Wii Browser
Encyclopedia
The Internet Channel is a version of the Opera
9 web browser
for use on the Wii
by Opera Software
and Nintendo
. Opera Software
also implemented the Nintendo DS Browser for Nintendo's handheld system.
Internet Channel uses an internet connection (set in the Wii Settings) to retrieve pages directly from a web site's HTTP or HTTPS
server, not through a network of proxy servers as in Opera Mini
products. Internet Channel is capable of rendering most web sites in the same manner as its desktop counterpart by using Opera's Medium Screen Rendering technology.
company announced plans to develop a web browser for the Wii.
.
Similar to other web browsers, the trial version has a "Favorites" system to allow users to bookmark sites. The Favorites page can be accessed either by pressing the '1' button on the Wii Remote
or the on-screen button which has a star symbol. Favorites can be added, deleted and edited from the Favorites page. The browser displays a thumbnail
image of each bookmarked site.
The functionality of the trial version was limited in some respects. Web addresses could only be entered on the home page and there was no browsing history (only the basic back/forward system for accessing previous pages). The browser had a difficult time handling hyperlink
s that would normally open a new window via JavaScript
. There were no user-configurable settings such as custom home pages (the browser has a default splash page), preferences for cookies, or parental control features (although the Internet Channel can be locked out entirely via parental control configured from the Wii Menu), and there was no way to hide or "auto-hide" the navigation bar. Also, the total number of favorites a user could save was limited to 21 URLs.
on July 1, 2007 to September 1, 2009.
Before the release of Opera
9.5, the Internet Channel's layout engine
was actually more advanced than Opera for desktop
s, as it included bug fixes that were not available in the desktop edition prior to version 9.5.
lagging. The pricing remained the same as the release version. 500 Wii Points to initially download, free to update any previous version.
game download of their choice from the Virtual Console
, worth 500 Wii Points, between October 1 and December 31, 2009. In addition, it updated Flash Player to Adobe Flash Lite 3.1, which corresponds to a full implementation of Adobe Flash version 8 with certain features of Flash 9.
and supports all the same web standards that are included in the desktop versions of Opera, including CSS
and JavaScript
. Like Opera 9, the Internet Channel fully passes the Acid2
web browser test. It is also possible for the browser to use technologies such as Ajax
, RSS
, and Adobe Flash
. Opera Software has indicated that the functionality will allow for third parties to create web applications specifically designed for the use on the Wii Browser. The company has also stated that some Wii video games may implement the use of the browser.
Opera Software designed the Wii browser to suit a "living room environment"; in contrast to the appearance of the Opera web browser on computer monitors, fonts are larger and the interface is simplified for easier use, similar to the style employed for MSN TV
. Currently the user can zoom in on a detail on a web page, with animated transitions. Users are also able to insert a USB keyboard into the Wii system for text input. This functionality was added in a Wii system update and Internet Channel update (downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel
) on October 10, 2007.
As the browser supports Flash, users have the ability to interact with Flash-based software using the Wii Remote
. As a result, several websites have been created or expanded to gather Wii-friendly Internet games. Windows Media Player and Real Video content at this point are incompatible with the Internet Channel. The Internet Channel also supports Wii Remote button shortcuts that allows access to Favorites, Refresh, Back, Forward, Stop, Search, and Enter web page. The shortcuts are: Favourites: B+down, Search: B+left, WWW: B+right, Refresh: B+up, Back: B+minus, Forward(but not Fast Forward): B+plus.
On May 8, 2007, Google
created a version of Google Reader
specifically formatted for the Wii web-browser
.
The browser was also used to stream BBC iPlayer videos from April 9, 2008 after an exclusive deal was made with Nintendo UK and the BBC to offer their catch-up service for the Wii. However, the September 2009 update caused the iPlayer to no longer operate. The BBC acknowledged the issue and created a dedicated channel instead.
In June 2009, YouTube
released YouTube XL, a TV-friendly version of the popular video-sharing website. The regular YouTube page will redirect the browser to YouTube XL,if the website detects that the Internet channel or the Playstation 3
browser is being used.
