I can definately see Nintendo using RSS and other web content in their games... Opera's technology will play a key role...

Now if only Opera's fonts displayed with the correct sizes by default like IE/FF/Safari.

Yes, the potential to browse the web (is that why its called a browser?;-) ) and the potential for chat is all provided by the assumption that you *already* have net access via an ISP.

But the more important aspect of this is that I really don't see Wii (with or without a browser) as being a vehicle to increase subscribership to the web! And at this point in the Internet 'lifecycle', with the cost of systems and access already having fallen, the lure of a system offering only minimal 'WebTV' functionality is not likely to drive someone to move to the internet! They most likely are already there with greater functionality for the same or lower cost.

But the potential for online collaborative gaming may make the platform more viable for some.

But again, from a strategic marketing perspective, I think it would be a mistake to view the addition of a browser as causing anyone to buy the platform principally for internet browsing or chat - and hence, while it may be a nice convenience, it should not be viewed as making a significant strategic difference contributing to increasing the adoption of the platform.

There's something about having Wii browse the internet that helps dispell the "kiddy" console concept.

With web browsing, playing classic games, a whole new controller concept(while still maintaining the ability to use the older controllers)... There's no denying in my mind that this will be a fun system to have.

This console looks nothing like a childs console. infact i would say Xbox 360 looks much more like a childs system then the WII. The WII looks like its a part of an adults entertainment system. Nintendo will fully backseat this whole kiddy console theory.

It opens the door to alot of options.
Checking Weather
Internet chat,
Other apps can call up web pages.
It does have its uses

Yeah, and so you anticipate Wii dominating a large portion of the consumer market? Is this line of thought actually going anywhere?

And the business model/market strategy ramifications are?

Sorry for not getting too excited, and while I won't denigrate the bundling, at least they don't lose anything! But I also don't see this as a strategic gain either.

"What's the point?"

If Nintendo and Opera succeed in getting surfing and other online activites into the living room via their device/browser, that's a huge win for them. The arena in front of the boob-tube is the holy grail for all these companies.

And everything they've ever thrown at it has failed miserably....how's this different?

What's the point? Flash gaming!

*shakes head*

A web browser in a gaming console....

What's the point?

Why not? In a pinch.....Certainly hope PS3 does likewise...hopefully at least some programs will run on the latter...I want a desktop w/ that processor!

PC_Tool says: "A web browser in a gaming console....What's the point?"

Remember those statistics that show IE has 70 odd % market shate and FF has surpassed 10%? Well...now Opera may jump in those stats.

Simple theory--almost too simple, but that is one of the big reasons to do so if ya ask me.

I really don't see a point...

Yeah, I know the market-share deal... Even if it's not used, it'll count.

What a joke. Of course, this will be ammunition in any future Opera Flame-War concerning market share.

Awesome news :D

Opera on Wii -- er, "Operawii". Sounds like an island in Hawaii to me ;-)

You want an opera on your wii?

Wii wii

I think the browser is more for the virtual console than specifically web browsing. I can't see browing the web on my TV.

WebTV.

(I feel dirty for even saying that)

My exact thoughts. It didn't go over well, what makes them think this will?

I can see access to specific sites for game updates, stats, previews, etc. but for total access?

Opera on Wii?

Sorry. :P

I gotta go Wii Wii ;)

DOH, you forgot to lift the seat! :-(

heh

Snazzy. Too bad it's still called "Wii."

How is Opera better/faster/more secure than IE or Firefox?

Opera:
http://secunia.com/product/4932/

Others:
http://secunia.com/product/4227/
http://secunia.com/product/11/

As for speed, do a search, opera is generally considered the fastest browser.

Of course there are trade-offs:
Opera page rendering is probably the least compatible out there.
Opera and IE aren't open source. Who knows what code is in there?
Opera doesn't have plug-in capability like adblock or forecastfox, (although some may find this to be a good thing)

Opera's features are fairly cutting edge.

I would use it other than I won't browse the web without certain capabilities that only FF can provide me.

http://nontroppo.org/wiki/opera is probably one of the most perfect places to start trying opera from, buttons, bookmarklets, tips, draggable searches, making an adblock like system etc great place to start.

@mjm01010101

Opera 9 (in beta) has something called block content, right click page >> block content and s***-click(click covers a bit much) the ad images/flash and click done :)

Opera 9 also has something called widgets(web-pages with no chrome), which touchtheSky widget compliments Forcastfox pretty well.

"Opera 9 (in beta) has something called block content, right click page >> block content and s***-click(click covers a bit much) the ad images/flash and click done"

Crap compared to the offerings for Firefox, though his comment revolved more around Firefox's extendability, than a specific feature. Perhaps the use of adblock as an example was not the best idea.

"Opera 9 also has something called widgets(web-pages with no chrome), which touchtheSky widget compliments Forcastfox pretty well."

What do widgets have to do with browsing the web? I have a hard time seeing why this is even a feature. I've tried it. You have to have the browser open if you want widgets. Close the browser, widgets are gone. What's the point? Might as well just have the "widgets" as sections on a homepage, for all the good they do you.

For *real* widgets, use Konfabulator(Free), or Stardock's Object Dock/DekstopX(Not Free).

