Basically, what this big red thing does is slip over your Wiimote and, theoretically, makes it easier to grip and push those tiny buttons when playing a game with the Wiimote on its side. Kind of like the Classic Controller, with an accelerometer built in.

Unfortunately, Ars Technica says the additional bulk just makes things unwieldy. One needs big, beefy hands to use this thing properly, they report, and the additional heft in back—junk in the trunk, if you will—only makes things worse. And since the buttons on the case are just pressing down the original Wiimote buttons below, things got a tad unresponsive. Even at $10, the reviewer "breathed a sigh of relief" when he tore it off after an hour of play time.

It's too bad. That tiny directional pad and those tiny 1 and 2 buttons really cramp me up after an extended play session in the Mushroom Kingdom. [ars technica]

The front buttons are studded with 78 0.25 carats diamonds. Each of the three Nintendo Wii Supremes—yes, they are expecting three morons to buy them at $490,000 each—take six months to create. [Stuart Hughes]

It was spotted on a trademarks database yesterday by the eagle-eyed Siliconera, who rightly points out that it "seems kind of late to protect Wii typos since the console is three years old." Perhaps it's that HD Wii which has been oft-rumored? Whatever it is, Creative won't be too happy. [Siliconera via Kotaku]

Dead Space 2: Multiplayer, Bigger World, Space-Floating
This could be both fun and nauseating!

Ever Wonder How Much Money Has Been Sunk Into America's Army?
You don't want to know.

Five Steps to Total Pwnage of a Gamer Girl's Heart
In case you didn't have the attention span to take all 10 prerequisite steps.

Xbox 360 Game Helps You Talk To Girls
No it doesn't.

Pokemon Teaches Your Children To Worship Satan
No no, Pokemon IS Satan.

Blizzard Patches Diablo II, Beta Test It Now
My old discs are about 5 feet away...

PlayStation Home Director Wants "Mini-MMOs" On The Service
Interesting idea.

Frankenreview: The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Spoiler: the reviews deem it excellent.

EA CEO: "I Think Of Pirates As A Marketplace"
A marketplace that's just been robbed.

According to a recent poll (results above/translation below) of Japanese children 12 and under, they really want...

1. Video game software (over 450 kids said this)
2. Pretty Cure goods (over 100 kids said this)
3. Anpanman goods
4. Books (picture book, book, illustrated encyclopedia)
5. Kamen Rider goods
6. Bicycle
7. Toy car
8. Clothes
9. Stuffed animal
10. Video game console

Since many kids have consoles, they just want video games now—that's fair. But clothes? What self-respecting child under 13 wants clothes?? And have you actually ever seen a picture of Anpanman?

As translated by the esteemed Brian Ashcraft over at Kotaku. [はちま起稿 via Kotaku]

Real Girlfriend Gallery of Horrors
Serves those pervs right.

What's In The Star Trek Online Collector's Edition?
If there's no Picard Maneuver, count me out.

Star Trek Online "Belly Of The Beast" Trailer Contains No Bellies Or Beasts
Still good though!

Star in Your Own N64 Freakout Kid Video
Just when we thought the N64 kid was done, he pulls us back in.

Mass Effect 2 Expands To 2 Discs, Sometimes 3
Cannot wait.

Mass Effect 2's New Blue Girl Kicks Ass
Cannot wait.

Split/Second Trailer Is About The Only Thing Not Exploding
It's like Burnout crossed with 2012.

Scandal or No, EA Sports Stands by Its Man
EA does not care who Tiger Woods sleeps with as long as he's in bed with EA.

DSi XL Makes Jubblie Bouncing Extra Large [Slightly NSFW]
It was bound to happen.

In other words, it gives the balance board a bit more wobbability (but less wobbability than Tony Hawk's Ride board). Again, not worth the asking price as far as I am concerned, especially since the "reviews" on the product page seem canned and their "sale price" uses some crazy math I am not familiar with. [Switi via Joystiq via GoNintendo]

According to a report on Nikkei, Nintendo partner manufacturers Mitsumi and Hosiden have suffered a drop in net profits of more than 50% due to waning demand. So steps are being taken to scale back Wii production appropriately.

But you have to wonder, after Nintendo went through multiple holiday seasons without enough Wiis on store shelves, did such hype solely help the system, or did Nintendo eventually lose sales that they'd never get back? [Nikkei via Kotaku]

Mass: We Pray is a video game parody that doesn't outright admit to making fun of the Wii, but for some reason, that makes it only more endearing. Because I know a generic cross Wiimote and Balance Board kneeler when I see one.

But while I may have laughed, I could have tolerated a few more HEADSHOTS. And I can't help but to admit, Wii Pray is the only third party developer opportunity to outsell the next Mario title. [We Pray Thanks Eric!]

The Price

$35, available now. Package includes charger and two compatible batteries.

