out both sides of their face.
Ritz @ Dec 20th 2006 12:51AM
Vlad.
"So this is how Nintendo's "pure" gaming vision is translated to the Wii? How does knowledge of the weather enhance "gaming fun."
You forgot a ? mark. Anyways, it doesn't. Nintendo isn't going for a "pure" gaming vision. They have never said they would with Wii. It does enhance functionality and interest for adults, however.
"Nintendo should have invested more in strap quality and less in superfluous add-ons that do nothing for the game experience."
You're intelligent enough to know that software engineering/planning and something like determining an optimal breaking point for textiles are completely different.
Act your role as leader of Joystiq and stay above the trolling.
nabisco @ Dec 20th 2006 1:00AM
Don't worry about Vlad, he's just your average troll.
MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Dec 20th 2006 1:26AM
"Don't worry about Vlad, he's just your average troll."
Yes, because anyone that doesn't agree with you is just a troll!
Tool...
Random Insanity @ Dec 20th 2006 2:09AM
@14 Wikipedia lists a troll as being "a person who is deliberately inflammatory on the Internet in order to provoke a vehement response from other users."
How does that not fit what vc is doing? :\
syco @ Dec 20th 2006 2:16AM
I don't have cable, and this is honestly faster and easier than weather.com. I like it.
It's not exactly a system seller but it's nice to have.
Komrade Kayce @ Dec 20th 2006 2:17AM
"Nintendo should have invested more in strap quality and less in superfluous add-ons that do nothing for the game experience."
I dunno, that sonuds like a cheap shot, therefore a very TROLLish comment to me. I think the difference between a fanboy and a troll is pretty obvious.
A troll will point out some retarded little flaw, the same little flaw that gets pointed out over and over again. It might not even be a little flaw. Like the weather channel. It might just be something that no other system is currently offering for free, which means to people like Vlad (whom I used to respect, but now find, ironically, 'flawed'), this free stuff must be flaws.
Of course, if its free and isnt a game, then Nintendo should obviously not give it to you for your system. Even if it is something incredibly useful like being able to check the weather and news around the world almost instantly from one place.
If anything, Ive found that the wii has helped me move away from the computer. I now sit down on the couch to use my wii to play games, and soon Ill be using it for casual internet browsing and newsreading. Its much nicer than having to run back and forth from the computer, and for people who only use a PC as a multimedia center anyhow, whats wrong with Nintendo trying to finally make a 'family computer'?
I think you're missing the point of the original NES, Vlad. Nintendo, from the very goddamn beginning, has been trying to bring out a system that everyone will be able to use. This includes grandpa and the family dog. They tried it with the Famicom (remember the unused modem attachment area?), but as game systems went on, the aim of a 'family computer' was lost.
Personally, if anything, the Wii is the 'Family Computer' that Nintendo has wanted to make all along. Its still going to be very games focused, but its very much so in line with the experiences we expect from them. Nintendo has always done a very good job of giving a 'full experience' in its systems, even if third parties cant provide. They like to not leave errors and players hanging.
Heck, how many Nintendo games with sequels leave you on a cliffhanger for that matter. Very, very few unless Im mistaken, unlike that pesky Halo II and every Metal Gear Solid ever made.
Why would you complain that a company is trying to expand your experience by offering useful tools? Nobody is making you use it. Its like having firefox, theres a million ways to customize it or you can leave it pretty vanilla. Does this mean firefox is not going to continue to focus on security and stable web browsing? No.
This means nothing in terms of the quality levels nintendo is investing into games or anything, unless it means they're trying to put a fair amount of quality into everything.
NintendoFanbot @ Dec 20th 2006 2:24AM
Nintendo may have been talking out of both sides of their face but at least one of them is not their anus.
...
Whatever. Maybe someday "vc" will realize that Nintendo would never put this project above their core business, which is to make games. Sony especially has been open about this.
"PLAYSTATION 3 IS NOT A GAMES MACHINE." I think it was Ken Kutaragi who said this.
Microsoft actively makes games for both 360 and PC and is actively looking for support, so they're okay. Though I'm worried that to pay for Xbox Live that they will delve into other ventures with multimedia download transactions.
Nintendo does as they always do, now with some different things to renew their approach to the market.
You know what I realized about the straps' probability of leaving your hands despite a thicker strap? That the plastic fastener that you use to tighten the loop to your wrist will come undone during play.
Face it, Nintendo is doomed unless everyone gets bungie cords so that Wiimotes don't fly.
