Free Opera Internet Browser Connects Wii to the World

Dec 19, 2006

Starting Dec. 22, Beta version lets users surf the Web on Wii

Nintendo's wildly popular Wii home video game system not only
revolutionizes how people play games, but it also entices new people
into the world of gaming. On Dec. 22, Nintendo and Opera Software bring
the Internet to the living room couch with a free beta version of the
Opera Web browser. Wii owners who are connected and have activated the
Wii Shop Channel can download a free beta version of the Opera browser
to activate the Internet Channel of the Wii Menu and begin surfing the
Web.

"This newest Wii Menu channel provides yet another feature to draw
non-gamers in," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime.
"All kinds of people already have discovered that Wii is like nothing
they have ever tried before, and our red-hot sales reflect this public
enthusiasm."

"Our software brings the power and reach of the Internet to the
hottest video game system available," says Scott Hedrick, Executive
Vice President, Devices, at Opera Software. "Wii's unique interface
adds a new dimension to our browser, making it a useful tool that the
whole family will enjoy operating with ease."

The final version of the Opera browser will be available at the end of
March 2007, and will be free for all Wii owners to download through the
end of June 2007. After June, users who haven't already downloaded
the Opera browser can go to the Wii Shop Channel to download it for 500
Wii Points.

The Internet Channel provides an optimal Web browsing experience on
people's home television. The Adobe Flash-enabled beta version of the
Opera browser puts the Internet right onto owners' television screens
and lets them browse with ease, enabling them to check sports scores,
plot maps or visit their favorite Web sites.

Multiple family members can gather around the television to plan a
vacation or make online purchases. The pointing abilities of the Wii
Remote allow users to click on links they want to see or to zoom into
any part of the screen through the motion of the controller. In
addition, the Wii Remote can be used with an on-screen keyboard to make
text entry as easy as point and click.

The Internet Channel joins the four already-live channels: Disc
Channel, Photo Channel, Mii Channel and Wii Shop Channel. The Forecast
Channel goes live on Dec. 20 and provides current and future weather
information that can be accessed using a text list of cities or by
using the Wii Remote to zoom in on a 3-D interactive globe. Weather
information is provided by Weathernews. The Internet Channel, Forecast
Channel and Wii Shop Channel are available at no charge, though they
require Wii owners to have a high-speed Internet connection. For more
information about Wii, visit Wii.com.

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