Nintendo Wii – A Console for the Entire Family

After a little over two years, sales of the Nintendo Wii are still going strong—and for good reason. The Wii is affordable, adaptable, downward compatible, and fun. Families throughout the US are learning that the Wii is the game system of choice for family-friendly gaming. Take a look at some of the many reasons to look into getting a Wii for your family.

Physically Involving Games

One of the main reasons so many parents are thrilled with the Wii is the fact that it is a physically demanding game system. Wii Sports, which comes with the console, includes games like baseball, golf, bowling, and tennis, which all required players to stand up and physically interact with one another as the TV acts as an interface.

Wii Fit, another extremely popular game offered by the folks at Nintendo, actually tests the balance of participants, measuring body mass index, weight, fitness age, and much more all while tracking progress over a period of time. The balance board used with Wii Fit is also used for participation in yoga exercises demonstrated on screen, which must then be performed by players. The balance board is also being used in conjunction with skateboarding and snowboarding games.

Family-Friendly Characters and Games

Nintendo has long been identified with more family-friendly games. Mario is still a character used in many of the games, which have grown far past the Super Mario Brothers games of the mid-80’s. Most games made by Nintendo are intended to encourage cooperative and competitive play, all while keeping things fun and friendly.

Besides their own games, many other companies have made games for the Wii with great success, like EA Games’ Boom Blox, designed for interactive play. Additionally, using the Wii Ware option on the online store, customers can purchase and download new Wii games directly from their console, leaving players able to enjoy new games in just minutes.

Multiple Systems in One Unit

Also available for download are many games from the systems of yesteryear, including NES, Sega Genesis, Turbo Grafix 16, and Nintendo 64. The system itself can play Gamecube games and even has ports for Gamecube controllers. Used games can be purchased at gaming stores fro as little as four dollars. In all, this system is one of the most family friendly units for a variety of reasons—including its versatility and wide selection of gaming possibilities.


This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of an internet provider. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12@gmail.com

Geek Squad Announces In-Store and At-Home Gaming Set-Up and Customization Services

With Geek Squad’s gaming optimization service, parents gain the upper hand and take back control of the family’s game system

Parents, the day has come. Today tech support task force Geek Squad announced gaming set-up services and parental control customization for today’s most popular consoles. Available at Geek Squad Precincts in Best Buy stores nationwide, Geek Squad’s gaming services are an easy and affordable way to set-up a system’s parental controls and user accounts, transfer data to a new system and connect to the Internet.

Even as they’re serving the public, policing technology and protecting the world, many Geek Squad employees are also parents. They know firsthand that when it comes to video games, keeping Pac Man and the kids safe from Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde is the least of a parent’s concerns. With gaming systems now offering online features that encourage interaction among players, any parent would be ill-advised to send a child out into the virtual world without the proper parental control settings.

“I love to play video games with my sons, but I can’t always be there to monitor what’s coming into our home via the gaming console,” said Geek Squad Deputy of Counter Intelligence Frances Gallup. “As a parent, I can attest to the necessity of parental controls on video game systems. And, as a Geek Squad Agent, I’m thrilled to offer an easy and affordable solution to the rigors of setting up and navigating a gaming system’s parental controls.”

“Just like with TV and film, there’s a broad diversity of video games available today, and many games now enable online competition,” said ESRB president Patricia Vance. “Geek Squad’s new gaming services are a great way to ensure that your system’s parental controls are secure and working properly, so that your children are only able to play games that you’ve deemed appropriate, at times of the day that you’ve approved and/or with other players that you know.”

Dell College Gaming League Becomes First Official Amateur League Partner for Championship Gaming Series

Exclusive Deal Gains College Gaming League Worldwide Exposure and Brings CGS to Hundreds of U.S. College Campuses

Dell’s College Gaming League (CGL), the community for avid PC and Xbox 360 collegiate gamers and Championship Gaming Series® (CGS), have joined forces and established the CGL as the first Official Amateur League Partner of CGS.

The College Gaming League was founded as a joint venture between Dell, Intel and Microsoft as part of the Dell University program, which offers educational discounts and customized PC bundles for students, faculty and staff at thousands of participating schools across the country. League membership is free and open to all college students in the U.S. Benefits include access to public game servers for all members, exclusive offers on systems and games, member communication tools, weekly “Play with a Pro” game nights, open- and closed-ladder tournaments, a Premiere Division for top performers and a national championship tournament where school teams compete.

