Wii internet channel launches: free for now

You've got your Wii weather, now check the Wii Internet channel. Right on schedule, Mario's elves have been marching 'round the globe dropping little messages into consoles to let owners know that their trial version of the Opera-based browser is ready to download. It's free for now, with the final version scheduled to pop in March. After June 2007, it'll cost you 500 Wii points. Welcome to the living room Opera!

[Thanks Eric W, and everyone who sent this in]

[humpty @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:36AM]

Those are gimongous navigation buttons.

[therpham @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:37AM]

I say! Is that Flash support I see? Huzzah!

[Joel @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:42AM]

YouTube wiill bee huuge!

[Nubaeus @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:42AM]

Shouldn't it be Frii?

[Alcaron @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:20AM]

I hate you. :(

[Nando @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:18AM]

LOL! That was cute..."frii."

[Josh Z @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:50AM]

Check out how it displays an RSS feed ;)

[drew @ Dec 22nd 2006 7:52AM]

posted on wii

[Arno @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:58AM]

Can you say gimmick?

Why would anyone want to browse the web from a 480p TV screen?

[MichaelLC @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:17AM]

>Arno @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:58AM
>Can you say gimmick?

>Why would anyone want to browse the web from a 480p >TV screen?

Because not everyone has a PC in their livingroom?

Because although the res is low, the screensize is 27"+.

[bsm0f0 @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:04AM]

hrm, i thought this was going to be free? ... ah well, wii for spaztastic gaming ... media pc for teh intarwebs.

[Redstripe8 @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:14AM]

I tried out the browser before I went to to work this morning. First view was engadget. Personally, I don't find it very useful. I have a 42inch vizio lcd with the wii component cables. The big text, subject lines were easy to read but the smaller text was very fuzzy. I have a media center machine connected to me TV with an ATI 9800 pro VC with an RCA conenction and it looks significantly better than the wii browser. I must also add that I have the computer connected to my tv but I rarely ever use it. At this point, who doesn't have a laptop in their living room for browsing needs?

[Loban @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:16PM]

MichaelLC: "Because although the res is low, the screensize is 27"+."

It makes no difference what size the TV is, if the res is low, you can't read crap. You could be surfing the web on a 20 ft movie theater screen, if the res is low (640 x 480), you may as well be on a 14 inch screen. Resolution is everything.

[Scott @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:28AM]

It's already better than IE.

[Josh Z @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:41AM]

No flash audio streaming :(

[Chaves Shultres @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:49AM]

Mine already froze up when trying to sign in to amazon this morning. COMPLETELY locked the wii up.

[Matt @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:51AM]

eek, it uses like, 278 blocks of memory

[Ray-- @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:57AM]

yeah this is kind of a waste... i mean not bad if it were free but i dont see paying for this... i'll just keep using the laptop that sits on the end table... although putting some classic You-Tube vids on the big screen fo all to enjoy would be better than huddling around the lappy.... but i can use the media center for that for free...(and higher res)

[James @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:58AM]

Also posted from a wii. Are they going to add a new way of scrolling? Right now you have to point & click, and it gets o-l-d...

[baffled @ Dec 22nd 2006 1:29PM]

ya i think the d-pad would be good to scroll with.

p.s. posted from my wii! and not too hard either

[Matt @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:04AM]

Ray, it *is* free.

[David Sanchez @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:18AM]

My Wii Crashed several times, before enjoying a full site. Looked nice on my plasma, the zoom is a nice treat. One thing remains unclear, I won’t pay for Opera.

[tomtux @ Dec 22nd 2006 10:45AM]

also wii posting its alright checked out youtube, some flash games and even aimonpsp(err wii) ^_^ if you press button 2 on the wiimote it puts the pages in a wap style view mode

[Grendly @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:13PM]

Does the new channel include a hotbutton to the recal section

http://www.gotuit.com/player/index.html?c=SM_Video+Games&t=4127

Or maybe there's a button that just plays that over and over and over again.

