Oslo, Norway and Tokyo, Japan – July 24, 2006
Nintendo Co., Ltd. startedselling “Nintendo DS Browser” in Japan today via several dedicatedJapanese online sales sites. Opera Software’s full-featured browserenables Japanese gamers to surf all their favorite Web sites on theNintendo DS or DS Lite. The browser is sold as a separate DS card, justlike Nintendo DS games, and will come with an extra memory expansioncartridge so that users can access full Internet content by utilizingWi-Fi environments at home, Nintendo’s dedicated Wi-Fi Stations and freeaccessing spots.
The Nintendo DS Browser is available in Japan at a retail price of 3,800yen (tax included) and can be purchased online at Nintendo-authorizedsales sites. The Nintendo DS browser represents Opera Software’s firstproduct deployment with Nintendo. Nintendo has also selected Opera to bethe browser for its new game console, Wii, expected on the market duringthe fourth quarter of 2006.
“Opera takes the Nintendo DS to another level with its Web browser bymaking use of the DS’s capabilities as an online interaction tool,” saysScott Hedrick, Executive Vice President, Opera Software. “Many of us atOpera are big DS fans, and our engineers worked closely with Nintendo totailor Opera’s rendering modes to suit special DS features, such as thetouch screen, resulting in a fantastic user experience. Browsing withOpera on the DS is a totally unique way to surf the Internet.”
“With Opera we had the challenge of producing a browser for Nintendo DSthat could comfortably surf web pages created to run on a PC’s CPU powerand memory size,” says Masaru Shimomura, deputy general manager ofNintendo’s R&D Department. “Thanks to Opera’s technologies and endeavors,we were able to realize a very efficient full-web-browser for Nintendo DSwith a fast start up time, quick and unique page display and intuitiveinterface using the touch-pen. We hope that people will enjoy this newstyle of surfing the net in bed or while watching TV.”
Features Overview:
Browsing Modes
Opera for Nintendo DS has two display modes: Fit-to-width and DS mode. Infit-to-width mode, Opera uses both screens for scrolling up or down a pagewith both screens completing the view. In DS mode, an overview of the Webpage is displayed on the lower screen and a pink colored thumbnail can bemoved around an area of the page. The area you have selected is magnifiedand shown on the upper screen. This is a unique way to deliver the Web totake advantage of the DS hardware configuration and Opera Software hasworked closely with Nintendo to optimize this experience.
Navigation
The Nintendo DS’s touch-pen will be the main tool of navigation, enablingusers to click on links, scroll pages and even handwrite URLs and searchterms in either Japanese (Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji) or English,currently.
Web Standards
The browser has virtually the same level of standards support as the Opera8.5 desktop and can access the same sites, pages and Web-based applications.
Plug-ins
Due to device limitations the Nintendo DS browser will not supportplug-ins. Though a separate e-mail client is not included on the device,users will be able to access their Web mail accounts.
Images
Standard image formats such as JPG, GIF, and PNG are supported.
Bookmarks
Just like Opera for Desktop, bookmarks can be added to the DS browser.
Security and Parental Control
Opera offers the same secure browsing experience no matter the device. TheNintendo DS browser supports secure sites (SSL), such as banks andshopping sites.
Parents looking for more control of their child’s browsing experience canset passwords to enable the use of Nintendo DS Browser and, also, Nintendohas partnered with Digital Arts to offer the option of i-Filter for theNintendo DS, a proxy filter to block inappropriate content for kids.
Language
Currently the DS browser is offered in Japanese only.
Check out Opera’s top surfing tips for your Nintendo DS at http://www.opera.com/products/devices/nintendo/tips/