Comments on: Netflix CEO: Wii controller, browser make for fab Web TV

Netflix CEO says televisions equipped with Wii-like pointers and Web browsers key to future of Internet video.

[Seanathome]

I have to disagree. The mouse is STILL the most useful little device. I just can't stand pointing the Wiimote at the screen for more than 5-10min at a time. I wish Nintendo would come out with a keyboard and mouse type of thing. :/

[earth79]

you can at least plug a usb keyboard in.

[sanenazok]

Wow what a bargain....a six figure CEO and the best he comes up with is "lets copy the flavor of the month" (Wii).

[charles candoo]

I've been spoiled for a dozen years using MSN WebTV.net set top while viewing on a 31" TV with the option of using curser, remote, or both on all sites and with broadband as swift as a PC. With TV 2 chan PIP I've been able to view email or search while catching news or other TV shows and swapping as desired.

And though I've seen no mention of this on CNet or elsewhere, the Webtv I'm presently using has become mostly useless since many sites have gone to video---Webtv has no adobe acrobat Flash ability due to lack of memory and has no download function.

Does any of the above relate to subject Wii and TV internet?

[cyclone]

Hasting's suggestion to put browsers in TV's is a bad idea. Browsers are very poor navigational paradigms for television, not to mention they require significant processing and memory resources (to run well), aren't particularly compelling without native plugins like Flash, and are usually riddled with security holes. The cable TV industry has already adopted Java, as has Blu-ray Disc. It's a very small step for online video providers (Hulu, Youtube, etc.) to create a navigational experience for their content using the same Java platform which is already going to be present in the TV, set-top box, or Blu-ray player.

[JimGable]

Actually the better remote is here and available on some products today. Hillcrest Labs is well known for its pointing remote which is precise, stable and easy to use -- making pointing on a big TV easy and practical. Assuming it works like and feels like a Wii remote is seriously underestimating it. And you can try it out now on the recently introduced Kodak Theatre Player which does things with pictures, music and web content that is not possible on other products. And the pointer alone is available from Logitech on the MX Air Mouse. 
 
This is exactly like putting mouse on the big screen TV and makes traditional remotes look like DOS versus Mac.