Wii Opera browser's final version available
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Apr 11th 2007 at 11:36PM }
The final version of the Wii's Opera browser is now available for download. We haven't had a chance to really put the system through the paces, but we're guessing that it has all the details we previously wrote about:- Auto-hide toolbar
- Display cursors from multiple Wii remotes (though only Player 1 can actually click)
- Favorites page immediately accessible
- Improved website compatibility
- Improved zoom leaves text crisp at all levels
- New and better scroll interface
- Search button on the toolbar
- Start up time decreased by 5 seconds
- URL text (www and com) easily accessible
[Thank you to everyone who sent this in]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ian Von Porter @ Apr 11th 2007 11:39PM
Hey Nintendo.. its 2007.. people dont pay for web browsers anymore.. esp. gimped ones that run at 480p.
Ken Seang @ Apr 11th 2007 11:41PM
@ #1 its not like they are forcing you to buy it.
dukemeiser @ Apr 11th 2007 11:42PM
I think you'd have to be a total dork to browse the internet using a VIDEO GAME CONSOLE! Trust me, computers do it much better.
mark @ Apr 11th 2007 11:49PM
well the one convenience is that im typing this while in bed. i honestly dont think anyone expects the wii browser to replace a comp. anyways, in the limited time ive been using it has worked far better than the trial version. favor feature is that it allowed me to stretch the browser to fit my tv, so no more black outline.
John Doe @ Apr 11th 2007 11:50PM
Hey dukemeiser,
Good to know that you have a screen big enough for everyone in the room to see. The Wii is a social console. I've spent time talking over news and websites that was viewed on the Wii with others as we sit around and chat. Its not all about one person sitting in the dark browsing the net on his Wii.
religiousjedi @ Apr 11th 2007 11:53PM
I only have one problem with the Internet Channel...no music!!!!!!! :(
Otherwise...now I can scratch my arse in bed while I watch some youtube videos...:)
dukemeiser @ Apr 11th 2007 11:53PM
Hey John Doe,
I guess that makes you a dork doesn't it?
Rubang B @ Apr 11th 2007 11:57PM
@religiousjedi, there's a web site out there, the name of which I can't recall, which lets you open multiple pages at once through tabbed browsing. I'm sure you can look it up, find it, use it, and then leave one tab running some internet radio.
@#1,
Hey Microsoft, it's 2007, people don't pay for online gaming anymore.
lukee @ Apr 11th 2007 11:58PM
Come on. For only 5 dollars, the Wii Internet browser is a great deal. Sure, you won't want to rely on it as your only way to get online, but it's great for checking email, youtube, and as someone else said, "social browsing".
I am thrilled they finally released it!
arrrgh @ Apr 12th 2007 12:00AM
@ Rubang
well met, sir
Ian Von Porter @ Apr 12th 2007 12:08AM
So, in RubangLand, no online gaming is better than paying for online gaming? And, yes, 8+ million people are paying monthly subscriptions for WoW right now... so how do you like 'em apples?
silkylove @ Apr 12th 2007 12:11AM
Nice one Rubang.
Anyway,
I've downloaded this new browser and so far it's not blowing my skirt up. It's better, but I still have little reason to use it over my pc except for certain flash games. It is kind of cool though, especially because it's free.
booticon @ Apr 12th 2007 12:13AM
Would have like tabbed browsing, but other than that, I like it. Not all things Flash work, but at least YouTube does, which is what I primarily use the browser for.
Internet Channel + Super Paper Mario = teh win
deRock @ Apr 12th 2007 12:13AM
You guys do know that you do not have to ever pay for it if you download it before June. I just downloaded it for FREE.
SKI @ Apr 12th 2007 12:14AM
Wiiminder is what I used for tabbed browsing.
Rubang B @ Apr 12th 2007 12:16AM
@Ian Von Porter, StarCraft is more fun than WoW. It's also free, and it still gets free updates AFTER TEN YEARS. Come again?
If you're referring to Nintendo's lack of online gaming, let me point to the Nintendo DS, which has free worldwide online gaming. At 40 million sold worldwide (that's more than the XBox and the 360 put together), that's a nice fat target audience to milk for some online gaming. But nope, it's free.
If you're referring to the Wii, Japan already has online games, and they'll be in the U.S. next month.
If you're referring to online gaming in general, StarCraft is still the best RTS in existence. And why pay to play Halo 2 or Gears online when I can play CounterStrike for free. It's the most-played online FPS of all time, it's free to play, and its updates are free. It also has more mods.
Jonroach13 @ Apr 12th 2007 12:33AM
@Rubang B
Wow. So that's pretty sweet. 2 games have good, free online gaming. I bet its awesome when you are done playing Counterstrike and you have to call your buddy to set up a game of Starcraft, then call him again to play something else. OR I guess you could have an AIM screen name with just a gaming buddy list. That would work... but wait, alt tabbing out of games f's up the screen sometimes huh?
Any SMART gamer can grab a live subscription for 13 months (yeah thats right, try newegg) for $40... that's $3.33 per month... OMG!!!! Its nice having everything in ONE spot, being able to see what your friends are doing, and if you want to join them in that game...
shut up and go back to play Resistance. Does anyone own another PS3 game honestly?
