During a press conference in New York Thursday, Nintendo revealed that its new game machine — the Wii U — will make use of an application called Nintendo TVii, which will let users control, record and interact with TV and movie programming using the Wii U's tablet controller.
Zack Fountain, Nintendo's director of network business, took to the stage to describe some of Nintendo TVii's features.
He showed how Wii U owners will be able to use the machine's GamePad controller and its touchscreen to browse and search across video services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Video as well as satellite channels and recorded TiVo shows for the programming they want to watch. But not only that, Nintendo TVii will offer a personalized program guide for each user of the household.
[Also see: Nintendo's Wii U will arrive Nov. 18 and cost you $300, $350]
Nintendo TVii, which will be entirely controlled on the GamePad, will let you access movie reviews or watch a movie trailer on the touchscreen as you select what you want to watch. You can read these reviews and watch these trailers also while watching other programming on the TV.
The service also includes a social component. For example, Nintendo TVii will capture individual images from the TV program or sports event you're watching. You can then comment on and share those images to Twitter and other social media.
"Nintendo TVii is bringing together how you watch and what you watch into this seemless second-screen experience," Fountain said.
Nintendo President Reggie Fils-Aime called Nintendo TVii "the most different non-gaming initiative Nintendo has ever introduced," and said the company will be "rolling out" the application to all Wii U home consoles in the United States and Canada, though he did not specify a date.
Nintendo TVii will be included in every Wii U purchase with no additional cost or monthly fee, he added.
Check out this trailer for a look at the features:
Winda Benedetti writes about video games for NBC News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things on Twitter here @WindaBenedetti, and you canfollow her on Google+. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the IN-GAME FACEBOOK PAGE to discuss the day's gaming news and reviews.