Opera (web browser)
Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
9 web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
for use on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
by Opera Software
Opera Software
Opera Software ASA is a Norwegian software company, primarily known for its Opera family of web browsers with over 220 million users worldwide. Opera Software is also involved in promoting Web standards through participation in the W3C. The company has its headquarters in Oslo, Norway and is...
and Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. Opera Software
Opera Software
Opera Software ASA is a Norwegian software company, primarily known for its Opera family of web browsers with over 220 million users worldwide. Opera Software is also involved in promoting Web standards through participation in the W3C. The company has its headquarters in Oslo, Norway and is...
also implemented the Nintendo DS Browser for Nintendo's handheld system.
Internet Channel uses an internet connection (set in the Wii Settings) to retrieve pages directly from a web site's HTTP or HTTPS
Https
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is a combination of the Hypertext Transfer Protocol with SSL/TLS protocol to provide encrypted communication and secure identification of a network web server...
server, not through a network of proxy servers as in Opera Mini
Opera Mini
Opera Mini is a web browser designed primarily for mobile phones, smartphones and personal digital assistants. Until version 4 it used the Java ME platform, requiring the mobile device to run Java ME applications. From version 5 it is also available as a native application for Android, iOS, Symbian...
products. Internet Channel is capable of rendering most web sites in the same manner as its desktop counterpart by using Opera's Medium Screen Rendering technology.
History
On May 10, 2006, the Opera SoftwareOpera Software
Opera Software ASA is a Norwegian software company, primarily known for its Opera family of web browsers with over 220 million users worldwide. Opera Software is also involved in promoting Web standards through participation in the W3C. The company has its headquarters in Oslo, Norway and is...
company announced plans to develop a web browser for the Wii.
Trial version
A trial version of the Internet Channel was released in December 2006, and a full version followed in April 2007. While in the beta stages of the development, this version of the Opera web browser implements some of the most widely-reported features of the prospective final version. For example, it is possible to zoom in on web pages (by one increment) with the "+" button on the Wii Remote and pan around by holding the "B" button, and both Flash and AJAX functions are present. In addition, an alternative single-column rendering mode with large-print text can be toggled by pressing the "2" button on the Wii Remote, similar to the Small Screen Rendering mode seen on Opera's Nintendo DS BrowserNintendo DS Browser
The Nintendo DS Browser is a version of the Opera web browser for use on the Nintendo DS, developed by Opera Software and Nintendo. The Nintendo DS Browser comes in separate versions for the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo DS Lite; this is due to differing physical size requirements for the memory...
.
Similar to other web browsers, the trial version has a "Favorites" system to allow users to bookmark sites. The Favorites page can be accessed either by pressing the '1' button on the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
or the on-screen button which has a star symbol. Favorites can be added, deleted and edited from the Favorites page. The browser displays a thumbnail
Thumbnail
Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of pictures, used to help in recognizing and organizing them, serving the same role for images as a normal text index does for words...
image of each bookmarked site.
The functionality of the trial version was limited in some respects. Web addresses could only be entered on the home page and there was no browsing history (only the basic back/forward system for accessing previous pages). The browser had a difficult time handling hyperlink
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
s that would normally open a new window via JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
. There were no user-configurable settings such as custom home pages (the browser has a default splash page), preferences for cookies, or parental control features (although the Internet Channel can be locked out entirely via parental control configured from the Wii Menu), and there was no way to hide or "auto-hide" the navigation bar. Also, the total number of favorites a user could save was limited to 21 URLs.
Release version
The full version of the Internet Channel was released in April 2007. It was available as a free upgrade to owners of the trial version, but if the trial version had not been previously downloaded, Nintendo charged 500 Wii PointsWii Points
Nintendo Points are a currency that Nintendo uses for its Wii and Nintendo DSi systems through the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop respectively...
on July 1, 2007 to September 1, 2009.
Before the release of Opera
Opera (web browser)
Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
9.5, the Internet Channel's layout engine
Layout engine
A web browser engine, , is a software component that takes marked up content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen. It "paints" on the content area of a window, which is displayed on a monitor or a printer...
was actually more advanced than Opera for desktop
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
s, as it included bug fixes that were not available in the desktop edition prior to version 9.5.
USB Keyboard support added
USB Keyboard support was added in an Internet Channel update on October 10, 2007. In addition launch time was reduced. Increased the number of favorites to be saved to 56 and gave the ability to send Favorites to people in the Wii's Address Book. It added the ability to highlight words on a Web page and copy it to the "Search" function and the ability to type longer messages without the virtual keyboardVirtual keyboard
A virtual keyboard is a software component that allows a user to enter characters. A virtual keyboard can usually be operated with multiple input devices, which may include a touchscreen, an actual keyboard and a computer mouse.- Types :...
lagging. The pricing remained the same as the release version. 500 Wii Points to initially download, free to update any previous version.
