I still think there is a great deal of FUD and general confusion here.
If you compared the 360 and the Wii U side-by-side, does anyone actually believe you'd be able to complete this sequence faster on the former?
(1) turn the system on,
(2) reach the main menu,
(3) launch a retail game,
(4) enter actual gameplay, then
(5) switch to the web browser, look something up, and
(6) return to your game.
I've suffered through the 360 dashboard at friend's houses far too many times now to believe that it could accomplish the above any faster.
By the time I hit the power on my gamepad and sit down, the Wii U is nearly on the main menu for me already, and with one tap on the desired game icon I'm into it with great speed; I can even then turn on my TV, switch inputs, adjust volume etc while the game comes up, all on the one tablet. Then I can switch between Miiverse and the web browser from my game with almost zero delay.
Yet for some reason, the Wii U's OS is being measured by the time it takes to use the Settings app that most wil only enter a single time, upon initial purchase.
Alright, I timed my PS3 and Vita on various functions. Someone with a Wii U can compare.
PS3
Start Up (the time it takes from the sound of the ps3 turning on until the OS with all images loaded displays):
23.2, 26.2, 26.7
avg: 25.4 seconds to start up up the OS
Launching AC3 (the time it takes from launching the game, through all videos, until it displays the main menu):
54.9, 52.9, 53.0
avg: 53.6 seconds to start up AC3
Loading AC3 (the time it takes from starting single player in the main menu until the game fully loads and you're able to move):
16.7, 18.4, 17.7
avg: 17.6 seconds to start playing AC3
Exiting AC3 (the time it takes to quit AC3, closing it, and go back to the PS3 OS from a loaded game):
13.6 seconds
Launching Trine 2:
43.2, 41.4
avg: 42.3 seconds
Loading Trine 2:
18.9, 18.5
avg: 18.7 seconds
Exiting Trine 2:
15.0 seconds
Launching browser (the time it takes until you are able to type in the search box):
11.6, 11.5
avg: 11.6 seconds
Launching online store (the time it takes until all images have loaded on the store):
39.6, 36.9, 34.1
avg: 36.9 seconds
Exiting the online store (the time it takes to quit the browser, closing it, and going back to the PS3 OS):
11.0, 10.2
avg: 10.6 seconds
Launching Netflix (the time it takes until the app loads and images are displayed):
21.3, 19.7, 20.2
avg: 20.4 seconds
Checking online friends:
instant
VITA
Start Up:
12.4, 11.6
avg: 12.0 seconds
Launching Uncharted:
54.4, 53.5
avg: 54.0 seconds (it's 35.2 seconds of loading until the intro movies play)
Loading Uncharted:
30.4 seconds
Exiting Uncharted:
instant
Launching browser:
2.3, 2.7, 2.2
avg: 2.4 seconds
Launching online store:
16.2, 13.8, 14.6
avg: 14.8 seconds
Exiting the online store:
instant
Launching Netflix:
33.2, 31.2, 33.3
avg: 32.6 seconds
Launching settings:
1.8, 1.8, 1.7
avg: 1.8 seconds
Viewing online friends:
11.5, 10.8, 10.4
avg: 10.9 seconds
Launching Youtube:
4.7, 4.9, 5.9
avg: 5.2 seconds
Launching Google Maps:
17.1 seconds