Nintendo has launched a Wii TV Guide “channel” for the Japan market. The new channel , which Nintendo says won’t be available in the U.S. or E.U. markets (let’s hope they change their minds) provides a couple of key features: first, it leverages the Wiimote as a TV remote (using the sensor bar as an IR transmitter to send control signals to the TV); second it incorporates some elements of social networking into the TV guide — allowing users to rate shows, send recommendations to friends and even to send reminders about shows to email or SMS addresses.

We think that this is a pretty significant development from Nintendo — as we’ve said before, Nintendo can really capitalize on its enormous lead in motion control only if it expands its platform beyond just games. We’d love to see this capability opened up for other developers to come up with solutions that can work in more television systems in more countries and on more platforms (like cable or satellite).

Via Wiifanboy