Wii Will Wear You Out:

Of all the observations I've heard about the new game machines, my wife's is my favorite: The preoccupation with these game devices suggests a sad decline in society. But out in the “real” world, people make an intriguing observation: the Nintendo Wii is good exercise. Parents are delighted to see their kids get up off the couch and swing a virtual tennis racket about, sashsay back and forth, work up a sweat, burn calories and build muscles. In fact, it seems that devices like the Wii may be the home exercise machines of the future. You're hearing it here first, unless I'm a little behind and it's already happening. Here's the essence:

There will be Wii programs that take you through exercise routines while you operate that motion controller. The Wii will sense whether you're moving corrrectly, and correct your motions to some extent. You'll be able to tell the Wii how fast to make you move, and you'll be able to set up long sequences of exercises to go through. The Wii be your personal trainer, even your Tai Chi Guru.

In a few years my orthopedist will diagnose some ill and give me a prescription for a set of exercises I can download to my Wii. (Or more likely, to the medical equivalent of a Wii that costs five times as much. Oy.)

The reign of the “couch potato” now comes to an end! Long live the “couch jumping bean!” On the other hand, Nintendo officially claims the Wii is NOT an exercise machine, at least for the moment. Click here more more on the opposing point of view.