Flash Lite implementation
On September 1, 2009, the Internet Channel was updated and made available for free. Users who downloaded it when it cost 500 Wii Points are to be compensated with a free Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game download of their choice from the Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
, worth 500 Wii Points, between October 1 and December 31, 2009. In addition, it updated Flash Player to Adobe Flash Lite 3.1, which corresponds to a full implementation of Adobe Flash version 8 with certain features of Flash 9.
Features
The Opera-based Wii browser allows users full access to the WebWorld Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
and supports all the same web standards that are included in the desktop versions of Opera, including CSS
Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics of a document written in a markup language...
and JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
. Like Opera 9, the Internet Channel fully passes the Acid2
Acid2
Acid2 is a test page published and promoted by the Web Standards Project to expose web page rendering flaws in web browsers and other applications that render HTML. Named after the acid test for gold, it was developed in the spirit of Acid1, a relatively narrow test of compliance with the Cascading...
web browser test. It is also possible for the browser to use technologies such as Ajax
Ajax (programming)
Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications...
, RSS
RSS
-Mathematics:* Root-sum-square, the square root of the sum of the squares of the elements of a data set* Residual sum of squares in statistics-Technology:* RSS , "Really Simple Syndication" or "Rich Site Summary", a family of web feed formats...
, and Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
. Opera Software has indicated that the functionality will allow for third parties to create web applications specifically designed for the use on the Wii Browser. The company has also stated that some Wii video games may implement the use of the browser.
Opera Software designed the Wii browser to suit a "living room environment"; in contrast to the appearance of the Opera web browser on computer monitors, fonts are larger and the interface is simplified for easier use, similar to the style employed for MSN TV
MSN TV
MSN TV is the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display , and the online service that supports it....
. Currently the user can zoom in on a detail on a web page, with animated transitions. Users are also able to insert a USB keyboard into the Wii system for text input. This functionality was added in a Wii system update and Internet Channel update (downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel is an online shop for the Wii video game console that allows users to download Virtual Console and WiiWare games, and new channels. Downloading may require redeeming Wii Points. The channel launched with Wii on November 19, 2006...
) on October 10, 2007.
As the browser supports Flash, users have the ability to interact with Flash-based software using the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
. As a result, several websites have been created or expanded to gather Wii-friendly Internet games. Windows Media Player and Real Video content at this point are incompatible with the Internet Channel. The Internet Channel also supports Wii Remote button shortcuts that allows access to Favorites, Refresh, Back, Forward, Stop, Search, and Enter web page. The shortcuts are: Favourites: B+down, Search: B+left, WWW: B+right, Refresh: B+up, Back: B+minus, Forward(but not Fast Forward): B+plus.
Third-party web applications
Third party APIs and SDKs have been released that allow developers to read the values of the Wii Remote buttons in both Flash and JavaScript. This allows for software that previously required keyboard controls to be converted for use with the Wii Remote.On May 8, 2007, Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
created a version of Google Reader
Google Reader
Google Reader is a Web-based aggregator, capable of reading Atom and RSS feeds online or offline. It was released by Google on October 7, 2005 through Google Labs. Reader was graduated from beta status on September 17, 2007.-Interface:...
specifically formatted for the Wii web-browser
Wii Browser
The Internet Channel is a version of the Opera 9 web browser for use on the Wii by Opera Software and Nintendo. Opera Software also implemented the Nintendo DS Browser for Nintendo's handheld system....
.
The browser was also used to stream BBC iPlayer videos from April 9, 2008 after an exclusive deal was made with Nintendo UK and the BBC to offer their catch-up service for the Wii. However, the September 2009 update caused the iPlayer to no longer operate. The BBC acknowledged the issue and created a dedicated channel instead.
In June 2009, YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
released YouTube XL, a TV-friendly version of the popular video-sharing website. The regular YouTube page will redirect the browser to YouTube XL,if the website detects that the Internet channel or the Playstation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
browser is being used.
External links
- Internet Channel - From Nintendo's official U.S. Wii site.
- Opera For Nintendo - Opera's official web site for Nintendo Wii
- IC Wii Web Standards - Web Standards Support in Opera for Nintendo's Wii