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Opera announces browser release date for Japan
Releasing to the Japanese gaming public on July 24th, the Opera web browser for the DS will initially only be sold online for 3,800 Yen (around $33 US) and come standard with a memory expansion pack. Nothing has been said as to release date for US launch of the browser, but we assume we'll be hearing more once July 24th hits and Japanese impressions are measured.
Opera 9 goes Universal
Opera, the little browser that could (and did - go free, that is), has finished its beta and reached version 9, going Universal in the process. New features include: a built-in BitTorrent client adding your favorite search engines to Opera's search bar simply by right-clicking them site-specific preferences for cookies, pop-ups, etc. thumbnail previews of tabs when hovering over them widgets (hey, at least they didn't call 'em 'gadgets') customizable content blocker and more This version definitely seems snappier now that it's Universal, and (say what you have to) these new enhancements like a built-in BitTorrent client show that Opera is blazing a trail faster than its competition. Give this version a whirl if you haven't touched Opera in a while but are still curious about it. If you need help with a browser transition, why not check out some of the del.icio.us tools (like my personal favorite: Delibar) we've blogged that take the 'bookmarks bar' out of the browser and into Mac OS X's menubar, removing the need for worrying about which browser you're using.
Opera releases updated browser for Pocket PC
For anyone not content to kick it pre-beta style with Mozilla's Minimo, Opera has just released an updated version of its browser for Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs, with a version for Smartphones promised soon. Now clocking in at version 8.60, the browser runs on both Windows Mobile 5 and 2003 SE, and sports Opera's newest core code, as well as tabbed browsing and landscape/portrait browsing modes. Minimo still has a big leg up on Opera in one key area though: price. While Opera offers a free 30-day trial, you'll have to fork over $24 if you want to continue using it. (Wait, didn't Opera go free on the desktop? Whatever.) That may fly while Minimo's still getting its act together, but Opera will have to watch their back once it catches up to its desktop counterpart.[Thanks, Hesh]
Wii Opera browser: Built-in, easy to use
A recent Cubed3 interview with Scott Hedrick, executive vice president of Opera for Devices, confirms that the Wii's web browser will come loaded on the system, though he thankfully never resorts to that Dreamcast-era phrase, "internet right out of the box." Unlike the DS version of the browser, there will be no need to purchase an additional cartridge in order to enjoy the many wonderful sights sites the internet has to offer.More interestingly, when questioned about the browser's ease of use, Mr Hedrick notes that surfing the web while at the helm of the Wii should be "as easy if not easier than using Opera on a desktop. For Opera desktop users, surfing on the Wii will be a very familiar experience. Opera will be integrating its unique rendering technologies to compensate for the lower resolution of TVs and the added distance of the user from the TV screen." There's also a question about the confirmed DS-Wii functionality, though Hedrick wouldn't comment specifically on whether the portable and console versions of the Opera browser would interact at all. With vaguely similar interfaces, it doesn't seem entirely unlikely, but then surely you'd prefer looking at your favorite websites with a Wii in your hand? L0LZ0RZ!We'll be here all week.[Via Moz La Punk, Thanks Nushio!]
Opera: Wii's World Wide Web solution
IGN recently chatted with Opera for Devices' executive vp Scott Hedrick about the company's commitment to develop a web browser for Wii. When asked about the lack of keyboard support, Hedrick had this to say:"Opera plans to use [the Wiimote] to its full advantage and it will provide an intuitive way to surf the Web. Imagine the possibilities in terms of surfing with a motion sensitive remote control. I cannot specifically comment on the lack of keyboard, but many devices running Opera don't have keyboards ... and feature on-screen keyboards to solve this problem."Hedrick also confirmed that the browser will "not be sold as a separate item," but declined to elaborate further.See also: Opera on the DS.
DS browser screenshots
Some shots for the anticipated Opera browser that is slated to hit a DS near you soon have hit the net, and although there are only 3 of them, we likes what we sees. It appears the browser will be utilized to its maximum potential through the touch screen for both inputting text and zooming in on pages, which is not new news, but seeing it in the flesh makes it a much more appealing prospect. Personally, I'm a Firefox user, but I can see myself giving this a go. What say you fine readers? [Thanks jah75157!]