AOL Launches BigDownload.com

New Site Targets PC Gaming Audience with Free Downloads, Game Reviews and Industry News

AOL announced the launch of BigDownload.com, http://www.bigdownload.com, a new content- and service-centered site for the PC gaming audience providing free downloads, game reviews and industry news. BigDownload.com is the first joint project between AOL Games, http://www.games.com, and Weblogs, Inc., http://www.weblogsinc.com.

"AOL Games is adding to our network of gaming sites by bringing a one-stop online destination to computer gaming enthusiasts," said John Benyamine, Senior Product Manager, AOL Games and BigDownload.com. "In addition to serving this niche fan base, BigDownload.com provides advertisers an opportunity to reach gaming enthusiasts directly and a chance to create interesting and exclusive campaigns surrounding content.”

"Unlike competing sites, BigDownload.com offers fast and free file downloads with no required sign-up process, subscription fees or lengthy queues," said Barbara Dybwad, Senior Producer, Weblogs, Inc. "Our staff of writers eats, breathes and sleeps PC gaming so they can bring readers a deeper level of analysis. They’re also committed to a diverse range of original and community features, exemplifying BigDownload.com as a participatory media where the "audience" is encouraged to be a part of the site.”

New Service Lets MDU Residents Choose Digital and Bundled Service Providers

Broadband National’s new “MDU Module” enables property managers to provide unbiased information and access to Internet, television, digital phone, rental insurance, home security and more

Broadband National, Inc., the leading ecommerce platform promoting digital services and products, today announced a new application focused on the 20 percent of U.S. households that move annually. The new “MDU Module” is a turn-key application that allows owners and management companies of multi-dwelling units (MDUs) to offer residents a seamless process to order services that are typically required when moving into a new apartment or condominium. The company’s MDU Module will provide the millions of Americans living in apartments and other multiple dwelling units with access to the largest selection of services backed by an unbiased, unified comparison and ordering experience.

The announcement comes on the heels of a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Report and Order which makes exclusive deals between network operators and the owners of MDUs illegal. The Broadband National offering addresses this new freedom of choice by enabling owners and managers of MDUs to provide their residents with unbiased information and access to a number of digital services including Internet, cable and satellite television, and digital telephone. Owners and managers will also have the flexibility to customize the module to offer additional services, such as renters’ insurance, security systems, appliance and furniture leases, grocery delivery services and more.

“The MDU Module was designed to help property owners and managers not only remain in compliance with the FCC ruling, but also to streamline their own operations while enabling their residents to conveniently choose the best available services in their area,” said Vinny Olmstead, president and CEO of Broadband National. “The offering truly enables MDU managers to become a trusted, one-stop resource for their residents by leveraging Broadband National’s insight and access to thousands of service options.”

Several top real estate management companies have already selected the Broadband National Module to deliver this new level of convenience to residents at properties across the country. The service is scheduled for general availability in Q1 2008. For more information, contact Mark Weibel at (772) 316-1007.

About Broadband National, Inc.

Broadband National is a leading online ecommerce platform that enables consumer and business users to research, compare, and purchase services such as high speed Internet, television, gaming, VoIP, photo sharing, videos, home security, and more on its proprietary IBIS software. Advertisers such as Comcast, AT&T, D-Link, Panasonic, and DIRECTV use the highly configurable and flexible platform to promote services in a convenient, customer-friendly format. The IBIS platform powers more than 1,000 websites and is also leased to many Fortune 500 companies enabling them to monetize online, call center, and in-store traffic. For more information please visit www.broadbandnational.com.

Mandelson pressures US on internet gambling

The European Union trade commissioner, Peter Mandelson, has traveled to Washington to address congress on the intensifying debate over online gambling.

Washington should pay compensation to Europe for blocking the lucrative US gambling market to European online casinos, Mr Mandelson said. Earlier this year the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled in Antigua's favor when it accused the US of violating trade rules by not allowing Antiguan online casinos to operate in the US. Mr Mandelson was quoted by Reuters as stating: "What we need to see is a change in U.S. legislation that removes that discrimination against EU operators.

"It's not in the interest of American consumers to have good responsible competitors in this market excluded by regulatory mechanisms." If a member of the WTO "defaults" on its commitments then it should pay compensation, Mr Mandelson added. Gambling operators in the EU are demanding compensation of up to $100 billion.