I love the new UK PS3 ads... "It's a Blu-Ray player... and also can play games!!!"
Sweet Sony.
Wii60 rules.
LongshotX @ Apr 12th 2007 12:39AM
@ Rubang B
Yeah because friends are so what's happening....
LongshotX @ Apr 12th 2007 12:39AM
@ Rubang B
Yeah because friends are so what's happening....
LongshotX @ Apr 12th 2007 12:40AM
@ Rubang B
Yeah because friends codes are so what's happening....
Sorry for the triple post!
blah @ Apr 12th 2007 12:46AM
Am I missing something it does not appear any different after the update. If this is the final why does it still say "trial version"
Ian Von Porter @ Apr 12th 2007 12:47AM
"If you're referring to the Wii, Japan already has online games, and they'll be in the U.S. next month."
You must be talking about pokemon.. are you 5 years old? Have you already prepped your list of friend codes for the BIG day when Wii gets online?
So, what else is online multiplayer on the wii? .. .. .. hmmm.. that would be NOTHING!
WhatIsThatThing @ Apr 12th 2007 12:47AM
So does this support Flash 8? Or are we still relegated to Flash 7 support?
Rubang B @ Apr 12th 2007 12:55AM
Whoa whoa whoa, where'd you get the idea I have a PS3? I'm straight up Nintendo mafia bitch. I will cut you up.
CubeGuy @ Apr 12th 2007 12:55AM
@blah
The update just updates the Shop Channel. You need to use the Shop Channel to download the browser just like last time.
Asok @ Apr 12th 2007 12:59AM
I can't help but notice that kids seem to get very cranky when they're up past their bedtime...
Meanwhile, I've downloaded and tested the new browser update with a few simple sites for now, and so far it works great. Everything has been tweaked to perfection, or at least close to it. Now I can finally browse QDB the way I've always wanted to...in bed. Which I should be in right now, as well as some others here.
Rubang B @ Apr 12th 2007 1:07AM
@blah, the update is just for the firmware. Now you need to go to the Shop Channel and download the full browser.
Rubang B @ Apr 12th 2007 1:18AM
I loved how LongShotX accidentally wrote "Yeah because friends are so what's happening...." as if he was making fun of having friends.
@JonRoach13, If I want an RTS, I'll play StarCraft. If I want an FPS, I'll play CounterStrike. These are not the only 2 games I own. All my other bases are covered by my 9 Wii games, my 21 DS games, and my 300 NES games.
@Ian Von Porter, The Wii is outselling your precious 360 here in America with ZERO online games. Online gaming is not the battle that decides the console war. Neither is graphics. The regular XBox owned both those battles in the 6th generation and got smoked by the PS2 by about 80 million. The 360 is already online and is expecting no amazing upgrades. The Wii will get a big sales spike when it goes online. This sales spike will leave the 360 in the dust even moreso than it already is. Online gaming won't save Microsoft this gen, just like they didn't last gen.
arrrgh @ Apr 12th 2007 1:26AM
awww Ian Von Porter seems a bit cranky...guys maybe we should take it easy on the kid...(i think he's sensitive)
syco @ Apr 12th 2007 1:28AM
I can't see paying for this, but then again 10 years ago people used to pay $20 a month for this... they called it WebTV.
But as a freebee it's pretty awesome.
BPM @ Apr 12th 2007 1:33AM
Hmm... Well, overall, it's a lot better than the Trial Version (and it's still free for a couple of months, folks... Though, I have a feeling Nintendo will eventually drop the idea of charging for it...).
Though, one thing that bothers me about the full version that I don't think was an issue with the trial version is that Flash videos seem a bit choppy with low framerates. I just watched a couple of YouTube videos, and they have a pretty choppy framerate... I hope this gets fixed.
Revo @ Apr 12th 2007 1:53AM
"22. So, what else is online multiplayer on the wii? .. .. .. hmmm.. that would be NOTHING!"
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/04/03/wii-goes-online-with-mario-strikers-charged/
UK release date: May 25th
You're displaying a bit too much anger there, Ian. Try to calm down a tad, hmm?
Nick Navarro @ Apr 12th 2007 2:33AM
@Jonroach13
So ignorance really annoys me. I'm not going to argue with anything you said, except for one thing, because i really don't want to waste the time on you. But about your comment on making an AIM buddy list for games. Have you ever heard of Xfire? Apparently you don't play any PC games cus if you did you would know what Xfire is. Oh, and the best thing is that you can chat with friends using Xfire without having to Alt Tab! God you just irritate me. Oh and to everyone who is bashing the Wii browser cus it isn't as good as using a computer: Nintendo isn't competing with computers, they are just offering you a service and if you don't like it then just don't use it.
Shogan @ Apr 12th 2007 3:46AM
I have to say, this new version is far better than the trial... and still free!
My husband and I, along with our neighbor, shopped for furniture online using the Wii. A computer is still better, but this does have its uses.
