I think you are really underestimating what I mean by "new features and refinements", and how important they will be to a console in 2013. Say for example, the PS4 still uses the XMB, but it's lightning fast in game or out, has any kind of cross-chat/group-chat/nude-chat crap you could imagine, has dozens of TV/social media aps, Gaikai integration (possibly bringing full BC), rebooted PS store and PS+, a much improved browser, new trophy system  etc. and a ton of new crap that I can't predict all wraped up in a much more attractive and intuitive UI (and all of which by the way is avaliable in-game, fully featured, by simply pressing the PS button)... that would be massive, and that would be a lot more than a refinement. That would be like going from Windows 95 to Windows 7 (maybe almost literally if Microsoft put W8 in their next Xbox). 

Miiverse is a similar concept to PS home if I'm not mistaken... and while it probably will be bigger, will it really be a big draw? TVii isn't going to be big (and isn't anything new) because 1: Tablets exist, there will be far more out there, and they already do this well. 2: It's not really a major feature anyway because 3: The vast majority of people watch TV on their TVs, and 2 gaming systems have already been doing this for years, and I would bet PS4/720 will do it better than the Wii U (but obviously, we don't know if they actually will so you can ignore that last bit if you wish) 4: It isn't confirmed for the second biggest region?

The buzz around the gamepad is not nearly what the buzz around the Wiimote is, which is not a critique of the actual controller mind you, just an observation. I don't expect it to "wow" the masses.

I think they definitely need to do something innovative but that doesn't necessarily have to be controller wise.
Wii won an audience over because it simplified controls so anyone could play. With WiiU I think Nintendo has lost that audience. MS with an enhanced Kinect is the most likely to profit.

Still the game scene has altered fundamentally. They are not so much competing with each other now, they are competing with iOS/Android. They are competing with F2P. 65% of all tablet use is playing games. 65%! That means every iPad or Android tablet is first and foremost a game console and tablet sales will easily outstrip console sales. Tablet games are cheap/free, console games are $60-70. Yes console games are 'deeper' with better controls but that's changing rapidly. Developers (even Epic) are working on AAA F2P tablet games and there's already devices which will let you play those games with a dual analog controller.

So it PS4/MS don't offer an experience tablet's simply can't match (aside from power, because power doesn't win and will be quickly outstripped anyway) with something like Kinect or holograms or games that will put you literally into the movie or sport event or such, then tablets have already won.

Games won't make much difference either. 3rd parties go where the money is and new developers have been making mad money on mobile/F2P for years. Console 3rd parties are now getting in the scene and an ever increasing slice of their profits are from mobile/F2P. Next gen CoD, Battlefront, Dead Space and Assassin's Creed will be on all systems - including tablets (at a fraction of the upfront cost). That just leaves exclusive and that alone will not win. Sony's masterful and plentiful exclusives never got them out of 3rd. Nintendo's couldn't save the GC. Tablets already have tens of thousands of 'exclusives', and more are coming daily.

Sony/MS need to innovate to survive and in a big way in this new environment. With WiiU I fear Nintendo has come up with too little, too late for it to have any long term success.

Yes, as an USP the GamePad isn't generating enough of buzz; but perhaps Nintendo is counting on it buzzing within a few months through word of mouth. First they sell Wii U to loyal Nintendo fans, and getting noticed by "hardcore" gamers for their core titles (ZombiU and Bayo2) which they follow up with getting ports of major core games and releasing/announcing a few of their own. And next holiday they release more casual titles and having a lower price point than PS720 it'll start to look like the best by.

That's all nice and dandy in theory. I doubt it'll go down that smooth, but that strategy would ensure massive sales imo. If done right Wii U will end up nr 1 OR nr 2 this gen, pending on MicroSony

You said console :) 

Well, if you want GREAT graphics you better buy yourself an expensive PC. There will be visual differences between Wii U and PS720, but they will probably be on the level of high end PCs today compared to PS360 graphics. Probably not enough for most people to pay an extra $50-$100.

Wasn't the PS2 the cheapest DVD player at that point?

No thanks, Wii remote was enough "innovation" for me. I don't want that kind of stuff on my favourite console.

games and the fact that it could play dvd's. PS2 had a perfect combination of everything.

"what I love with Wii U is Nintendo TVii!"

"Those aren't just small "advancements or innovations" and "new features and refinements""

as an HD console owner i honestly don't find that impressive at all, HD consoles have loads of media  and social services integrated into them already like netflix, hulu etc

maybe i'm just ignorant of how its such a massive improvement, so what makes it so special to you ( that you would imply that its such a massive improvement over the media and social services offered by consoles already )

as for miiverse personally it looks like something that i'd ignore and just hop straight into whatever game i booted the console up for

Well, do you EVER write anything about a game here? if yes, then you'd probably write it using Miiverse as well.

TVii seems like it'll be much more user friendly using the GamePad and all.

But yes, it isn't new stuff, but as far as I've seen Miiverse and TVii is much more optimized.