Masaki @ Dec 20th 2006 2:29AM
Well vc, tell me how downloading tv episodes and movies in the 360 enhances "gaming fun" :)
Also, the straps are fine. We should be asking God to enhance some people's minds however.
BPM? @ Dec 20th 2006 2:48AM
Perhaps it'd be possible for a game to utilize the Forcast Channel to alter the in-game weather... Would be interesting.
Though, that means for somone like me, who lives in Phoenix, it'll never snow unless I change my location. :O
alphablu @ Dec 20th 2006 2:52AM
id love it if they integrated google earth into the spinning globe
quangdiggity @ Dec 20th 2006 4:33AM
Nintendo could have left out the weather channel and I'd still be happy with the Wii. I didn't buy it for the weather and news channels. However, I'm glad they put it in and I'm really glad they put some effort into it, particularly the Globe. The globe view is kinda fun and much more than I could get from weather sites online. It's more definitely fun to look at weather in places around the globe than just your own neighborhood.
I really hope Google Earth comes to Wii. The control scheme for globe seems perfectly suited for it.
Abscissa @ Dec 20th 2006 4:35AM
The old people/Murder, She Wrote/Matlock joke is getting a bit long in the tooth.
JJ @ Dec 20th 2006 4:38AM
i mean surfing the net from the PS3 and soon the wii are cool, but i think the fact that you're limited by inputs (Granted mouse and keyboard can be used on PS3 and i'm sure on the wii soon enough) is cool, it just doesn't match the ease of use of the interface as a PC.
and while i like the weather channel, etc etc, you have to admit some fanboys (not just wii fanboys, i mean in general) can be pretty hypocritical on each devices freebies or "non gaming" additions to the console.
Frankly i dont see either of the systems replacing the PC for anything other than novelty purposes. for instance i visit joystiq and post message from the PS3 from time to time, i'll watch youtube videos, etc etc. FOr a few minutes, then most of the tim ei'll get up and go get on my PC when i have serious stuff to do or even to just tool around on the net for whatever reason.
I'm perfectly capable of doing it from my couch, but i just prefer doing it from my PC. Plus MSN keeps me up to date on the weather in my area anyway and thats just a click away too.
Of course i could just solve all those problems and hook my PC up to my TV so i'd never have to leave the couch period...
redjack @ Dec 20th 2006 4:47AM
There'd be a lot of licensing involved for the Wii to use an interface like Google Earth for simple prettier graphics on a weather channel. Microsoft, however, has their own version of Google Earth they could utilize with impunity if this ever truly took off.
mocax @ Dec 20th 2006 5:09AM
I think the "pure game" idea was from the previous president, that old wrinkled guy.
The current president decided to appeal to "everybody else"
ie. non-MS and non-sony fanboys
Patrick M. @ Dec 20th 2006 5:47AM
I'm sorry but this ****ing stupid and useless. My digital cable box already gives me this plus loads of other more useful features. People with Wiis are going to use it for all of about 10 minutes then see it for the piece of shit feature that it is.
AssemblyLineHuman @ Dec 20th 2006 6:09AM
No, Vlad is right. Nintendo IS speaking out of both sides of their mouth. First, they go on and on about how it's important to focus on gaming first; then, they push really hard to get all of this non-gaming functionality out of the gate near the system's launch. I think their reasoning is fairly clear, though. Nintendo realizes, just as Sony and Microsoft do, that these added functions will inevitably help, not hurt, them achieve their goal of appealing to nongamers.
The purely games ideal is Nintendo's way of covering their collective ass for not including any sort of real media support out of the box. Is that a bad thing? Considering Nintendo's extremely greedy tendency to refuse to take losses on a game console even if it will benefit sales in the end, no, it's really a good thing they don't drive up prices with things that have to be licensed. I would suggest sending Nintendo a message by not buying the Wii until they break and add DVD playback, more supported music/video file formats, hard drive support, an actual media player, etc., but it's too amazingly fun for that.
@people saying this is useless: It's really not. I live in Alabama, so I still have no idea if it's even going to be cold enough to need more than a t-shirt and jeans. Checking the weather on the TV requires me to wait for the local on the 8's or wait for my computer to boot up if it isn't on (it usually isn't unless I'm using it). The Forecast channel, gives you a very quick summarized look at the weather for the day on the Channel screen before even going into the channel, and it loads very quickly if you need a slightly more detailed look. My only gripe is that it only seems to update about every three hours, but I'm usually checking the general temperature/weather conditions for the day anyway.