Wii: first a symphony, now Opera
Nintendo's keynote on Tuesday began with a symphony: Miyamoto came out onto the stage conducting with the Wiimote. The following day they announced an Opera ... web-browser for the Nintendo Wii. According to Nintendo's Genyo Takeda:"For our Wii console launch in 2006, we required a browser that was fast and secure with support for the latest standards including AJAX. Opera proved perfect for our purposes and is an exceptional addition to both the Nintendo DS and the Wii console."Nintendo made a similar arrangement with Opera in February to bundle the browser with their Nintendo DS handheld system. Sony has their own (Gecko-based) browser for the PSP. Question is, will the PS3 ship with a built-in browser, and why hasn't Microsoft dropped their own Internet Explorer onto the 360?[Thanks, greatslack]
Opera Mini 2.0 released
We just love us that Opera Mini, especially when we're constrained to a non smartphone and/or a slow mobile connection, but the Opera peeps aren't just sitting on their hands while we enjoy the mobile web, and have just announced version 2.0 of the browser. They seem bent on making Opera the go-to mobile platform, and have added SMS functionality for mobile commerce so that you can buy via the browser and have ringtones, games or other content delivered via SMS without a lot of hassle. The browser also now supports file downloads, skinning, multiple search engines, "speed dial" bookmark shortcuts, and the vaguely defined "visual navigation." Not quite earth shattering, but content providers might take note of the fact that just about anybody can have access to a browser that can actual do something with the content they provide.[Via All About Symbian]
Sony Ericsson W950i 4GB musicphone reviewed
Mobile-review has taken Sony Ericsson's upcoming W950i musicphone through their usual exhaustive testing, and although the translated-from-Russian review may be a bit difficult to fully comprehend, the plethora of screenshots and comparison pics alone make it a must read for anyone considering this Symbian-powered handset. Although its 4GB of flash memory and integrated RDS-enabled FM tuner clearly make this a music-oriented device, S-E's inclusion of the UIQ 3.0 interface along with a ton of productivity software (Opera, QuickOffice, PDF , along with the usual PIM suite) allow the W950i to easily do double duty as a smartphone. Easily, that is, for those of us who aren't diehard QWERTY-enthusiasts -- the flush keypad only offers regular T9 input along with the never-pleasant on-screen handwriting options -- or don't require WiFi and a camera in our pocket at all times. Still, the UMTS radio should suffice for most data needs, and music lovers will appreciate the A2DP-enabled Bluetooth and 13 hour real-world battery life, making the ~$740 W950i look like strong competitor for such storage-heavy models as the Nokia N91 and Samsung i300/300x when it hits stores in July.
Opera 9 public beta with widgets and BitTorrent support
A public beta of Opera 9 was announced yesterday. I'm not an Opera user myself, but the download is free, so I took a very quick look at some of the new features: Widgets. Opera 9 has its own widgets -- clocks, games, and other small AJAX apps. Of course, Mac users have plenty of widgets anyway, so this feature may not be much of a draw for us. You can download currently available Opera widgets, learn how to develop your own Opera widgets, and share any you create at the Opera Community site. There are a reasonable number of widgets there already, and the list is bound to grow. BitTorrent Support. I didn't try this out, but it sounds very tempting. Opera 9 has built-in support for the BitTorrent protocol, so you can download large files directly through Opera without having to use a separate BitTorrent app. Content blocker. The Opera 9 content blocker lets you choose the kind of content, from ads to images, that you want to block on a particular site. Custom search engine. You can customize the Opera search box to use the search engine from any site. Thumbnail previews of tabbed pages. Opera has had tabbed browsing for a while now. There are some nice enhancements to tabbed browsing in Opera 9. Hovering over a tab triggers a thumbnail image of the page that's open in that tab. This is really useful when you have lots of tabs open and you can't remember what's open in each. Another new feature is the ability to lock an open tab so you don't close it accidentally. Site-specific preferences. These come in handy to block pop-ups or deny cookies on a particular site. Opera 9 has lots of other improvements. For the complete list of goodies check out the change log for Opera 9.0 Beta 1 for Mac.
HDTV Listings for April 7, 2006
What we're watching: NBA, NBA, NBA. The Western Conference stars continue to shine tonight with Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant all showing out in a doubleheader on ESPN. If you like your round balls slightly smaller size, theres always MLB action on INHD as the Rockies face the Padres at 10 p.m.Of course if the dramatics of basketball players arguing foul calls and major league managers arguing foul balls just aren't enough, please consider Discovery-HD's offering of Puccini's Tosca, "a fiery Roman melodrama of lust, betrayal and revenge". Sounds like the Lakers to me.Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
DS Lite: Japanese news video
Footage from a Japanese TV news program detailing the DS Lite and its forthcoming web browser and TV tuner add-ons is now available online for your deeply personal watching pleasure. The clip contains plenty of DS Lite action shots, a brief demonstration of the Opera browser and above all, an unmatched level of politeness. Note: "Read" link points to an AVI video file.[Via Engadget]
More DS browser details
Infendo has some of the specifics regarding the recently announced Opera web browser for the DS. First of all, it will not support Java applets, Flash or PDF files, a bit of a bummer if you were particularly keen on watching animations or reading laborious technical documents on your DS.The pint-sized version of Opera will allow for two browsing modes, namely "fit to width" and "DS mode", a zoom function and bookmarking (don't count on RSS support). It'll also be able to recognize your handwriting, allowing you to transform written URLs into text and forego the kind of slow and clunky on-screen keyboard you may find on other portable systems. A final note points out that the browser will be fully compatible with both variants of the DS.The Opera DS browser has its Japanese debut sometime in June, with a US appearance sure to follow shortly.
