Wii Opera Browser is Free Until Next Year

Wowzer writes "Nintendo is serious about giving casual game console users multi-functionality by offering not just a weather, news, and photo channels, but a free internet browser with the Wii at the November 19th U.S. launch. From the article: 'Opera's full Web browser is available for download from the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo has stated that they will offer Opera free of charge as a temporary promotion for all [worldwide] Wii users until June 2007.'"

at which point...

[Anubis350]

...someone will have hacked up a free version to use in place of the pay one...

Re:Let me be the first to say...

[normal_guy]

For me it's not a matter of resolution, but seating comfort. My sofa trumps my desk chair.

Re:So...

[TrickFred]

Analogy time:

Buying a PC game doesn't always entitle you to a copy of the Mac version of the game as well.

Buying a PS2 game doesn't entitle you to a copy of the GameCube version of the game as well.

Why should this be any different?

Suck it up, or just use Opera on your PC. *shrug*

(FYI - No intention of buying it myself, I have a PC for that kind of thing)

Which set-top PC do you recommend?

[tepples]

just use Opera on your PC.

Can you recommend an affordable set-top PC?

Preiiii-orders

[BlackIcejane]

In canada you can pre order a Wii at Toys R Us.

Got the bundel deal (one wii two controlers and 2 games) under 300 and all for a refundable 50$ cdn

Also put in a pre order for zelda!

Now all I have to do is waite for Nov!

Re:Wiizilla?

[Yahweh Doesn't Exist]

>I have to wonder why they didn't just port Firefox themselves. It would be much easier

no it wouldn't. Opera have shedloads of experience making browers for low-spec devices with restricted interfaces. Firefox has none at all. Nintendo might as well have started entirely from scratch.

Re:Why wouldn't it be free?

[Kelson]

Opera is already free. Why should people have to pay extra?

Because... it's a different program for a different architecture that runs on a different kind of device in a different market?

The PC and console versions of the same game are generally separate purchases, and not necessarily the same price. Here one of the prices is $0. That doesn't necessarily mean the other price will be $0 as well.

Re:Uh ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Let me add that Opera Mini is free as well.
http://www.opera.com/products/mobile/operamini/ [opera.com]

Re:Let me be the first to say...

[bky1701]

A true geek would move the sofa. ;)

Re:What's next, a free version Firefox?

[Anonymous Coward]

As a ex Opera for Windows (moved to OS X,Omniweb combination) customer, I know what would happen when a new product from Opera ASA ships or they announce a major breakthrough. The famous "Why pay for browser?" guys. I'd generally explain myself in 100 lines to them but as I am bored, I say "I am a moron,that is why I pay for a browser" and they shut up.

Not to mention "QT framework should be free even if my application is commercial" types. Those are the developer types who didn't see the story yet. Even if they charge $20.000 from the company they coded custom application for, QT should be free of charge since it is open source!

You know, Trolltech and Opera ASA guys are sort of robotic creatures who doesn't eat or need money to live :)

Re:Um, Uh, Kid-Friendly

[NevarMore]

Yes! Video game consoles are there to teach our kids about violence not sex, damn liberals trying to make poor Jack Thompson sue for different things at once.

Re:Um, Uh, Kid-Friendly

[ConfusedSelfHating]

This is a good point for the following reason: people trust Nintendo with their children.

A PC is a complex thing that most adults don't entirely understand. It has spreadsheets, word processing documents, web browsers, viruses, crashes, identity theft, etc. Now no Slashdotter is pants wetting afraid of these things, but a lot of parents are and so they want to monitor their children closely when they use a computer. There is an expectation that computers are dangerous.

A Wii is supposed to be a fun thing. One of the reasons that people buy consoles is that you don't have worry about anything ... just shove in the game disk and have fun. This is similar to parents who get a Barney DVD, put it in the DVD player, let their kids watch it and then leave the room. If a parent comes in the room and Barney is getting sodomized by a man in black leather, that parent will be on the national news (with some international coverage) that evening and lawyers will be starting the class action lawsuit within a week. Porn is very easy to access on the Internet. This could end badly for Nintendo.

If a child is using scissors under parental supervision and they accidentally cut themselves, parents understand that scissors are sharp. This is an expected hazard. If a child is using a laptop with a Sony brand battery and it sets on fire, the parent is going to be very angry. A laptop is not supposed to go up in flames.