The Wesker @ Dec 20th 2006 6:17AM
It doesn't update for like friggin 5 hours, how is that useful?
Hoffer @ Dec 20th 2006 7:45AM
Why don't they work on things like ONLINE GAMING or getting good games on the VC??
Who frickin cares about checking the weather on their videogame console? Same goes with the news.
MikeG @ Dec 20th 2006 8:15AM
@Mr. Cox
I disagree on it being faster than looking the weather up online. If you're online with the Wii, then you obviously have broadband internet. It should be a snap to open a web browser and click on a link to noaa.gov or weather.com. OR, you could just keep a Yahoo weather widget on your desktop at all times and know the 5-day forecast at a glance in real-time.
The Wii has to pause between every friggin screen when online and then has to reset itself when going from one channel to the next.
I think they should leave the non-game stuff alone.
crono141 @ Dec 20th 2006 8:18AM
Hey VC, you've written all of 2 blogs in the last 30 days on Joystiq. Why don't you do more blogging and less bitching and trolling in the comments section of other people's blog posts?
Or are you tired of being shouted down in all your blog posts for your assinine comments and horrendous logic?
Maybe you could post some of that rumored "good" sony news I keep hearing about from the Sony fanboys.
HappyJack @ Dec 20th 2006 8:53AM
I think that everone is losing sight of the real issue here...
...that joke was *really* bad.
Brian @ Dec 20th 2006 8:57AM
Every time someone brings up anything about Nintendo it turns into a flame war. Nintendo is still about gaming pretty much. They have only done a few none gaming things and so far they seem to work out really well. I think they could utilize the weather channel in some games(ex. Animal Crossing.) And you people need to stop flaming every time something like this is brought up.
Jahgah @ Dec 20th 2006 8:59AM
The constant busting on the Wii-mote strap is ridiculous at this point. "You know what that is, that's jealousy" - Dave Chappelle
Its the only thing people can find to really complain about because the system is doing well and is actually (OMG.... DUN DUN DUN) fun. People just wanna knock it because it is nintendo and therefor TEH KIddIe!!1!!1
I am glad they are doing well and I have to admit that the games I've played so far have been fun. Even excite truck is a fun game. People just want to hate on something. Well "if you got no one to hate on, feel free to hate on me cause life is to short." - Katt Williams
People are just pissy because they are not getting what they wanted out of the PS3. Its too early to adopt it and frankly any console over $300 is ridiculously over priced. Why not just by a computer for a couple hundred more or even better upgrade the one you have. I dunno... when the PS3 goes down in price it will be worth it but no reason to shell out dough for a proprietary format I don't want. When its cheaper I'll get one b/c c'mon, who doesn't love final fantasy (there are some I know but I do love it). RIght now the Wii is selling and I hope it continues. THe other thing is that after using the Wiimote to aim in zelda I don't think I can go back to analog for shooters. I just like aiming alot better when it feels a little more like a gun. I hope they make a shooter with acurate calibration. That would be awsome. Zelda has a little wiimote calibration so I am sure it is not impossible. Think I wold get a 360 is the premium dropped $100. THen it would definitely be worth it. Its not like I'm a fanboy either. I just know that my parents would have laughed in my face if I asked for a $600 console when I was a kid. Now that I am an adult I guess I have similar values. I mean crap you could get a craptastic ride that would last a couple months for that much. Even if you drove it off a cliff after it died it would be worth it lol. I just think thats alot of dough to shell out on video games. I could barley depart with the amount I shelled out for the psp. kind of glad that I sold it. I actually got my girlfriend a DS and a game with the money. Not that the psp sucked but it needed some better titles and I wasn't too impressed with the RPGs. I don't expect nintendo to come out on top at all but I hope they do alot better and all these console makers have to bust their ass for my dollar. I sure as shit aint just gonna shell it out like a $600 sucker.
DDP @ Dec 20th 2006 9:02AM
Re: Nintendo should have invested in straps instead...
"I dunno, that sonuds like a cheap shot, therefore a very TROLLish comment to me"
It also sounds like the truth. He sounds like a troll? You sound like a hurt fanboy.
Jahgah @ Dec 20th 2006 9:06AM
@32 ^^^ That's assuming you leave your PC on all the time. For those who have to boot it up, then that is a huge wait and a problem. In that instance the weather channel option is much faster. And I agree, even with cable and a weather channel (on TV) and a local forecast channel, I still have to sit through the traffic portion AND commercials. its easier to just hit power on the wiimote, click one frame and wham its all there.
