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The Nintendo DS Browser is a port of the Opera Web Browser for use on the Nintendo DS, developed by Opera Software and Nintendo. The Nintendo DS Browser comes in a version for both the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo DS Lite. This is due to the physical size differences in the memory expansion cartridges used by the browser (Game Boy Advance sized cartridges do not sit flush within the Nintendo DS Lite). The Nintendo DS Lite version was sold in stores, The Nintendo DS version was an online order from Nintendo's online store.
It was released first in Japan on July 24, 2006, Europe on October 6, 2006, Australia on January 18th, 2007, and in North America on June 4, 2007.
The application was discontinued in late 2007 due to poor sales, and later rendering obsolete, after Opera designed a DSiWare web browser pre-installed for Nintendo DSi units, aptly titled the Nintendo DSi Browser.
Features[]
The Nintendo DS Browser makes use of the Nintendo DS's touchscreen as input, as well as handwriting recognition and memorization of phrases. The top screen is used for the main display, and the bottom screen shows a zoomed-in version of the display. Due to the limited hardware resources of a Nintendo DS, the browser does not support Flash, PDF, or audio and video. The Opera software plugs into Slot-1 (Nintendo DS game card slot), and the Memory Expansion Pak is plugged into Slot-2 (Game Boy Advance slot) for cache storage. About 8MB is provided to the system, for a total of 12MB of RAM. Once the application is started, you connect to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection servers with whatever settings you may have had before. The name of the website can be typed in with an on-screen keyboard or written out using the touch screen.
The Nintendo DS Browser connects to the Internet through IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi wireless networks or hotspots using the built-in Wi-Fi capability of the Nintendo DS. While WEP encryption is supported, WPA encryption is not. According to the service's website, the browser can be used at free Nintendo hotspots, however it is unclear if this applies to all hotspots in the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection partnership, or only certain providers. Currently, attempting to connect to a The Cloud or BT Openzone hotspot launches the payment interface. However, connecting with a game first allows the browser to be used for free.