Topic: Nintendo & Wayport Announce Wi-Fi Deal

[TheYoungerPlumber]

You could also buy a Buffallo router and use the AOSS feature.

[Nephilim]

This is great news

BTW retailers will proberly stock the wifi anyway, I dont know why your paranoid
*example: play-asia is exclusive to nintendo japan site, yet webstores stock it*

[TheYoungerPlumber]

DeadlyD, I think the point people are making is that not everyone shops (or even KNOWS to shop) online for such a product.  Nintendo *should* have the USB connectors alongside the game in stores, or at least sell copies of their first online titles optionally bundled with the USB connector (like they did with PSO and DKJB).

[Pale]

Yeah, the main issue here is that this could cause WiFi to not take off.... which would make us all very very sad.

[Ian Sane]

"BTW retailers will proberly stock the wifi anyway, I dont know why your paranoid"

Retailers, as in brick and mortar stores, didn't carry the Cube component cables (or even third party cables since Nintendo didn't permit it) which also was only available from Nintendo.com and ended up selling poorly enough that Nintendo removed support of it outright from new Cubes a few years ago.  So there's concern because the last time something was Nintendo.com exclusive it flopped big time.

[trip1eX]

I have to ask this question.

Why buy the Nintendo USB wireless dealio when wireless routers are routinely $20 or less after rebate at all these electronics stores???

I don't understand it.  The USB wireless dealio is surely going to be at least $20.  PLus it takes up a usb slot.

And you'll have to have your pc on everytime you wanted to play a DS game on the net.  

Make it easy on yourself and just buy a wireless router.  

Tho I guess some of just have 56k or something.  But if you have 56k you probably live in the boonies and aren't near a store anyway.  

Also it's not you're not on the internet anyway if you want the USB dongle.  

[Mario]

I don't understand all that router mumbo jumbo, and I shouldn't have to learn it just for this!

[UncleBob]

Here's the deal...

First off, I dislike ordering online.  I hate waiting for stuff and I dislike paying in advance for stuff.
Second, if the USB Adapter was sold in stores, I'd have a good chance of picking one up for a cheaper price - as likely someone would have it on sale.  With it only being sold on Nintendo's webstore, it likely won't be on sale.
Third, I don't have a high speed internet connection - therefore, I don't have or need a router.  However, with the USB Adapter, I'd have a quick and easy option when I go to friends/family house's who do have high speed connections.  Just pop it in go - no set up required - wherever I'm at (including being at work, if it works!)
Fourth, I have to justify the purchase to my wife (Yeah, I'm whipped).  Since I can't really use it at home - unless I find a deal on it, it'll be a hard sell.  However, if I could even use my 10% discount on it, then perhaps I could swing it.
Fifth, I don't use my USB ports anyway and generally, my computer is on all the time.  So if I ever *did* get High Speed (I'm somewhat looking into Verizon's DSL for $15 a month... It's hard to convince my wife we need that when we have free Dial-Up access right now...)

[Michael8983]

I think Nintendo wants to just sell it online for two reasons.
First being the assumption that anyone who actually knows what the thing is, how to hook it up and use it almost certainly is capable of ordering it online. So it's not like it's going to be inaccessible to potential customers. The second being that Nintendo doesn't want to confuse the general public into thinking it's needed for the DS to go online when all they have to do is go to any place that has wi-fi access which is going to be a much easier task after this McDonald's deal.

Just think of the disaster on Nintendo's hands when thousands of stupid kids would have coerced their stupider parents into buying the USB adapter only to take it home and have no idea what to do with the thing. So they call Nintendo's complaint department to find out they can't do anything with it because they don't have broadband. It's just better to make the thing accessible to those in the know and leave the simpler alternatives for the I LOVE HALO 2s and the echnologically impaired.  

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: Michael8983
I think Nintendo wants to just sell it online for two reasons.
First being the assumption that anyone who actually knows what the thing is, how to hook it up and use it almost certainly is capable of ordering it online.

The problem there is the highlighted portion, placing the item in stores is pretty much how you spread word that the product is around. Average joe, if they see it advertised in a commercail and can't find it at a store, will likely stop right there and not pursue it further.

[UncleBob]

>So they call Nintendo's complaint department to find out they can't do anything with it because they don't have broadband.

You know, it seems to me that the simple solution of "High Speed Internet Access Required For Use" printed right on the package (as many current products/games do) would be a quick and dirty solution for this.  I mean, what happens if someone orders the item from Nintendo's webstore only to find out they have to have broadband to use it... Then they have to pay shipping to mail it back in to get their money back, etc., etc..

[trip1eX]

YOu know do you need hi-speed internet to use that thing?  I think it could work with dial-up.

Also it will be a pain to bring to a friend's house because you need to install software on your friend's pc.

A wireless router is probably going to be about as easy to setup as the USB thingie.  They are getting pretty-idiot proof nowadays.  

[UncleBob]

>Also it will be a pain to bring to a friend's house because you need to install software on your friend's pc.

Umm... The software is probably on the Adapter (something like a Jump Drive, if you've ever used one) - I'm assuming...

[wandering]

The wayport deal is getting mention in the (fake) mainstream press....

Stephen Colbert: "McDonald's will offer free wireless hookups for Nintendo's DS game system, so you can sit at McDonald's and play Nintendo. All you need to know: You're gonna need bigger pants."

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
Stephen Colbert: "McDonald's will offer free wireless hookups for Nintendo's DS game system, so you can sit at McDonald's and play Nintendo. All you need to know: You're gonna need bigger pants."

In unrelated news, Colbert is my hero... well second to Jon. Still, any publicity is good publicity.