Woman Dies in Wii ContestThe Wii made the news in a sad way in January 2007. A 28-year-old woman named Jennifer Strange died of water intoxication after competing in a radio station contest where contestants drank massive amounts of water in an attempt to win a Wii. For more information, see How can someone die from drinking too much water?

The Wii has had no shortage of publicity since its release -- some good, and some bad. First there was the competition with Sony's PlayStation 3, which was released at about the same time, to see which console would dominate the 2006 holiday season (winner: the Wii). Then, Nintendo issued a recall of the original Wii controller straps after several reported incidents in which gamers lost control of the remote and sent it flying across the room, sometimes causing damage to TVs or windows. Wii consoles that were shipped starting in December 2006 have a sturdier version of the strap. Nintendo also lists safety recommendations for Wii users on its official site.

Not content to simply make news headlines, the Wii also brings the news directly to you. On Jan. 27, 2007, the Wii launched its News Channel. A free feature for Wii owners, the News Channel brings stories from the Associated Press wire services to your TV screen via the Wii remote. According to a Yahoo! press release, you simply point the remote at a virtual globe and select the location and type of news (Business, Sports, Science and so forth) you're interested in to see frequently updated news stories from around the world.