OTAM @ Dec 20th 2006 9:14AM
I wish Nintendo would start rolling out the games and take care of the "hardcore" gamer (the one's who've gotten them here) and quit dicking around with Weather channels and memos so that "mom and dad" can use it.
Jahgah @ Dec 20th 2006 9:14AM
Oh one last thing, I took the strap comletely off because it feels liberating. I kind of though it was annoying and to this date I have not thrown the wiimote even once.
@37 you actually sound like the fanboy. Its perfectly understandable to see that as an obnoxious comment. Its very petty and the best that some people can do. I am sure the 1080i issue is a larger pain in the butt then the wiimote strap "problem". The wiimote strap problem is caused by people that are over acting (and obviously having to much fun) the motions and gestures. If they are giving out free replacements then what is the big deal. Its not like it was an engineering feat to increase the diameter of the strap. Maybe the engineers (like me) were smart enough to not throw the remote across the room and just included the strap as a safety precaution. You ever think that maybe they wouldn't break as often if the people using them did not twist and crimp the strap?
Pirate Penguin @ Dec 20th 2006 9:22AM
Rumor has it that Madden will use the forecast channel to match the in-game weather to the actual weather when you play (so if it's snowing in Pittsburgh and you play a game there, it will be snowing in game too). Can anybody confirm this?
If true, I think it's a great idea!
RUSKULL @ Dec 20th 2006 9:27AM
Can't really complain about something that's free, but it does seem as though Nintendo missed some opportunities to try and make the weather channel more fun. I mean, look at the photo channel. For something that's just meant to be an image gallery, there's a surprising amount of stuff to do.
nobody, really @ Dec 20th 2006 10:11AM
I have read on a couple of other sites that games can take cues from this channel and that Madden, in fact does. Set your location to an area with snow, play a game of Madden, and see your conditions reflected in game. That is how Nintendo can tie in to the fun experience. I haven't seen this verified anywhere else, but if it is for real, then it is a cool addition.
Either way, the channel is well done, and while it isn't a big deal, at least it is a step in the right direction.
rudimentalist @ Dec 20th 2006 11:34AM
This feature doesn't affect system cost, and games will most likely use it. Nintendo STILL isn't trying to replace your media center PC or play every format in your home, which is the general idea when they made statements like that. How hard is that for Mr. LAW MAJOR to understand? The same people are probably saying Wii should have been able to play DVD's, which would have upped the cost of the system, when I can buy an extremely tiny DVD player for 30 bucks.
Any opinion of vc's is feces. It's just convenient that that rhymes.
justin @ Dec 20th 2006 11:42AM
who's VC? It's pretty stupid
crono141 @ Dec 20th 2006 12:08PM
VC, aka vc above, aka Vladamir Cole.
I have my doubts as to if his real name is Vladamir. I went to college with a guy who called himself vlad and wore a cape everywhere.
typo @ Dec 20th 2006 12:25PM
I find it astonishing that people complain about the mere existence of the weather channel. A simple content delivery app that shows you weather forecasts. Oh man. What a nightmare.
Nintendo's often said they're "all about the games," but I've always understood that more from a hardware perspective -- they built a gaming machine whereas Sony built a hybrid gaming / movie machine. I certainly don't hold it against 'em that they taught the machine a few extra tricks.
Honestly, I think the "extras" on the Wii will add up to a very interesting device even for non-gamers: an easy way to get news and weather, display slide shows, and even browse the web, all with a pretty simple interface.
jason Latshaw @ Dec 20th 2006 12:57PM
how can the weather improve the gaming experience? hmmm. .. what if animal crossing took its weather cues from your own town's weather? so if it was raining outside, it was raining there? or madden added the real weather to the game you were playing?
that adds a level of detail, for sure.
plus, the channel is so cool to navigate, it's almost a game by itsef.
vidGuy @ Dec 20th 2006 1:12PM
Here's the deal:
Madden, as far as I can tell without turning the game on myself, does NOT use the weather channel to do in-game weather. It simply bases the weather on the system clock and date like on the GC. The feature would be easy to implement in future versions, though.
Nintendo has been speaking from both sides when the company says they want to stick to gaming, then put in a ton of new features not strictly related to gaming. However, I think the features they have implemented are great and well-thought-out. The Mii Channel is genious... over 30 people have played on my console and that channel alone has convinced more than a few of them (especially girls) to pick up a Wii. If the Weather or News Channel gets a few moms to pick up the remote, Nintendo has succeeded because it's only a matter of time before they are playing - my mom is already hooked on Wii Sports. I'll use both the Weather and News channels much more than I'd use the BluRay drive on a PS3. If you don't want to use them, just let them be - just like I would the BluRay drive.
