I was thinking more about Gameboy HD, and Gameboy Vita TV  :P

Soundwave, if you have Wii U like games on a tablet where to do you save your games?
When you have a disk, you are covered. When you have a HDD you are pretty much covered. And when you have none of those?

One of the aims of Nintendo's new R&D facility is streamlining and co-ordinating different software and services across multiple platforms more easily by allowing the different home console, portable and networking divisions to work together more easily. Something along these lines, or a single hybrid device--perhaps initially as a third pillar--could be in the works. 

A third pillar option sounds really, really interesting I think. Last time it kicked Nintendo up to success to the heavens

ooooh ooooohhh. Can I get that 1DS with access to Wii's and 3DS VC for like 99$ on the real though?

HDS. Hopefully it's also 3D, but that sounds cool. I actually hope it's only as powerful the Vita or slightly less powerful, because then Sony can announce they'll support the Vita for another generation. I won't have to purchase another Sony portable until one gen later.

I may be wrong, but wasn`t Iwata speaking about assests and OS? Like, the non gaming stuff.
Because if you present the same software everywhere wouldn`t that cause HW sales to go down?

I´m not sure what Iwata is planning. All we know is that an additional platform could already be underway, given today`s comments about R&D and that rumour about Nintendo for vendors - on HW related matter that i don`t understand! :D

I think that if a third pillar arrives, we could see some specfic type of software made for it as that would also make the other HW a viable purchase.
With the recent events we might see it next year at E3.

Wii U isn't either. A major disaster would be the PS3. I know it has good games, but it lost so much money. Wii U won't be anywhere near the losses of the PS3.

To the OP, none of those. They're all dumb ideas.

No more Wii. The brand name doesn't seem to have staying power like DS or GameBoy.

Actually,,, why does Nintendo feel the need to keep the console and handheld brands separate? I'd love to know.

I think the best option is to keep supporting Wii U and 3DS for the next 3-4 years and simply see where that takes them. They can concentrate on Software and sales should be strong. Then, release a single console that is BOTH a home and handheld console. By that I mean have a true successor to Wii U with tons of processing power but this time have the tablet controller smaller and fully able to leave the home, play online and use the internet. By converging both the home and handheld markets Nintendo would become extremely formidable.