Coinciding with today's release of the solo Wii Speak peripheral, Nintendo began full service on the Wii Speak Channel.

This latest channel lets users engage in voice chat with friends. Up to four Wii units can take part in conversations. Additionally, the Channel allows users to display up to six Miis, trade pictures directly off SD, and mute certain parties.

Even those who don't have the Wii Speak Channel can take part in the voice-based fun. The Channel allows users to record voice messages of up to 10 seconds length. These can be attached to pictures and sent to any friend even those without the channel.

The main interface for the new channel. Users have access voice change tools through the 1 button, mute through the 2 button, and can change the volume with left and right on the d-pad.

Sending pictures from your SD card.

Recording and sending voice messages which can be read by all users, even those without the Wii Speak Channel.

To download the Wii Speak channel, players will have to make use of a code that's bundled with with the Wii Speak peripheral. This code is included both with the solo peripheral and with the recent Animal Crossing hardware bundle.

Once you have your code ready, you can download the channel for free from the Wii Shopping Channel. Animal Crossing buyers who already input their code into the Wii Shopping Channel and made the download prior to December 3 will need to make the free download again.