Final Version of the Opera Browser for Wii Coming in April

It is a little later than promised, but Nintnedo is releasing the final version of the Internet Channel soon enough. It includes some neat new features, my favorite being the ability to hide the toolbar (fullscreen YouTube on my TV! ). Here is the press release from Nintendo:

INTERNET CHANNEL UPDATE: OPERA BROWSER FOR WII

Since late December, Wii owners have been able to download a trial version of the Opera Internet browser. After receiving substantial and helpful feedback from consumers, friends and family members, Nintendo developers have made a number of improvements to the final version of the browser, including:

• improved zooming and scrolling
  
• an improved zoomed font
  
• shortened startup times
  
• quicker access to “favorites”
  
• an ability to hide the toolbar
  
• buttons that will instantly type common preset letters, such as “www” or “.com”

More details about these and other functions will be announced in the near future. To ensure that the browser incorporates all of these enhancements, the final version will be available for download in April, a few weeks later than previously announced. The browser will remain free for Wii owners to download through the end of June. 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.

Nintendo Products Continue to Dominate US Console Sales

As I assumed, Nintendo is continuing to dominate the US gamer market.

Here is the press release from Nintendo:

NINTENDO NEWS: WII WINS AGAIN

March 15, 2007

According to independent sales data released by the NPD Group, the Wii™ from Nintendo was America’s best-selling video game console in the U.S. again in February, with consumers snapping up virtually every system available in America totaling more than 335,000 units.

Only one game system sold more in February, the portable Nintendo DS™, with sell-through of 485,000 units.

Together, Nintendo systems represented 54 percent of all hardware sales in February, more than those of all other manufacturers combined.

“We’re gratified that the explosive appeal of Wii, in terms of both new players and new ways to play, has created unprecedented demand, substantially beyond supply,” says Reggie Fils-Aime, president, Nintendo of America. “But we also understand that there are hundreds of thousands of consumers still waiting to get their hands on the system so we continue to both ship more units to retail every week and work non-stop to build capacity.”

Reports from households across the country indicate that Wii has become the centerpiece for weekend parties a new method for improving athletic technique and losing weight, and a landmark product for generating cross-generational fun.

The strength of Wii and Nintendo DS was also apparent in monthly software sales where three of the top four best-selling games for the month (Wii Play™ and The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess for Wii, and Diddy Kong® Racing DS for Nintendo DS) play exclusively on Nintendo systems. In addition, so far this year 10 of the top 20 best-selling games are exclusive for Nintendo hardware.