Nintendo and Opera just launched a new version of Internet Channel for the Wii. It is a free upgrade for all existing users, which is especially nice if you managed to get it for free before June 30. Unfortunately I didn’t buy my Wii until after that deadline, and have yet to plop down 500 Wii points (equivalent to $5) for it.
The new version has several improvements and features that are sure to get applauded by Wii users, including USB keyboard support and widget integration!
- USB Keyboard support
Hardware support for any USB keyboard makes typing both easier and faster. You just simply plug any standard USB keyboard into one of the two USB ports on your Nintendo Wii and you are ready to write email, compose blog posts, comment in forums and much more. - “Send to a Friend”
This feature enables you to send links to your favorite Web sites – or the one you are currently browsing – to your Wii friends whom you have added in your Wii. You can also add a message to send along with the link. When your Wii friend opens the message, they can immediately visit the page. - Copy & Paste
Users can now copy information from a Web page and paste it directly into the search field. Users may also store nine more favorites, bringing the total to 56. - Widget Support
Widgets available now include calendars, news readers, Internet radios and other fun applications. For more information on creating widgets, please visit widgets.opera.com with your Wii.
This sounds like a pretty big upgrade for the Wii web browser, and the USB keyboard support will make it a lot more useful. Kudos to Nintendo for making it work with any keyboard and not forcing you go out and buy some specially made gadget to do the typing!
Source: Choose Opera & Opera Press Release
I got my Wii in the Amazon lottery last year a few days before Christmas.
Sadly, I haven’t played it a whole lot lately, so I didn’t know about this. Thanks for the heads up!
The games this holiday season are amazing, so I expect to start playing it more over the coming months.
We’re still pretty addicted to Wii Sports, and typically do the fitness test everyday. I’m getting pretty good at it.
I’m really looking forward to Mario Kart!
Well this couldn’t have come at a worst time for me. Yesterday while I working on a online quiz for one of my class my wireless router went out on me, and this morning I find about this update for the Wii…why Nintendo, why didn’t you just include a NIC along side the Wifi in the Wii! Oh well I am going to order a linksys (no more d-link for me after yesterday) tomorrow morning along with a USB keyboard so that I can surf easier on the Wii.
Yeah, I mostly play Wii Sports or the tanks game on Wii Play. I’m going to buy Mario Kart for sure, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, and probably Guitar Hero III for Wii.
If I get those 3 and am still looking for something, I will give a serious look to Dance Dance Revolution.
That sucks! I went to Linksys as well after having a DLink router. Believe me, the quality really is worth the little bit extra money they cost. Especially if you get one of the Linux-based ones that you can hack the firmware on.