Full version of Internet Channel available

12th April, 2007- Now you can search, surf and shop from the comfort of your living room with the Internet Channel on Wii. Featuring a number of enhancements to improve the user experience as well as a host of added extras, the full version of the Internet Channel, powered by Opera, is available for free download across Europe on 12th April 2007.

Fans of the innovative Wii Channels will already be familiar with the Internet Channel, which delivers their high-speed Internet access via their television sets. Based on feedback from Wii owners, Nintendo has created a new and enhanced version of the browser featuring improvements to the user experience as well as a performance upgrade.

Users of the Trial Version will notice the improved usability of the full version. The browser now features a manual zoom, in addition to the automatic mode available in the previous version, allowing more viewing flexibility. When zooming in and out, texts are kept crisp and readable at all sizes. The new version of the Internet Channel also features improved scrolling functionality, as well as collapsible toolbars and multiple on-screen cursors.

Search functions have become an essential part of our everyday Internet experience, with many of us selecting a search engine as our home page. To reflect the impact of search functions on our browsing experience, the Internet Channel now features an in-built function allowing users to query terms without having to go to a search engine. Wii owners are given the choice of either selecting Yahoo! Search or Google as pre-selected search engines to power their inbuilt search button. The selection can be changed at any time. Users will also have the ability to easily access Nintendo, Yahoo!, Google and My Opera from pre-loaded bookmarks.

The Internet Channel provides an improved surfing experience, but the Wii System Menu also gives parents control over what their children view with Parental Control options. Users are able to set a password, which can be used to restrict access to the Internet Channel if desired. For users looking for even more protection, Nintendo is also including a bookmark in the Wii Browser for the Astaro Wii Content Filtering Portal. This is a parental control system solely provided on Wii by Astaro, a leading provider of internet security appliances, which will be available from 7th May 2007. Here, users can try out and sign-up for Astaro's world-class content filtering service on their Wii.

Laurent Fischer, European Marketing Director of Nintendo Europe commented:

We are thrilled to be able to offer Wii owners an improved, simple and safe internet service through the Opera Browser. The new version of the Internet Channel will allow the whole family to experience the internet from the comfort of their couch in a safe and secure environment.

The final version of the Internet Channel is available for free download from 12th April 2007 until 30th June 2007, after which it will cost 500 Wii Points. Once downloaded, the Internet Channel is free for the lifetime of the system.