http://www.nintendofuse.com/?p=40488

Nikkei is reporting Wii U will have various non-gaming content like a car navigator, books, and a karaoke service including around 10,000 songs. None of this is that surprising since apps like these have been rumored. But it is interesting to see Nikkei reporting it as it adds more credibility to the rumors.

Dont know how many of those would make it west, I guess. Karaoke is strange for the western world. Car navigator is odd, books seems possible.

Car navigator? For getting from your driveway into your garage?

I'm thinking Nikkei maybe mixed up 3DS and Wii U apps... that obviously makes more sense for 3DS. And if they mixed that up, then that puts their entire story into question. So that's why I remain skeptical of this report.

Somebody's never been to a small town bar. Come to think of it my sister had a Karaoke machine in her room growning up. Not to mention all those sing along games that seem to have a new version every week. I know Karaoke is huge in Japan but I wouldn't necessarily say it's strange for the west at all.

I guess I meant to specify videogame wise it probably couldnt be that big (10,000 songs). Following how they add songs to the various karaoke games here it takes quite a while and is difficult to strike all the deals to get songs and is really pricey. The most any western videogame console karaoke game has managed is -2500songs after six years of service (singstar) so I just cant see this in the US with 10000.

Karaoke Joysound Wii in Japan had 20,000 songs as of 2008, with plans to add 1,000 more each month....so 10,000 songs must be chump change. Nothing says this karaoke feature will leave Japan, as well.

I guess the controller could be used as a GPS.......

Looks like the only one confirmed was the karaoke one. I never thought the navigator rumor held any weight anyhow, but books may very well come later. I know they have toyed around with the idea for some time on handhelds. Also, with a partnership with Amazon for Prime video, I wonder if Kindle books could come to Wii U and/or 3DS too.

I like the idea of books and music, but I don't see the point in having a car navigator, it just sounds useless

So I was looking back at this and seems some of it has come true... there is a karaoke thing in Japan for Wii U and there is Google Maps as well. Now just waiting on eBooks, which wouldn't be too surprising.

There is karaoke in North America too. "Sing Party"

Oh yea, forgot about that... that tells you how interested I am in that lol.