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Giving gamers two windows to the Web: The Opera Browser for Nintendo DS
Oslo, Norway - February 15, 2006: Opera Software today announced that it will deliver the World Wide Web to Nintendo DS users in Japan.
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.
Earlier this year, Nintendo reported that 13 million Nintendo DS systems were sold to consumers around the world within just 13 months of its debut in November 2004. Nintendo DS combines unique dual screens, touch screen, voice recognition and wireless and Wi-Fi communications capabilities. According to an independent market research company in Japan, Nintendo DS has become the fastest selling video games machine to top the six million sales mark in Japan in just over 14 months since its Japanese debut, breaking the old record held by Nintendo's Game Boy Advance.
"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, 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."
Nintendo Co., Ltd. held a presentation today in Tokyo, Japan, to announce updates for the Nintendo DS. Information on the availability of the Opera browser DS card has not yet been announced.
Also here: www.modojo.com/news/20060215/513/
Awesome. 
I don't own a DS, but I'm a big Opera fan, so this is pretty nice to hear. Sounds like this could be good for both Opera and the DS, and with the touch screen features, it sounds like this would be the better system for web browsing (compared to the PSP). Hopefully it makes it to the US soon, although I don't see why it wouldn't.
This makes me really happy, because it makes me believe I can surf the web without restrictions of the blocks at college, due to them blocking anything related to gaming (and I'm on a gaming course). Then I remember that we don't have wireless there, and the Nintendo adaptor won't work on the computers there 
.
Still, this is great news for DS owners who can access the internet away from home, and I can see no reason why this shouldn't be released in the west.
Sweet.
*crosses fingers and hopes for a DS keyboard and/or Mozilla Firefox DS*
Yeah... it sounds good... 'cept I don't have wireless... and can't get it out here in nowhereland. Mebbe next year in college.
I hope Firefox follows. And I hope it comes with Javascript and Flash support.
I hope Firefox follows.
Aren't Firefox and Opera both based on basically the same rendering engine?
Nope, they aren't related in any way.
I wouldn't expect to ever see Firefox on the DS, I don't see why they'd want or need to go through the trouble of working with two companies and selling two different browsers (also making it more confusing for those who don't know or understand the difference) when one would work fine. Opera seems like the best choice anyway considering how fast it is and the experience they already have in making browsers for portable devices (like cell phones).
I was wondering if Ninty would optimize the WiFi capabilities to allow for web surfing. While I've never used Opera myself, it seems good to see it's online to the web.
As for a DS keyboard, I'm personally happy with a touch-screen keyboard. Well, presuming it doesn't make other controls difficult and whatnot.
Now all we need is for Texas Instruments or some other calculator company to release a graphing calculator DS card... Imagine being able to "do Math calculations" in class on your DS (aka, surfing the web while looking like you are following along...perfect!)
Touch-screen keyboards are nice and all, but they're really clumsy and whatnot.
I'd really prefer if there were something tangible to type on.
...wow. About time, that's all I have to say. I was surprised that the DS DIDN'T have a browser built-in.
This is going to be great. I am DEFINATELY getting this for my DS. I hope it has flash support as well, so I can get on Flashchat with it!
Yeah, I saw this on IGN awhile back included in that article was the fact that Nintendy is going to try to make a way for the DS to become a TV. Anyway, this is pretty cool news but I'm hardly away from the house and don't really have a way to use it unless my workplace were to become a wireless hotspot were I could use it during break.
That should be pretty awesome, though I can already go online in my room. ^^; I know at Borders they have wireless internet, as does many other places, so I'll get it just to play around with there at least. Hopefully they'll pimp it up with some cool options and stuff.
~T2K