@PC_Tool

I could ask you the same question.. what do extensions have to do with browsing the web?
Opera's adfiltering method atm is a bit crap i agree there but i think opera's way of blocking parts of the page is more convinient that right click >> block,in adblock, opera's method is better with many ads on a page, plus it works better with flash(you can click anywhere on the flash not just a specified placeholder).
By the way you can hide opera to the tray(ctrl h) and have no tabs open etc so widgets would still be around without opera task in taskbar.

"what do extensions have to do with browsing the web? "

If you can't answer that youself, you need help. Adblock, Greasemonkey, etc...none of which an Opera widget could accomplish. I could easily get a dozen folks here to tell you how extensions have made their browsing experience better...to the point the web would be a pain without them. You'd be hard-pressed to find the same for Opera widgets.

By the way you can hide opera to the tray(ctrl h) and have no tabs open etc so widgets would still be around without opera task in taskbar.

And yet it's still sucking up resources. Not much, but enough to make you wonder why one needs browser overhead to use a few widgets?

I don't see any widget in opera that could not be accomplished with a dedicated "widget" program, thus not requiring the extra browser resources.

Again, I'm not saying it's not possible that there are uses for it that a dedicated widget program couldn't handle...I'm just saying that I can't see 'em.

Using widgets regardless of the overhead is still using resources. Widgets are not resourceless :P , opera's widgets can replace some extensions like forcastfox for example.

Opera has many more capabilities widgets wise, Opera can use canvas(manipulate images, create games like tetris),svg,css,js,images,flash for more effects than other widgets programs.

Besides Opera has a lot of customisability in it regardless of it not supporting extensions, you can mess about with menu files, have singular bookmarks on almost any toolbar you want (bookmarklets like a js dom inspector etc or to call a function from a userjs(opera's version of greasemonkey) file). Things like IETab can be done in opera with a bit of configuration, and other things like entering BBCode into forum posts.

Just saying Opera itself isn't as limitied in being able to have some new functionality as some might think.

PC_TOOL:
"what do extensions have to do with browsing the web? "
If you can't answer that youself, you need help. Adblock, Greasemonkey, etc...none of which an Opera widget could accomplish."

You are right here, Opera can't accomplish this with widgets because it's implemented in Opera itself.

Can FF accomplish the same without extensions?
Answer this yourself...

Regarding widget idea, I find it pretty much useless. Sure, u can make wonders with it, but why?!

Regards

Do Firefox's extensions still work after Firefox is closed?

Do they need to?

What purpose would adblock have with a web-page to view?

What purpose would Greasemonkey have without a web-page to alter?

Firefox extensions *depend* on, and alter the web. (as you see it)

Opera Widgets do not.

Why are we comparing the two? There simply is no comparison. The point is that one makes more sense outside the browser than in. If you can't see that, I'm sorry, I'm just not qualified to diagnose or treat fanboyism.

"Opera can use canvas(manipulate images, create games like tetris),svg,css,js,images,flash for more effects than other widgets programs."

None of this requires a browser...

"Besides Opera has a lot of customisability in it regardless of it not supporting extensions,"

..not the point.

"Just saying Opera itself isn't as limitied in being able to have some new functionality as some might think."

Never said it was. Just wondered aloud, "Why widgets"?

It seems to me that they are simply jumping on the latest fad.

I'm not against widgets. There are many very good uses for them. I just don't understand why they need to be tied to a browser window. It would seem to me that they'd be far more useful if they could be used without the browser.

Not trying to start a Firefox/Opera flamewar here.

I'm not the one who brought up Firefox extensions.

I simply questioned the usefullness of Widgets that cannot be used without a browser window, and the logic behind including such functionality in a browser.

"Opera can't accomplish this with widgets because it's implemented in Opera itself."

That's a joke, right? Have you used Adblock for Firefox or Greasemonkey? Implemented in Opera?

Riiiight....*that* must be why 90% of the comments regarding Firefox users not switching to Opera revolve around, "I can't live without my adblock functionality".

...and don't tell me Opera can block ads. I know it can. But you're comparing a Porsche to a Geo Metro. Both cabn drive. But one has just a bit more functional than the other.

"Have you used Adblock for Firefox or Greasemonkey? Implemented in Opera?"

Opera 9's block content mode (yes, implemented in Opera) has a much nicer interface IMO. One visual mode (plus manual edit override), instead of dialogs full of URLs, right-click context menus for some items but special overlays requiring UI context menus to toggle for others.

Greasemonkey? Yep, it is built-in (user javascript) and is technically more powerful than greasemonkey (Opera have custom event handlers to intercept scripts at all levels). Though more powerful, the UI is better in greasemonkey (in the sense that you can organise scripts visually).

Yeah, it's there. Someone just needs to make a decent front-end for it.

See where I'm going here?

Why do it half-assed? 90% of Opera users aren't going to use UserJS. It's a waste.

Firefox didn't include it, or anything like it. If 90% of firefox users never use Greasemonkey, it's not like it's going to be sitting there, a tribute to wasted development.

And when the hell did this become a greasemonkey vs. UserJS topic? My comment revolved around Widgets, and they're usefullness or lack thereof, in a browser. Let's try to stick to that. mmmmKay?