(posted from Wii)
JeffyP00 @ Apr 12th 2007 3:47AM
Does Wii Media Center X work better now with the improved browser?
Tweak @ Apr 12th 2007 3:56AM
This wii browser is pretty nice. I'm actually typing out my reply using the wii right now. I have a couple of bookmarks I've checked out, and everything seems to be running smoothly, except for finetune. The folks over there wern't expecting the wii's zoom function i guess, so their current version of the wii player gets buggy when you zoom in and out, but it still works as a media player of sorts.
syco @ Apr 12th 2007 5:24AM
Xfire is damn near the worst IM program ever designed by man. I mean, the concept is promising but the implementation is atrocious.
MakubeX @ Apr 12th 2007 5:52AM
Hmm... You're neglecting a major upgrade of the Wii Browser! It's the new icon! Much, much prettier now!
kristbyrne @ Apr 12th 2007 6:50AM
Pretty cool for what it is. Text is blurry when I zoom out. |)
CNash @ Apr 12th 2007 7:06AM
Keyboard support would've been nice. Somebody needs to hack the Wii's firmware and get keyboard drivers out for it ASAP...
JJ @ Apr 12th 2007 7:14AM
If i HAVE to use a console online...i use my PS3 to view webpages, like Joystiq etc. Because the Wiimote is a pain in the butt to type stuff out with i rather you a keyboard, makes it SOO much simpler.
Same thing with the 360, if i have to type out a message i use my keyboard, becaue really...i dont have the patience to use the controller.
But i did give this new web browser a download, but i've used the Trial version...2 times maybe? and i doubt i'll use this much, but hey, its free.
Miharu @ Apr 12th 2007 7:34AM
pornotube and 4chan flashes don't work anymore. The browser just lost all it's meaning.
VAStateOfMind @ Apr 12th 2007 7:37AM
I heartily agree with CNash -- keyboard support is desperately needed. Also, Nintendo/Opera had a GOLDEN opportunity to upgrade Flash capability in the final version of the Internet Channel. Having greater-than-Flash v7.0 would allow watching episodes of many of our favorite TV shows online (posted on ABC.com, Fox.com, etc.) and could extended the Wii's miniscule media center abilities, but we are stuck with watching Flash v7.0 videos only on the IC. I can live with it, though, because as most everyone is pointing out, the IC upgrade is FREE (for now) and really isn't bad at all for casual surfing from the couch.
saboola @ Apr 12th 2007 7:41AM
Does anyone know why this app, and just this app, could not be shoved out in 720p over the component cables? I understand why games cant be pushed at this res, the gpu is just not ready for that, but pushing out this over a higher res should not be an issue right? Is it a hard coded limitation of the Wii?
Nicolas Redfern @ Apr 12th 2007 7:56AM
Its much better than before, and
@dukemeiser PC may do web browsing much better, but this is brilliant is when your computers wrecked and you need to find out how to fix it. (Fixed Windows 3 times already using my DS!)
Chris M @ Apr 12th 2007 8:12AM
loyal readers go to sites they like best too bad Joystiq was second behind google ^.^;
anyway while it was loading i was scrolling i got almost to the end and Alert message: Out of memory, would you like to reload the page. Yes or no? sry guys your website and all its pictures(yep all roughly 25 of those jpgs) made the wii crash...get a computer and firefox is what i think, at least until nintendo adds mp3 support for the internet channel(like that will ever happen)
meist3r @ Apr 12th 2007 8:16AM
It's so interesting to see that everyone rants about the shitty flash support. Start complaining to Adobe! I've read the Opera forums where the developers themselves admitted they wanted to do better flash support but Adobe just says "Nah we don't like the idea of more platforms running flash that we have to support". In addition to owning a Wii I am a Linux user and therefore I'm screwed² think about that for a while. There should be a new open standard replacing flash thats what I say.
It's definitely true that the new browser has worse flash support (choppy videos here too) but for an affordable machine like that it's still alright. I can't understand the people ranting against the Wii's browser capability ... you can't run a computer for 250 bucks that plays games that well and has Bluetooth motion controls and still gets updates regularly. Stop thinking about your own darn inconveniences and start realizing the potential of new internet participants that such a browsing experience can create.
Skwurl @ Apr 12th 2007 8:31AM
"I think you'd have to be a total dork to browse the internet using a VIDEO GAME CONSOLE! Trust me, computers do it much better."
Yeah...I mean who wants to goof off and watch streaming videos on a 32" television in their living room?
Oh wait, everybody.
JodyAnthony @ Apr 12th 2007 9:35AM
@ChrisM ...what?
Duck Hunt @ Apr 12th 2007 9:44AM
@meister
I'm glad you're here. I am so sick of whining about a free feature on a $250 tv console. The internet channel is now much more polished, faster, and intuitive. And the thing is free. Youtube still looks great on it (better than on a pc) and it can be a helpful tool in families with one computer when another person wants to check their email. Interesting fact about HD: did you know that the majority of people don't have HD and when they do get it they notice that 480p widescreen is not that much worse than 720p. Do you think Nintendo didn't see that HD will become the new tv standard in 5-7 years?