Opera Releases Nintendo DS Browser

Representatives from Oslo, Norway-based developer Opera Software have officially announced that the Nintendo DS Browser, the handheld port of its bespoke product, has been released to retail and Nintendo's online store for the standard DS and DS Lite. The DS Lite version will be available both via Nintendo's online store and retail outlets, with the older standard DS version, unique because of its differently-shaped GBA slot, will be exclusive to the online store. Already available in Japan for nearly a year, and across Europe since October 2006, the Nintendo DS Browser, powered by Opera's web browsing technology, offers two rendering modes for surfing from the Nintendo DS. Browsers can use the fit-to-width mode, originally created for mobile phones, which displays the contents of a page in a single column stretched top to bottom across the DS' two screens. They can also use the DS mode, which puts a zoomed out view of the website on the bottom screen along with a movable thumbnail to change the zoomed view being displayed above. Said Opera marketing EVP Scott Hedrick, "With the DS Browser, Nintendo continues to expand the possibilities for users of this tremendously popular game platform. Opera is excited to work with Nintendo to bring the easy and accessible way to browse the Internet to DS lovers in North America. DS Browser makes it easy to check news, popular user generated content sites or comparison shop while in a Wi-Fi hotspot."