Secrets of the Wii U

The Wii U has a number of unsung features I only recently discovered:

• Its Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, and YouTube players are really, really good. You can view content on your TV or the Wii U GamePad. Really handy when someone else is using the TV (you can plug headphones into the GamePad too, by the way).
• The TVii feature is also really interesting. You can search and view content on your TV network (cable, satellite, whatever), Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon backed by data from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. You can also do interesting social network activities relating to the show you're watching on the GamePad while the show runs on your TV. It's a surprisingly immersive TV guide experience.
• USB storage expansion. The internal storage on the Wii U is tiny (8GB or 32GB) and laughably easy to fill with just a few games. In the 8GB console's case, you don't even have the option of downloading a game over 2.7GB since the system software itself eats up 5GB right off the bat. This issue is easily solved by attaching a cheap USB external hard drive available from Best Buy, Amazon, or Newegg.
• You can play most games right on the GamePad without using your TV. This is great when someone else is using the TV or just wants some peace and quiet. You can parallel play to your heart's content.
• The graphics are actually really good. Every game I've played, even the super-fast Mario Kart 8 outputs 1080p at a solid 60 frames per second, making it both beautiful and extremely playable even when the screen is clogged with action. Nintendo may not be pushing out games with more realistic graphics like other studios, but they make up for it with high-fidelity design and bold color. What first stands out about Mario Kart 8 are the colors: deep blues, striking reds, and vibrant greens that other games, even titles lauded for their impressive graphics (e.g. Destiny), just don't have.