DS Web Browser, TV tuner revealed
Well, Nintendo's big DS press conference in Japan has come and gone, with the fallout raining down upon us like a torrent of delicious, bite-sized candy. Though the main purpose of the conference was to parade the extraordinarily beautiful DS Lite about, Nintendo also took the opportunity to unveil some exciting new add-ons.As many of our readers correctly predicted, the melancholy and overly dramatic Internet browser, Opera, is indeed being released for the DS! Launching in June for approximately $30, the Opera browser is a fully featured, non-firmware web browser adapted to display pages on both screens and allow for stylus-based input. Yay!Nintendo also revealed a TV tuner add-on that simply plugs into the DS card slot and beams television programming straight to your portable. Though the chances of this little device making it to the West are slightly slimmer than the web browser, don't count it out just yet. Other points of note regarding the conference: The New Super Mario Bros. game will be released in Japan this May. Tetris DS will sell at a budget price. Calligraphy Training is coming to the DS, doing for the hand what Brain Training did for the mind. New footage of Xenosaga Episode 1-2 and Children of Mana was shown. Super Robot Wars, Dynasty Warriors and Winning Eleven 9, oh my! The last two will be using the Wi-Fi connection. Well, I guess we'd better get working on a DS-optimized version of DS Fanboy. [Via Joystiq][Thanks Keith Moloney, Khurrum and dwarpdesign!]
Opera to include its own widgets
Forget podcast overload, I'm suffering from widget overload. There are Konfabulator widgets (now called Yahoo! Widgets Engine) and Apple Dashboard widgets. Microsoft will included "gadgets" with Vista, KDE will soon support Dashboard widgets and a soon-to-be-released version of the Opera web browser will feature its own built-in widgets. Phew.The next preview version of Opera to be released (scheduled for some time this week) will include tools that will allow users to view information drawn from certain websites, like sports scores or weather reports, without having to continually revisit those sites. A dozen "demo widgets" will be included. Integrated BitTorrent search and download will also be a part of the Opera preview release.The idea of widgets written and launched directly from a browser is kind of interesting. I'll have to check this out.[Via MacSlash]Update: It's available now.Thanks, James!
San Fran Opera hopes for high-def
I can't say that I've been to see an opera performance; not because I'm afraid to publicly admit it, I've just never had the opportunity. If the San Francisco Opera has anything to do about it, that may change. Towards the very bottom of San Fran's 2006 season announcement, this tasty tidbit crossed our path: the Opera house is hoping to set up a high-def studio for spreading the song word.Has anyone seen an opera and if so, would you expect it to transfer to well to a high-def video presentation or is there a "live" factor that would be missed?
Microsoft, Opera and TV?
So the big tech news today will likely be around Microsoft's alleged purchase of Opera, the first tabbed web browser that runs on just about every platform on the planet. So why do us TV junkies care? We care because everyone will likely overlook "Opera for Home Media". They shouldn't. Microsoft continues to join us in our home entertainment rooms with WMCE, Xboxes and Windows Media Connect. Did you forget about good old WebTV? The way we see it, the computer is already becoming an integral part of your home entertainment space. If it hasn't yet, don't fight it because it will. Once it does, think about watching your HDTV over IP when a show host polls the broadband audience. Sure we can do that today, but you generally have to run to your notebook or desktop and then vote. Once the browser is embedded into the experience however, that makes life much simpler and the experience much richer. Think about a Voice-Enabled Electronic Program Guide for starters. Opera already has it, and now Microsoft will too. Windows Media Center can already bring you your HDTV, either directly or indirectly through a Windows Media Extender. Let's face it: do you really want to see Internet Explorer integrated in to that gorgeous high-def set? Perhaps IE in your PIP? We didn't think so.
Opera Still Offering Free Registration Codes
Yesterday we reported Opera was throwing a 10th anniversary party and offering free registrations for one day only. Well, it seems like the offer is still running today. I saw the story show up in MacNN's feed this morning and thought "What? That was yesterday..." and just figured they were late to the party. But sure enough: I went over to Opera's party page where the offer appeared and it's still available. I have no idea if this is a fluke or possibly a strategy to gain some marketshare, (I wonder if it's even working) but as of this writing you can still get a copy of the $39 Opera browser for free.[Update: Looks like the free offer has finally ended. The page has now reverted to mentioning their affiliat program through which you can still obtain a free copy - as long as you place an Opera button somewhere on your site and grab 250 unique clicks. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.]
