Opera browser live today
by Alisha Karabinus 
{ Dec 22nd 2006 at 4:45AM }
The free trial of the Wii's Opera browser is now live and ready for download, so don't forget to grab it for a little Wiikend surfing. Apparently there's also a super secret page at the Opera site accessible only from the Wii's browser in support of the My Opera community. They promise specialized content therein, but with gaming news provided by GameSpot, so we'll just have to check and see what's unique to the page and what you can access from any ol' browser.
Download it, check it out, and tell us what you think! How do we look on the Wii -- spectacular or merely a little fantastic?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this one in!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
donrichy @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:51PM
Yuju!
Daily Motion works!
Now ... the new tv channel for the wii is ready
Probot @ Dec 22nd 2006 4:58AM
My first comment from the Wii!
Typing is a bitch.
matt @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:06AM
mine too its still better then nothing
Probot @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:11AM
Except I have a better web browser on my PC. It's a neat trick, but as long as typing is that painfully slow, it can't be useful.
I did check out a few pages though. Gmail worked for the most part, so I assume most Ajax-based sites would work. It did have a problem when I clicked on the external link though.
I didn't have any problems with the flash games I tried. I even played a little Curveball.
YouTube worked fine, even played in full screen.
However, it completely freaked out when trying to load Digg. It just kicked me back to my previous pages. I thought the newest version of Digg actually passed the validator? And Opera is known for sticking to the W3C standards, so that's pretty odd.
Anyways, it's a neat novelty, but I can't see the use in it unless they release a decent keyboard or just upgrade it to allow USB keyboards.
Comstock @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:29AM
It froze my Wii first time through. No joke.
I was looking at gmail, things seemed to be going fine. Then I hit the browser's back button and suddenly: frozen Wii. I had to power off to get going again.
I hope this isn't a common occurrence.
Axel the Bard @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:53AM
Alright, so I`m not the first - or second - to post "I'm typing this on my Wii!" But I still have to say it :) (and for that same reason, I'm sure I won't be the last by a long shot)
max @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:24AM
Agreed that typing is a little clunky. Also was confused at first about why the text was so small. This message took me a long time to make.org
Probot @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:25AM
If you press the 2 button, there is an alternate display that makes the site's text a lot more readable.
And cookies seem to work because this site remembered my info.
wiieurope.wordpress.com @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:37AM
wiieurope.wordpress.com
joel schwartzman @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:41AM
my first comment from wii a little clunky could be worse. really i don't mind the typing that much it is just slow everything seems to be loading
Shadow @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:45AM
This seems pretty cool, minus a few glitches. While my back button didn't freeze my Wii exactly, but it did mess it up. A few times the back button will send me 4 or 5 spots back instead of just sending me to the previous page. When first trying out gmail it did this, and so I hit the home button so I could go back to gmail and my home page started to glitch out. This was cured by simply hitting the home button and starting over.
Some of the wiicade.com stuff doesn't work. Also, some stuff works, but then doesn't. An example is Tactical assasin. The first chapter played like a dream, but the second chapter, less so. On the second chapter it wouldn't always kill who I shot at, and I would have to click the mouse(Or whatever we're gonna call it) at least 4 or 5 times for it to kill my subject. Other flash games, like I said, just didn't work.
Otherwise, this is pretty awesome :D. So far no videos, however. I tried both mpg and wmv file formats and neither worked, so I figure we're probably without on the videos for the trial version. I'm sure this is one of those 'functions' they said was disabled for the trial.
Tom @ Dec 22nd 2006 5:57AM
hellooooooo! my first (and last) comment from the wii. i do like the autocomplete though
AssemblyLineHuman @ Dec 22nd 2006 6:17AM
HELLO I am typing from my Wii you guys. Now all we need is keyboard support...
Mark Papadakis @ Dec 22nd 2006 6:49AM
I really liked it - except that the zoom functionality should have not been limited to zoomed (yes|no). There should be at least one more (i.e mid-zoom or whatever) zoom level. As it is, I can either stand right next to my tv (32" hdtv) so I can read them properly on the no-zoom state, or zoom them and have to scroll all the time.
I would have also liked to be able to scroll with the nunchuk, as opposed to just using the wiimote.
Other than that, a solid experience.
kuri @ Dec 22nd 2006 6:39AM
1st comment via Wii. A little slow with typing but the autocomplete function is nice. I see this purely being a page reading device until a keyboard is made.ΠΡΣΣΩΆ·ΆΩΆ΅··Άς◎◇ώ△△□□ΰ [symbol fun]
Deburner @ Dec 22nd 2006 6:42AM
Tatical Assasin has its own problems.
I tried it on my computer and it did that also.
Tonderos @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:06AM
Admittedly, using the Wii for typing is slower than a keyboard. However, it's better than the days of text input with an analog stick or a d-pad on consoles!
And actually, for me, pages load just as fast on my Wii as they do on my pc, but I have a crappy connection anyway, so maybe that's why. I use Opera on my pc as well so I know that's not a factor
All in all, I'm very impressed with the Wii browser. I'll definitely be doing all of my surfing (that doesn't require massive text input that is) from on my Wii.