The Verdict

As we said in the lead, the Charge Base IC (which stands for "inductive charging") is the best solution for charging Wiimotes we've seen to date, if you can stand its 2-controller limit.
Yes, the stand is a cacophony of various plastics and LED, but you'll quickly disregard aesthetics the first time you hold the Wiimote up to the cradle and it just sticks. Attached through magnetism, it will be charged without the need for plugs or ports, without the need of pulling out the little stopper from the Wii MotionPlus adapter, and without even the need of removing the silicone case. (Should you be a non-case user such as myself, you'll find the ridged rubber backs on the batteries quite comfortable.)

The stand even includes a USB charging port, should you need it, and the AC adapter has an outlet plug on the back, meaning you won't waste a power outlet to recharge your Wiimotes.

There's room for improvement—an indicator that signaled the level of charge would be very handy. I'm not really sure how long it takes to charge the batteries to full because, at the moment, the charger always just glows blue (UPDATE: It wasn't in the manual, but the charger does go green when it's done—the initial charge took so many hours that I just assumed it had to be full already). The magnet could feel stronger through the silicone sleeve. And obviously, you can buy a basic 4-Wiimote charger for the price of this 2-Wiimote charger. Though I have a feeling that Nyko will announced a 4-controller unit if this first model is successful.

But for the ultra-lazy among us, the Charge Base IC is pretty great.

Contact charging is easy and practical

Works with real Wiimotes and generics

There's simply not a better design we've seen

Through sleeve, magnet still works, but could feel stickier

Charging indicator doesn't indicate much

Written by me, directed and edited by Craig Rowin, makeup by Annamarie Tendler, starring Noah Plener, John Ward, Matt Fisher and myself, voiceover by Sam Reich.

Bundled with the upcoming Wii game Baby and Me (in Australia), this doll-mote uses the Wiimote's speaker to make the baby cry or laugh. Turn on the Wii Balance Board, and the simulation is taken to the next level, allowing you to burp the baby, rock the baby and teach "her" to walk. (Spoiler alert: the muscle-less, brain-less baby doll can never learn to walk.)

Personally, I could do without all the diaper changing, but I can't wait to score headshots in CoD with my new infant gun. [aussie-nintendo via GoNintendo via Kotaku]

Nintendo sold 5.75 million Wiis over the past six months, versus 10.1 million a year ago. Which is why Nintendo finally got around to cutting the price of the Wii—to move more units, even though that sliced into profits. (Interestingly, it shows Wii sales finally dipped below a million a month, if barely, and just how insanely profitable the Wii is for Nintendo.) If it makes Nintendo feel any better, the Xbox 360 is the only console that's actually seen growth this year, in the US, anyway, thanks to its own price cut.

So, um, next stop: Wiis in multiple colors. Hey, it's worked for Nintendo like a million times before. That, or you know, that Wii HD people are so fond of talking about. [WSJ

Of course, those pictures can't shared in order to protect they're source, and what's more, they're hearing that "Nintendo originally planned to bring the Netflix service to the Wii before the end of this year" but they're "also considering holding off on the Netflix service until they release their next generation Wii HD unit in early 2010." So, uh, just keeping your breath on that one. [Streaming Media via Engadget]

"While we don't have any concrete plans for what we'll be doing with hardware in the future, what I can say is that, my guess is that because we found this interface to be so interesting, I think it would be likely that we would try to make that same functionality perhaps more compact and perhaps even more cost-efficient."

And as for things like DVD playback without a homebrew hack? A glimmer of hope, though nothing definitive:

I think originally video-game systems were viewed as a toy, and they were something you played with…As time goes on, I think we're going to see how the system of the video-game console and this interactive interface is going to gradually bleed in to other elements of, say, home electronics and daily life.

Check out the full interview at: [Popular Mechanics via TechRadar]

Hand it to that guy, he does not deviate from the sales pitch after such a colossally embarrassing f—kup, even with his cohost laughing and, no doubt, a production crew trying to keep it together. And hats off to the director who switched over to the b-roll while they got the pitchman positioned perfectly in front of the TV to cover up the scar the Wiimote left.

Now, $329.90 for a standard Wii bundle and a doubled-up set of peripherals? That's a tragedy. Especially since they pretend it'd retail for $379.99.

Nintendo Wii Gaming System with Wii Sports and 15 Accessories [YouTube via Joystiq]

Mass Effect 2 Dated For January, Preorder Bonuses Abound
That armor looks pretty hot, though markedly similar to Iron Man when painted red.

Frankenreview: Brutal Legend

Tim Schafer Explains How To Play Brutal Legend
When a god speaks, I listen.

Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron Preview: I'm A Total Space Case

Assassin's Creed III? WWII? Sure, Why Not?

Only PC Dragon Age Has Baldur's Gate Camera
On a 50-inch plasma, I want to geek out with my overhead view.

The New York PSPgo Sign Is Smaller
Sony is so f'ing meta it's insane.

Girls, Slow Motion, Viral! (bikini-level NSFW)

What If Classic Games Had Achievements?
We would have never graduated grade school, that's what.

Perfect for your next Cosplay or Furry get-to-together, the mood cards will make the bushy tail wag about in pre-programmed ways. Alternatively, a Wii Nunchuck is used to shake things up with manual control.

Thank you, Wei-Chieh Tseng, I'm completely lost for words, and that doesn't happen often. [Nowhereelse via Engadget]