It was a big day for Nintendo fans. Not only did we get some greatannouncements out of a surprise conference in Japan, but we were greeted by the friendly blue glow when we were able to tear ourselves away from said news and actually look at our beloved consoles.
While exciting on the face, though, today's update ends up being less than thrilling. Much-needed keyboard functionality came to the Opera browser, but it's still limited, and the Wii remote must be used to navigate through text boxes. Take the average search form as an example; at the computer, most of the time, you can type in your search terms and hit enter -- or at the most, tab to the search button and then hit enter. No such luck with the Wii's browser. It's more like this:
Navigate to text box with Wii remote
Enter text on keyboard
Navigate to enter/search button with Wii remote
Profit. Very slow and awkward profit, but better than a poke in the eye with ye olde sharp stick.
We were a little worried that nobody would consider the Internet Channel a fully-featured Web browser unless it crashed all the time. Some jerks on YouTube are working right now to make that happen!
Symantec has posted an explanation of the recent Wii security issue, which, as far as security goes, is a non-issue. You can also see it in "action" after the break! Basically, people can post hacked YouTube videos that freeze browsers. This affects any system that can run Flash, the Wii included. An exploit that takes advantage of this hack has already been devised for Windows, but other Flash-capable systems are safe right now. Yes, this means no homebrew code yet, but it also means that some dude isn't ... uh, stealing your Miis? What would someone even do to a Wii?
Why make retail games for consoles when you can make Flash games that also happen to work with consoles? That's the attitude Cartoon Network seems to be taking with their recently-announced MEGA series game service developed by AFI's Digital Content Lab. The MEGA series will feature games based on as-yet unannounced Cartoon Network and Adult Swim shows, and it's going to be fully compatible with the Wii browser (oh, and the PS3 also).
If you have a website, you may have wondered just what you might need to do to make it Wii-friendly. Luckily, there's a great guide on Opera for the Wii available at the Opera Development Community that goes into all the ins and outs of just what the Wii's browser can do, and plenty of tips to make browsing from the sofa a little easier. The in-depth guide even looks at the smallest of details, such as what is and isn't available in the onscreen keyboard, and what kind of addresses and forms are workable on the console. For anyone looking to make the web a little more Wii-friendly, this is the place to go.
We spent the morning crying into our pillows and refusing to come out of our rooms after we heard about the final version of Opera's Wii browser being delayed. Nintendo eventually called to console us though, directing our puffy eyes to an interview with the company's Internet Channel development team at its Japanese site. We had a really good talk.
There are several videos and screenshots scattered around the Japanese transcript, demonstrating the changes with the Wii browser's final build. It's clear that Nintendo and Opera Software addressed a lot of common complaints users had with the trial version, making sure to implement variable zooming, improved starting times, and faster scrolling. Here's a list of all the other things we spotted on the page, mixed in with Nintendo's announced updates:
new introduction animation
new start page with search button
auto-hide feature on navigation bar
search and address buttons on nav bar
multiple cursors (only one will be functional)
quicker access to "favorites"
an improved zoomed font
buttons that will instantly type common preset letters, such as "www" or ".com"
As we regretfully announced earlier, the release date for the final version of Opera's Wii browser has been pushed back to April. The Internet Channel will be available to download for free until the end of June. After that, users will be able to download it from the Wii Shop Channel for 500 Wii Points.
We know we reported earlier this month that the release could be this April, but Opera's latest press release, along with word on the net, seemed to confirm that March was the month it would happen. Regardless, it looks like the folks at Opera have managed to get all their ducks in a row as the release has been finalized for April. Word around the net also suggests that the browser will no longer be free, but with no official word in the press release, we're left to speculate on that just a little bit longer.
The Homestar Runner crew has added to its Viidelectrix lineup with two new titles: Trogdor! and Duck Guardian One. Viidelectrix's ported flash games are formatted and designed to be played on the Wii's Internet Channel. These retro-styled titles often feature Homestar Runner regulars like Strong Bad and The Cheat.
Trogdor! stars the site's beefy-armed dragon on a quest to stomp peasants and burn down villages. This release takes advantage of recent Wiimote API advances, enabling gamers to use the directional pad and all of the buttons on their controllers. Duck Guardian One employs the standard point-and-click controls, but has you fighting for a nobler cause. With the help of various rays, you are in charge of protecting a traveling group of ducks from bombs, robot heads, and other everyday hazards.
Perhaps this Viidelectrix release of Trogdor! means that an upcoming port of Peasant's Quest can't be too far off? We hope so!
This looks like it's going to be one issue that doesn't go away, at least, not for a while. Since the advent of the Wii browser, some sites have taken it upon themselves to provide Wii-optimized content, and shockingly, some of those sites specialize in adult content. Some individuals have made the point that this content is directed at children. One site initially posed this theory last month and has (unsurprisingly) been deluged with comments. The folks at The Porn Talk keep reviving the issue, and they even made a page dedicated to the porn threat in living rooms around the world. In the wake of the backlash following that move, they've asked a question of gamers: "So what advice would you have for parents that don't understand technology? What advice would you give to Moms and Dads in regards to internet porn and Wi-Fi devices like the Wii? Is porn exposure to kids even an issue in your opinion?"
Well, let's see if we can't provide a few answers.
The latest, and quite possibly greatest, Wii demonstration video has gone live online. In demonstrating the Opera browser on the Wii, we get a good look at doing such things as searching using Google and page formatting. Zooming in and playing videos are just a few of the things done in this short video. Short, yes, but definitely sweet.
With the browser coming at a cost of zero for early adopters, some may have thought it was nothing more than a gimmick or novelty, but it really looks like the browser could be one of the strongest Channels on the system. We know what we'll be doing with the browser when we get it at launch.