Regarding straps... yes the string on the first batch is/was weak. No, they don't lead to problems by themselves. My console has logged over 120 hours, 30+ players, and several drunken boxing matches, and not one strap has broken, one remote gone flying, or one injury sustained. I don't doubt that the remote is more dangerous than other console controllers; after all, how many are designed to be moved around? But the straps aren't a big problem and are definitely not a reason to declare the Wii a failure/disappointment. I'd be more concerned with the Wii Internet error codes, 360 red lights of death, and dying PS3s.
Lastly, for those complaining about Wii game lineups: the system has been out a MONTH! It has had one of the strongest launches and games keep coming. The VC continues to get updated weekly. Nintendo has some stellar games coming out in the next 12 to 18 months - Super Mario Galaxy, SSBB, Metroid, several new IPs, and Mario sports games that, if they play anything like Wii Sports, will be worth a buy for the first time in years (IMO). I just hope Metroid stays in the Spring 07 window. 3rd parties are flocking to this thing, so there's sure to be a flood of games. The games dilemma really depends on what you are into; personally, I'm pleased with the launch window - I want more than half a dozen games, compared to 0 for the PS3 and 2 for the 360. The way I see it, the Wii has all the right games coming in the next year or two.
Honestly, my only complaint about the Wii after a month of use and 120+ hours of play split over 30+ players is that the console updates aren't automatic. But that can be fixed with an update itself - new updates could download and light up the slot. Next time you turn on the console it asks to install the update. Much nicer.
vidGuy @ Dec 20th 2006 1:13PM
Here's the deal:
Madden, as far as I can tell without turning the game on myself, does NOT use the weather channel to do in-game weather. It simply bases the weather on the system clock and date like on the GC. The feature would be easy to implement in future versions, though.
Nintendo has been speaking from both sides when the company says they want to stick to gaming, then put in a ton of new features not strictly related to gaming. However, I think the features they have implemented are great and well-thought-out. The Mii Channel is genious... over 30 people have played on my console and that channel alone has convinced more than a few of them (especially girls) to pick up a Wii. If the Weather or News Channel gets a few moms to pick up the remote, Nintendo has succeeded because it's only a matter of time before they are playing - my mom is already hooked on Wii Sports. I'll use both the Weather and News channels much more than I'd use the BluRay drive on a PS3. If you don't want to use them, just let them be - just like I would the BluRay drive.
Regarding straps... yes the string on the first batch is/was weak. No, they don't lead to problems by themselves. My console has logged over 120 hours, 30+ players, and several drunken boxing matches, and not one strap has broken, one remote gone flying, or one injury sustained. I don't doubt that the remote is more dangerous than other console controllers; after all, how many are designed to be moved around? But the straps aren't a big problem and are definitely not a reason to declare the Wii a failure/disappointment. I'd be more concerned with the Wii Internet error codes, 360 red lights of death, and dying PS3s.
Lastly, for those complaining about Wii game lineups: the system has been out a MONTH! It has had one of the strongest launches and games keep coming. The VC continues to get updated weekly. Nintendo has some stellar games coming out in the next 12 to 18 months - Super Mario Galaxy, SSBB, Metroid, several new IPs, and Mario sports games that, if they play anything like Wii Sports, will be worth a buy for the first time in years (IMO). I just hope Metroid stays in the Spring 07 window. 3rd parties are flocking to this thing, so there's sure to be a flood of games. The games dilemma really depends on what you are into; personally, I'm pleased with the launch window - I want more than half a dozen games, compared to 0 for the PS3 and 2 for the 360. The way I see it, the Wii has all the right games coming in the next year or two.
Honestly, my only complaint about the Wii after a month of use and 120+ hours of play split over 30+ players is that the console updates aren't automatic. But that can be fixed with an update itself - new updates could download and light up the slot. Next time you turn on the console it asks to install the update. Much nicer.
beatmike @ Dec 20th 2006 6:25PM
oh dang, animal crossing with life like weather!
PhillyRampage @ Dec 20th 2006 10:38PM
Wow, weather channel. Awesome. I barely check the weather, but when I do, I just press that Dashboard button on my Mac and voila, it's there. I guess some people rather turn on their TV, turn on the Wii, pick up the remote, go to the Weather channel, wait til it loads and get their weather that way.