As details trickle in as to the full extent of Nintendo's browser plans for its increasingly-essential DS portable, fresh information on the technology underpinning the Internet software is starting to trickle out.
To enable a smooth web experience, the DS will receive a RAM upgrade, via the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot. The add-on will be bundled with the Opera browser DS cart, the whole package costing just a shade under 20 quid in Japan. No US or European announcement regarding the surfing software has yet surfaced, though something is expected within the next fortnight.
Nintendo has not disclosed how beefy the injection of RAM will be for the DS, nor has it opted to comment on possible future applications for the memory upgrade. Speculation is rife the the DS will follow in the footsteps of the Nintendo 64, which successfully deployed a RAM upgrade used in games including Perfect Dark, Zelda: Majora's Mask, Turok 2 and Banjo Tooie, though Nintendo declined to comment on the possibility at time of press.
You can read news on the Opera browser for DS by clicking here and enjoy a full report on Nintendo's conference, including the DS TV adapter, right here.
We should also mention that possible headlines for this piece included "Nintendo DS gets RAMmed in the Rear Slot". So think yourselves lucky.
To enable a smooth web experience, the DS will receive a RAM upgrade, via the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot. The add-on will be bundled with the Opera browser DS cart, the whole package costing just a shade under 20 quid in Japan. No US or European announcement regarding the surfing software has yet surfaced, though something is expected within the next fortnight.
Nintendo has not disclosed how beefy the injection of RAM will be for the DS, nor has it opted to comment on possible future applications for the memory upgrade. Speculation is rife the the DS will follow in the footsteps of the Nintendo 64, which successfully deployed a RAM upgrade used in games including Perfect Dark, Zelda: Majora's Mask, Turok 2 and Banjo Tooie, though Nintendo declined to comment on the possibility at time of press.
You can read news on the Opera browser for DS by clicking here and enjoy a full report on Nintendo's conference, including the DS TV adapter, right here.
We should also mention that possible headlines for this piece included "Nintendo DS gets RAMmed in the Rear Slot". So think yourselves lucky.
Companies:
Nintendo
Read More Like This
Comments
majin dboy 17 Feb 2006 10:50
1/17
once paid for, is browsing the internet free?this would be really cool as it means u could get free internet anywere in belfast.
kriv 17 Feb 2006 12:52
2/17
Free as in if you have a free WAP then yes.
more comments below our sponsor's message
madjo 17 Feb 2006 13:07
3/17
Opera is NOT a wap-webbrowser, it is a full browser. And as far as I can understand it, Opera for DS will feature the full webbrowser.
So if you have WIFI-access you can surf the web with your DS.
So if you have WIFI-access you can surf the web with your DS.
brainofedsan 17 Feb 2006 14:33
4/17
Banjo Tooie did not require the use of the Ram Expansion.
ohms 17 Feb 2006 16:42
5/17
wow, if you can play browser based flash and java games on DS that would be too cool.
(or post on the spong forums even) :)
(or post on the spong forums even) :)
Joji 17 Feb 2006 16:47
6/17
I was expecting this at some point, since the DS tech is very N64 anyways. To sharpen the games and web browsing it'll do nicely.
How much for the price? Good question, judging by the fact that DS card use around 1GB and the drop in the use of carts and GBA cart prices in general, I'd reckon about 128-256mb on a cart would be enough to tweak games and keep your browser nippier when online.
How much for the price? Good question, judging by the fact that DS card use around 1GB and the drop in the use of carts and GBA cart prices in general, I'd reckon about 128-256mb on a cart would be enough to tweak games and keep your browser nippier when online.
fluffstardx 17 Feb 2006 16:58
7/17
This should make it an even more interesting proposition for a lot of games companies - this would be good for the Resident Evil titles, for example.
tyrion 17 Feb 2006 18:07
8/17
madjo wrote:
Opera is NOT a wap-webbrowser, it is a full browser. And as far as I can understand it, Opera for DS will feature the full webbrowser.
So if you have WIFI-access you can surf the web with your DS.
So if you have WIFI-access you can surf the web with your DS.
That's what kriv meant. In this case WAP means Wireless Access Point.
madjo 17 Feb 2006 19:08
9/17
I, personally, doubt that there would be Java on there (that is still a separate package, even in Opera, at least I think so). But indeed that would be cool.
Ditto 17 Feb 2006 23:12
10/17
One word: stupid.
Far too many add-ons for the DS. The RAM and rumble features should be built into the DS Lite.
Let's face it, no-one's going to be able to buy more than two of these increasingly stupid add-ons because they'll have run out of ports.
I like the functionality, but I'm not going to lug around a ram upgrade, internet cart, rumble cart, TV tuner, probably VoIP cart plus a game to play and/or various combinations of these.
