Opera Web Browser Connects The World To Wii
Opera on Wii adds a new dimension and functionality to a video game console system. It is a unique Web experience that everyone can use, and the Intelligent Zoom feature allows consumers to read Web content on the TV from the comfort of their couch, says Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America. Whether surfing the Web or playing a Wii game, users of all kinds will find fun, new experiences with Wii.
Nintendo’s wildly popular Wii home video game system not only revolutionizes how people play games, but it also entices new people into the world of gaming. On Dec. 22, Nintendo and Opera Software bring the Internet to the living room couch with a free beta version of the Opera Web browser. Wii owners who are connected and have activated the Wii Shop Channel can download a free beta version of the Opera browser to activate the Internet Channel of the Wii Menu and begin surfing the Web.
“This newest Wii Menu channel provides yet another feature to draw non-gamers in,” says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “All kinds of people already have discovered that Wii is like nothing they have ever tried before, and our red-hot sales reflect this public enthusiasm.”
“Our software brings the power and reach of the Internet to the hottest video game system available,” says Scott Hedrick, Executive Vice President, Devices, at Opera Software. “Wii’s unique interface adds a new dimension to our browser, making it a useful tool that the whole family will enjoy operating with ease.”
The final version of the Opera browser will be available at the end of March 2007, and will be free for all Wii owners to download through the end of June 2007. After June, users who haven’t already downloaded the Opera browser can go to the Wii Shop Channel to download it for 500 Wii Points.
The Internet Channel provides an optimal Web browsing experience on people’s home television. The Adobe Flash-enabled beta version of the Opera browser puts the Internet right onto owners’ television screens and lets them browse with ease, enabling them to check sports scores, plot maps or visit their favorite Web sites. Multiple family members can gather around the television to plan a vacation or make online purchases. The pointing abilities of the Wii Remoteâ„¢ allow users to click on links they want to see or to zoom into any part of the screen through the motion of the controller. In addition, the Wii Remote can be used with an on-screen keyboard to make text entry as easy as point and click.
The Internet Channel joins the four already-live channels: Disc Channel, Photo Channel, Mii Channel and Wii Shop Channel. The Forecast Channel goes live on Dec. 20 and provides current and future weather information that can be accessed using a text list of cities or by using the Wii Remote to zoom in on a 3-D interactive globe. Weather information is provided by Weathernews. The Internet Channel, Forecast Channel and Wii Shop Channel are available at no charge, though they require Wii owners to have a high-speed Internet connection.
Features overview
- Intelligent Zoom: Opera unleashes its new Intelligent Zoom technology for the first time on the Wii. Point the Wii Remote at an object on the page and zoom in on that object with the + button. Once zoomed in, the Wii Remote allows you to pan around the page while remaining in zoom mode.
- Scrolling with the Wii Remote: By pointing the Wii Remote at the TV and pressing the B button, Wii users can simply move the Wii Remote up or down to scroll a page.
- Favorites: Pick your favorite page and select the star button from the user interface to add it as a favorite. Once in your favorites, edit, rename or delete your current selections.
- Single column mode: To view the Web page in new way, select single column mode to get your content stacked. This mode is similar to Opera’s Small Screen Rendering technology for mobile phones and other small screen devices, and is useful when viewing content from a distance.
- On-screen keyboard: Input text with the on-screen keyboard by pointing your Wii Remote to select the letter. Wii has a predictive text feature to auto-complete words and URLs.
- View AJAX-based applications: Sites such as maps.google.com work on Wii, as Opera offers full support for AJAX-based applications in its browser for Wii.
- Flash-enabled: View Flash content on the Web, including popular sites with video content.
For more information about Wii, visit Wii.com and for more info on the Opera Web Browser visit Opera.com.Tags:Browser, Opera, Wii
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