Nintendo turned around the DS with a system redesign, and some compelling software that took advantage of touch controls, which were a novelty at the time.
Nintendogs happened a ways before the Lite came around. the turn around can be directly attributed to Nintendogs.
The 3DS was sluggish until a major price drop.
3DS price drop saved it in Japan.. but it was still sluggish in the US. It was software that finally turned it around here.
neither of these strategies is feasible for turning around the wiiu.
Regarding the DS, Nintendo just needs to release solid appealing software.. i.e. Nintendogs.
regarding the 3DS.. almost a year later and surely profitable from the start.. a price drop (AND extra game) are not impossible (or unlikely) for Wii U.
I fully expect a $300 Deluxe system with NintendoLand and either NSMBU or Lego City by this fall. The basic system would then be $250. Fall's software releases also aren't too shabby, even from 3rd parties (err Ubi and Warner I guess)
I humbly do not agree with this notion at all. (I'm not saying you are wrong. You maybe right, but I don't think a lot of people will categorize 'miiverse' as 'holy shit next gen experience'.)
When people see something amazing (example I can think of is division, etc), or just simply way better physics and super sharp graphics on their new TV, they will most likely say 'oh wow my money is well spend. LOOK AT THAT'.
Casuals already have a lot of social experience elsewhere.
new TV?? You are not needing a new TV for anything these days.. That's kind of the point. Better graphics and better physics. We already see better graphics and physics from year to year on the current consoles. We also see tremendous selling games WITHOUT better graphics and better physics. Graphics and CPU-driven improvements have been under diminishing returns for years. They got a slight bump last gen thanks to the move to HD, but this coming gen loses that benefit (HD to HD). This gen isn't like going from gen to gen.. It is honestly like upgrading your 4 year old PC to play the newest games. That's why I simply can't see art and environment being the generation defining leap. It's also why I believe we see Sony and MS (and Nintendo) investing so much in meta-products. Proprietary social networks, live video streaming, after-gameplay experiences, indie self-publishing, etc. And if you notice, Nintendo has already invested in those EXACT same things.
It's all conjecture at this point. I know that. But I would almost bet this fall that more people will find streaming to Ustream/Twitch directly from the console more "next-gen" than the gorgeous graphics or physics.
as for the Miiverse comment.. that's kind of where I'm coming from. I actually WAS blown away that I could, while in-game, hop directly into the game's Miiverse channel, post a screenshot of an area I was having trouble with, and within a minute or two have responses that helped me out, then immediately able to jump back in game and finish. To me.. yeah, that is more next-gen than the (absolutely insanely gorgeous) better visuals in Second Son.