The one issue I noticed as I'm typing this, however, is that sometimes caps lock didn't turn off when I deselected it. Is anyone else getting that? I just checked now and it's working fine. So maybe I'm just crazy, which would explain why I'm up at 4 a.m. posting this from my Wii :)
UpIrons @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:05AM
Hmmm, has anyone tried a bluetooth keyboard yet? Just curious since I am Wii-less for now...
matguard @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:21AM
As a father of young children, the broswer adds a VERY practical feature for me.
Even though there are "kid" games for the Wii, having a fully functional browser allows my kids to go to nickjr.com or pbskids.com and play the flash games. I have tested a lot of them and they work very well.
This simple funtionality expands my "kid" game offerings by hundreds of percent.
iveo @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:25AM
I can't believe people are bitching about this so much. I for one am VERY happy with this new update! Only got to play with it for like 5 min (work is a bitch). The pages load EXTREMLY fast. Since youtube works this thing is ok in my book! Now i never have to leave my comfy couch and 50" TV :)
Now they need to come up with a stable website that has streaming TV shows. Then I wont have to pay $100/month for cable.
Mystery @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:45PM
Making this from the Wii!
For casual lazy browsing it's cool but not for anything serious.
Chris @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:41AM
Hello. I haven't had a chance to download it yet, however, I have been in the process of creating a site for the Wii Browser - Flash Games and Films. You're all welcome to take a look:
http://wiiworld.jluniverse.info/
Fort Max @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:43AM
Is this global?
At the moment I am unable to download anything to my Wii as the wireless modem seems to have stopped working.
Worked just fine out of the box on launch day and now.. doersn't. :(
Rang Nintendo and they said try it on some other networks so I will try it on my folks wireless connection over Chrimbo and then be sending it in for a replacement if it still doesn't work.
Anticrawl @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:53AM
The browser is pretty damn cool l say. Pages load fast and its more intuitive than a PDA browser. Using it right now.
Hammer @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:53AM
I tried to write an entire blog entry [http://machiavelliannerd.wordpress.com/2006/12/22/blogging-with-opera-for-wii/] with the Wii. The On-Screen Keyboard limits you to 200 words or so though, which is highly annoying.
I'm going to hold off on my judgement until I see the final iteration of Opera, but until then, I'll stick with a computer based browser.
Cripple87 @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:59AM
how much will the full version cost?
lump sum, or monthly?
Shadow @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:21AM
Cripple87:The final Browser will cost $5.00, however it will be free for the first few months it is out.
sam @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:45AM
from the press release: "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."
http://press.nintendo.com/articles.jsp?id=10823
To me, that implies that the browser will remain free to those that have it already.
Skippy @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:05AM
digg works fine for me.us I was able to digg a couple stories and read comments.
Naf @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:11AM
is anyone else having problems with www.dailymotion.com, and links from www.tv-links.co.uk or peekvid? i'm having some random problems, such as vidoes working one momment and then not working the next.
Spex @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:12AM
It doesn't replace P.c. browsing, but it works with only minor glitches. Not bad at all since this is beta.
Tim @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:16AM
It's cool, I even watched part of the zelda retrospective series on youtube without any issues. My only real complaint is how hard it is to read at 480i. I'm expecting some of those hard-to-find component cables may help with that though.
ridestowe @ Dec 23rd 2006 1:45AM
my first comment from my wii!!! hehe yay ^.^
JAGO @ Dec 22nd 2006 11:15AM
nintendogs is an auto complete word. way to go nintendo
kurifurisan @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:44AM
#6 - Comstock...
Same thing happened to me too. Gmail, sent a few emails to friends, hit the back button and Frozen. Maybe it's just gmail.
Jesse @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:18PM
I can't cet youtube to work on my Opera Wii Browser, it says that I need a newer version of Flash player.
.ed @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:39PM
hey everyone,
I'm DotEd, the guy who's face you see on the main Wii community portal page. (my.opera.com/community/wii/)
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.
It's going to be a busy holiday weekend for me, but it should be fun.
Thanks Wiifanboy for covering the story!
.ed
donrichy @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:56PM
I have a issue...
THE WII BROWSER IS SLOW?
Im browsing with my laptop in various sites (so, it´s not the cache) and it´s ok the internet connection (512kbps).
But, in the Wii Browser it takes a LOT to show Google, digg, etc...
I dont know... Anybody has the same problem?
James @ Dec 22nd 2006 1:51PM
Has anybody figured out why YouTube works for some people but others get a "no javascript or old flash version" type of error? Maybe if I can find an embedded YouTube vid from e.g. Joystiq (they usually have a few every day), I can at least make sure that the videos themselves will play...
Jeff @ Dec 22nd 2006 2:23PM
SofaTube....
More Sites like this please...
http://www.redkawa.com/sofatube/play/
Steve @ Dec 22nd 2006 3:23PM
Yeah, YouTube says I need a javascript update or something like that too. Anyone know what I should do?
mike @ Dec 23rd 2006 3:08AM
Anybody try using aimexpress or meebo?
batman @ Feb 25th 2007 2:32PM
My browser does not completely fill the screen on my 50' panasonic plasma (about two inch of black bar on top and left and right sides). Does any one else has this problem? Also my tv has burn in protection; I am a bit worry about the opera menu. Any word of wisdom?