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OPERA WEB BROWSER CONFIRMED TO MAKES IT WAY TO THE DS

With bits of Nintendo's DS Lite conference going on in Japan slipping out, it has been confirmed that the Opera web browser will make its way onto the Nintendo DS later this year.


Nintendo has revealed that the Opera web browser will make its way to the Nintendo DS. It will not be part of the firmware though. Details on how much it will cost and other features should surface in the near future.


Update First picture added to the story.
Japanese Gaming network Impress Watch has shown the first photo from the conference showing the Opera web browser.


Update 2 Opera's side of the story added as well.

In Opera's agreement with Nintendo, Nintendo DS users will now be able to surf the full Internet from their systems using the Opera browser. The Opera browser for Nintendo DS will be sold as a DS card. Users simply insert the card into the Wi- Fi enabled Nintendo DS, connect to a network, and begin browsing on two screens.

"The incredibly popular Nintendo DS is already Wi-Fi enabled to support real time gaming, so adding Web browsing capabilities was a natural evolution for this device," says Scott Hedrick, Executive Vice President at Opera Software. "Gaming devices are growing more advanced and a great Web experience is becoming a product differentiator for gaming manufacturers. Opera is excited to work with Nintendo to deliver a unique dual screen, full Internet experience on Nintendo DS."

With an on-screen keypad and stylus, users can easily navigate the Web from their Nintendo DS with PDA-like functionality. Based on the same core as the Opera desktop browser, Opera delivers superior speed and rendering of Web pages on the Nintendo DS. "Within just five seconds of turning on the system, the Nintendo DS is already fully operational. This makes it the ideal device to enable people to swiftly obtain the latest information from the internet, wherever they are," says Masaru Shimomura, Deputy General Manager of Nintendo's R&D Department. "Opera exceeded our expectations with its user friendly interface, quick access to all your favorite sites, ease of use and, most importantly, in making the best use of the Nintendo DS system's unique double screens and touch screen features. Opera is an important partner for Nintendo in our efforts to further expand the users of the Nintendo DS."

Information on the availability of the Opera browser DS card has not yet been announced.

Runs on reg DS and DS Lite

Owners of Nintendo's DS game gadget could soon be using it to browse the web or watch TV.

By June Nintendo will release an add-on card for the handheld that has Opera's web browsing software on it.

Following this, it will release another card with a TV tuner inside that picks up programmes broadcast for portable devices.

Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata said the add-ons were part of a plan to make the DS appeal to more than just gamers.

Program plan

Speaking at a conference detailing Nintendo's strategy over the coming months, Mr Iwata said the browser add-on card was expected to cost about 3,800 yen (£18.55).

The DS already has built-in wireless networking that lets gamers take each on via a free net-based service.

Although the web browser for the DS will be released worldwide, Mr Iwata said the TV tuner was only intended for Japan. In April, many Japanese broadcasters will start transmitting programmes just for mobile gadgets.

The TV tuner would be available by the end of 2006, said Mr Iwata.

"These products propose a different use for the DS in entirely new fields," Mr Iwata told attendees at the briefing.

He also talked about some of the forthcoming software for the DS, some of which also helps to round out its plan to make the handheld more than just a game gadget.

Included in the new software line-up is a foreign language guide for visitors to Japan, a training program that helps Japanese people improve their handwriting and a cooking guide that reads out step-by-step instructions for dishes.

For the gamers future releases include a version of Tetris for the DS that features appearances by Mario and Donky Kong.

Since it launched in Japan in December 2004, Nintendo has sold more than 14.4 million DS units worldwide. Mr Iwata said it has proved so popular that some shops were reporting shortages.

He added that Nintendo had sold more DS handhelds faster than arch-rival Sony managed with its PSP gaming handheld.

Sony, too, has ambitions for the PSP to reach beyond the core of gamers. Many movies are now released in a format the device can play. Sony has also released a media manager that lets people put music, movies and pictures on their gadget.

Demand is expected to get a boost in March when Nintendo releases the DS Lite, a slimmed down, cheaper version of the handheld.

One of the most popular games for the DS has been Nintendogs in which players get the chance to raise and train a digital dog.

Bounty wrote:

Runs on reg DS and DS Lite

Duh. It's the same hardware, just a different plastic shell.

Archaic` wrote:

Bounty wrote:

Runs on reg DS and DS Lite

Duh. It's the same hardware, just a different plastic shell.

And it's that plastic shell which is the problem apparently. There will be two different versions of the software, one for each iteration of the DS, with slightly different shaped RAM carts for the GBA slot.

Praxis wrote:What are you guys talking about? Why would you need two versions of the software?

The GBA slot is the same, just a little shorter so that GBA carts stick out.. The browser would certainly not run off the GBA slot, as when the DS boots from the bottom slot it automatically turns off the second screen and faster processor.

The DS cart slot is exactly the same.