When you turn on the Wii game console, the first screen you will see is the Nintendo Wii Channel Menu display. Featured are eight channels to choose from, and the menu may be customized to your own personal preferences. The following is a brief description of the channels and their primary functions. 
Disc Drive – This channel is to start up Wii and GameCube games, which are backward compatible on the Wii. You can also play games that you have purchased using a WII ISO download, not just packaged store-bought games.
Mii – Users can create and store their own avatars (characters), using portraits that have been cartoonized. These can be used in many different Wii games and are stored on the WiiMote, which can be transferred to another console in this way. This function allows you to take your personalized character with you instead of setting up a new character everytime you switch games or consoles.
Photo – This channel is used to store images using the built-in SD Memory Card. You can use the Wiimote to modify images in various ways, such as changing size and color. You can use some of these basic features to take the place of other photo-processing software.
Forecast – This links you to live updated weather information and forecasts through WiiConnect24 and requires an Internet connection. Users can received information worldwide on weather by using the 3D globe. Using this channel, you can feel free to play games even in troublesome weather, such as during severe thunderstorms and tornado watch/warnings – without worry that you are missing out on critical weather updates. This feature is particularly popular with parents.
News – Predictably, this channel is updated with the latest news automatically and is sorted into categories. Again, this channel uses WiiConnect24 and requires an Internet connection. Using News can help eliminate the need for Internet browsing for the latest information.
Wii Shop – Using this Wii store you can buy Wii points and redeem them, as well as purchase virtual console games. The Opera browser is also found here, which is used for Internet surfing. You will not find Wii ISO downloads here, but you can find them elsewhere on the net. These games are downloaded from a service in which you usually will have to pay only a one-time fee.
Internet – Once you have the Opera browser, it is now accessible at this channel. Television and the Internet are merged there into one access point. The service is compatible with Macromedia Flash, and switching between applications from television to Internet comes in handy when you want to search the web instead of watching the commmercials.
Wii Message Board – Instead of the old-fashioned dry erase boards that stick on the refrigerator with a magnet, you can use the Wii to leave messages for other family or household members. You can also sent pictures and text to a cellular phone using this feature. Furthermore, you can sign up for game updates when they become available.