Far too many add-ons for the DS. The RAM and rumble features should be built into the DS Lite.
Let's face it, no-one's going to be able to buy more than two of these increasingly stupid add-ons because they'll have run out of ports.
I like the functionality, but I'm not going to lug around a ram upgrade, internet cart, rumble cart, TV tuner, probably VoIP cart plus a game to play and/or various combinations of these.
soanso 18 Feb 2006 00:17
11/17
I don't think this ram upgrade will be used in games.
I reckon it'll be uased as the cache for the browser, I can't see how much it would benefit games.
The N64 memory expansion made a big difference on games, a couple of them wouldn't run without it. Once I got used to seeing them running high res on the tv I just could not get used to seeing them low res anymore.
But high res on a 2 inch screen?
I can't see the point of that.
It is a good idea to increase the functionality of the DS, but I do wonder if bringing out add ons and extra bits is the right way to go about it.
I reckon it'll be uased as the cache for the browser, I can't see how much it would benefit games.
The N64 memory expansion made a big difference on games, a couple of them wouldn't run without it. Once I got used to seeing them running high res on the tv I just could not get used to seeing them low res anymore.
But high res on a 2 inch screen?
I can't see the point of that.
It is a good idea to increase the functionality of the DS, but I do wonder if bringing out add ons and extra bits is the right way to go about it.
Whatleydude 18 Feb 2006 12:23
12/17
So:
Do we agree that this whole thing will be free then?
As Nintendo has got these deals with BT/MyCloud hotspots which make wi-fi access via your DS free.. why would it cost anything more?
So thats good.
Plus - if someone's using the PC in the house and you can just whack your wi-fi dongle in and you're away..
Finally..
If you can access the web from your DS whats to stop you downloading things onto your DS??
There's potential here.. for both Nintendo and prospective pirates.
Do we agree that this whole thing will be free then?
As Nintendo has got these deals with BT/MyCloud hotspots which make wi-fi access via your DS free.. why would it cost anything more?
So thats good.
Plus - if someone's using the PC in the house and you can just whack your wi-fi dongle in and you're away..
Finally..
If you can access the web from your DS whats to stop you downloading things onto your DS??
There's potential here.. for both Nintendo and prospective pirates.
vault 13 18 Feb 2006 22:53
13/17
Whatleydude wrote:
So:
Do we agree that this whole thing will be free then?
Do we agree that this whole thing will be free then?
Oh yes, let's also agree that the DS and all of it's games should be free too. It'd be better if we don't have to pay for stuff.
Very poorly worded statement.
Joji 19 Feb 2006 23:29
14/17
I think that if third parties think these add ons will sell and wanna make them then why not.
The DS card size work in our favour so lugging around a tv tuner, a 4gb hd and a few games shouldn't be a problem.
If the ram helps the web browsing then I'll invest in one of them too.
The DS card size work in our favour so lugging around a tv tuner, a 4gb hd and a few games shouldn't be a problem.
If the ram helps the web browsing then I'll invest in one of them too.
Whatleydude 20 Feb 2006 13:10
15/17
Oh my god.
Dude. You're a loser.
Why bother man?
I dont post here often at all - and you're exactly the reason why.
Good bye.
Dude. You're a loser.
Why bother man?
I dont post here often at all - and you're exactly the reason why.
Good bye.
vault 13 21 Feb 2006 03:01
16/17
Whatleydude wrote:
Oh my god.
Dude. You're a loser.
Why bother man?
I dont post here often at all - and you're exactly the reason why.
Good bye.
Dude. You're a loser.
Why bother man?
I dont post here often at all - and you're exactly the reason why.
Good bye.
Thanks for posting about how you never post. You contributed nothing to this thread. This is exactly why you failed your political journalism class, your constructive critism lectures, and your blood test. We still don't know why that last one happened.
Azmodan 20 Aug 2008 15:45
17/17
No, the internet connection is connected through WIFI 802.11b. That means someone near you (or you) needs to have an 802.11b compatible wireless modem, or router and you need to be in range to be able to connect. Furthermore, it only supports WEP security (this only applies if they have any form of a password, in which case it'd probably be your router). If you live in a big city, chances are you could probably connect to someone elses connection. This may or may not be illegal depending on where you live, so check up on that with your local police and/or lawyers?
But the bottom line is, it's not internet anywhere. You need the access point for it to work. If you got wireless internet at your house, then it's great. Otherwise, I don't recommend it unless you want the extra RAM.
:P
But the bottom line is, it's not internet anywhere. You need the access point for it to work. If you got wireless internet at your house, then it's great. Otherwise, I don't recommend it unless you want the extra RAM.
:P