Wii Speak Channel Will Use Wii Microphone For Multi-User Chatting

Another peripheral from Nintendo, but perhaps a little more useful than a pedometer.  The Wii Speak Microphone was first mentioned at E3, but Nintendo's Cammy Dunaway brought the plug-in device up again at the Fall Media Summit yesterday.  Intended to allow voice conversation between gamers without requiring a microphone headset, the microphone will allow access to Nintendo's Wii Speak Channel.

According to Dunaway, up to four people will be able to speak simultaneously, and the microphone will ship with a coupon to download the Channel app.  There's no word on whether you can only use Nintendo's microphone with the service, and if so how you would be able to download the Channel separately.

It seems a missed opportunity to not have a webcam built into the microphone, but maybe there's a USB port lurking around the back of that grey box just waiting for one to be plugged in.  Nintendo are being very coy about release date and pricing.