An exciting new report has just come out that illustrates how the Web is changing.
As the Wii continues to sell quite well month after month, analysts are becoming convinced that it’s no fad. A new forecast from Merrill Lynch suggests that Nintendo’s console will occupy around 30 percent of U.S. households by 2011, and even more in Japan.
The Nintendo Wii has gotten people excited about playing video games again. When you go out in public and mention the Wii, you will be told tales of adventures with friends, a six-pack, Wii Bowling, or Wii Golf. But what does this have to do with the Web?
You can surf the Web from the Nintendo Wii. Opera, the web browser, has a version which can be loaded on the Wii. Up and coming search engine Clusty has released a Wii version.
The way we consume the Web has changed. You can surf the Web from your computer. You can surf the Web from your phone but you can also surf the Web from your living room. If there is a Wii in 30% of American homes, people will be able to surf the Web on their Wii with their TV from the comfort of their couch. It will change the way that Web developers will have to make them.
As a developer, I will have to design my Web site in a way that it will be as universally accessible as possible to everyone, regardless of evironment, device, or situation. It isn’t feasible to expect people to make a Desktop version of their Web site, Mobile version, Nintendo Wii version of their Web site, and a version for every other Internet connected device that exists. We need to start looking towards the W3C’s One Web.
I could totally see myself watching TV and want to check the new or a blog headline really quickly but not want to go all the way to my computer. I could just check the Web from the Wii.
I either need to get a Nintendo Wii or convince work that they need to buy me one for “testing.”
Do you have a Nintendo Wii? Have you used it to surf the Web?
Oatmeal Stout - Justin Thorp's blog 
I am more and more interested in purchasing one of these as the days go by.
Have a friend who has one..need to go check it out as that might be the last straw 🙂
good post
Jeff
@Jeff, I was hanging out with a friend last night and she just up and said, “Justin, you need to get a Wii.” I haven’t tried one yet but I think when I do it will also be the last straw.