[Grendly @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:18PM]

Does the channel have a recal button?
http://www.gotuit.com/player/index.html?c=SM_Video+Games&t=4127
or maybe just a button that plays this over and over and over again.

[jc @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:22PM]

low res ftw, might be fine for gaming, but for web viewing, i prefer a lil more resolution.

[Lewis Roberts @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:24PM]

It IS free! This is a trial version, the final comes out in March 2007. It remains FREE until June 2007 when it will then cost 500 Wii points to purchase.

[greg @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:28PM]

it might not be the best but i think these wii channels are a BIG step forward for nintendo.

[i really want the cingular 8125 @ Dec 22nd 2006 1:34PM]

Can someone please help me hook up my wireless internet on the Wii? I've been having extreme difficulties getting a connection; even though the Wii can find an access point. All 4 of my computers use the wireless internet flawlessly, and I just can't seem to get the right information so my Wii accepts it too. Please and thanks!

P.S., just reply to this comment since I'll get an e-mail when you reply!

[Baffled @ Dec 22nd 2006 1:35PM]

No, if you get it now, or the final version, then it is free for you to keep forever (or the life of the wii, I guess). If you don't get it until after June 2007, THEN it will cost $5.

[Freetolio @ Dec 22nd 2006 2:26PM]

The resolution is all but unbearable, I could see only the top quarter of the Youtube page stretched across my 50-inch set. Not to mention that it is really slow.

However, the predictive text entry works like a charm when filling in text boxes.

[jake @ Dec 23rd 2006 2:16AM]

I live in the seattle area and i am trying to find a wii(this is so OT i know my browser kicks me off wiichat and the other wii forums because i cant swith from my email to the website to register) NE ways i was wondering if anyone knew where i might find a wii. I have a possible source but that is tentative.When i go in, i am going to wait an hour before the store opens but i was wondering, am i going to get trampled getting to the electronics section(freddys in burien)

[jib @ Dec 24th 2006 12:10AM]

you will use the browser and like it bitches

[Kassim Rasoulian @ Dec 29th 2006 12:54AM]

the first flash video i watched to see if flash was supported by the wii browser was the all your base video...it was amazing on my living room big screen...it blew my mind...

well im actually quite happy with the way they displayed web pages. I thought it was gonna suck because its only in 480p, but the nice zoom in buttons come in handy...wii browser FTW

[jster23 @ Dec 29th 2006 5:16PM]

"HAHA MY DAD IS RICH AND I GOT THE PS3 NINTENDO WII ON THE DAY IT CAME OUT

POOR PEOPLE HAD TO WAIT IN LINE FOR IT LOSERS

I GOT A HDTV 60INCH WITH SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM FOR $2,000
AND I GOT 4 PSP FOR MYSELF HA"

""DONT GET MAD""
[PS IM JUST JOKING]
I HAD TO WAIT IN LINE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE

[maxtkaxz @ Feb 1st 2007 7:42AM]

This is the beta version, so its meant to be buggy!

[swissfondue @ Apr 14th 2007 5:31PM]

Although I can watch youtube videos on the Wii, I can't watch quicktime film trailers or discovery channel movies. Hope they add this soon!

[loz da best @ Apr 17th 2007 11:03AM]

excellent, gr8 a large improvement on the trial version. couldn't get any better than this. watch out ps3!

[Jena @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:28PM]

Is there a difference between the opera version before June and after June?

[Jason @ May 2nd 2008 11:04PM]

If you got left out and had to wait until after it first came out (I got mine last X-Mas)and you don't want to pay for the Internet channel, try going to someone who has the internet channel already and copy the Internet channel to an SD card and transfer it onto your wii.
Wii menu=>Wii system settings (not sure on name, lower left button on Wii Menu)=>Data Management=> Channels => Click "Internet Channel"=> Copy. same thing on way back just go to SD card not Wii memory