Wii now supports usb Keyboards!

[Jongamer]

With this morning`s 3.0 firmware update a hidden secret layed hidden that Nintendo does`nt seem to want to tell us, but its official USB keyboards work on the Wii, but the keyboards don`t work on the internet channel just yet, we will have to wait for that update.

My source is

forums.nintendo.com

under Wii General descussion, 2 large threads show that it absolutly true.

I have yet to try it because I don`t have a single USB keyboard.

Just try it for yourself, but be warned some keyboards don`t seem to work.

[lifeisbetterwithketchup]

They work. But the only real use I would have would be on the internet channel. Silly Nintendo, they don't offer functionality that ought to have been there in the first place right away, but when they do, it's not in the way I want it.

[Jongamer]

This is most likely why they never said in the message after the download, they only mentioned new features for the Weather channel and news channel and some other stuff, I think they did`nt want us to find out about it until they made the internet channel compatible with USB keyboards.

[ganonbanned]

can you say...MARIOCRAFT!!!

[Jongamer]

Or any Mario RTS, that would be freakin` awsome.

[HotDog-Cart]

Dude. Flashflashrevolution on wii. AWSOME.

[tom61]

So, it lets you type messages now? What else uses the keyboard?

EDIT:

WHERE IT CAN BE USED: The News and Shop channels only, currently. This is because the News and Shop channels were the only ones that received significant updates last night and have places where text can be entered. Compatibility is likely to be updated in the future.

WHAT KEYS WORK: (tested with my old iMac's Apple Pro Keyboard):
All standard letters/punctuations marks work. Backspace (delete on macs) works. Caps lock and shift also work, but unlike with using the Wii remote, shift must be held down (like using a computer). The function keys do nothing, as does most of the box where keys such as home, end, and page down are. Delete forward (delete on windows) works, I don't believe this function can be used without a keyboard. Number pad works, but only when Num Lock is on. Modifier keys (Control, Option, and Command on mac and Alt, Ctrl, and Windows) keys do nothing. Tab and Esc do nothing. Arrow keys work as they would in a standard text editor

HOW KEYBOARD SUPPORT COULD BE IMPROVED: Make it usable in other channels, such as Internet channel.

WHAT THIS MEANS: Nintendo is finally listening to the fans and adding keyboard support, which is great, but very limited at this point. It could also be supported in future games for Wii. IM/Text Messaging is also much more viable now.

So, no support in other apps until they are updated. Hopefully, you can update the bowser free if it gets updated soon.

[tom61]

Gah. I just found out that the SD Media Launcher and the Action Replay no longer work after the update. When I put in my Action Replay disc it says that it is a bad disc, to remove it and hit power.