Nintendo touts Opera browser for Wii

Nintendo continues to enhance the unique functionality of the Nintendo Wii that now extends into the Internet. Wii owners can use the Opera browser similar to the way you could direct the mouse pointer with a 3D mouse - a rare variant of computer mice that typically are attached to one of your fingers. Wii users can simply point the remote at an object on the page and zoom in on that object with the "+" button. Once zoomed in, the Wii Remote allows you to pan around the page while remaining in zoom mode.

Scrolling and selecting bookmarks works in a similar way. Input of URLs or form content is done via a on-screen keyboard and predictive text feature to auto-complete words and URLs. What makes the browser especially interesting is the fact that the software can run even the most recent dynamic websites, including Flash and AJAX enabled destinations. For example, Opera supports Google Maps, which should provide a new way of planning your next vacation.

The Wii browser is available as a free "trial" download until June 30, 2007. After that, Nintendo will be offering the software via the Wii Shop Channel for 500 Wii points.

Web developers interested in creating webpages optimized for the Wii console should check their content with the W3C validator and "check that Flash content is compatible with Flash 7," Nintendo said.