The Wii is going to let users browse the internet from their TV with Opera! How frickin awesome is that! Why didn’t they just call the console the Nintendo “FU Microsoft”, or “FUMS” for short. Refresh my memory, the Xbox360 still requires connectivity to a media center PC to browse the internet, it’s got no built-in browser, or so I thought.
7 hours ago
5 comments:
Apropos of nothing -- your blog crush brings his A-game:
http://wwtdd.com/post.phtml?pk=1347
Yup, I was right, the XBox 360 works as a Media Center PC extender, and you can browse the internet (sort of) from the Xbox 360. Here's the kicker: You're not actually browsing from the XBox, merely rendering what the Media Center PC is browsing. Worst of all, you can't actually type anything into the browser, merely click on links. So no google searches, and no authenitication to webpages that require a username and password. Meanwhile, The Wii will have Opera (for a price) that presumably allow you to fully browse the web. There should be an on-screen keyboard since several other features provide an on-screen keyboard (Mii) which should allow players to browse to any website. I haven't heard anything on Java and Flash support, but suppose the browse has that as well: billions more Java and Flash games, as well as Flash video via YouTube. Figure the browser will run about $25-$50, so for $300 you have a game console that basically does more than the XBox 360.
Everyone seems to harp about HD support, well guess what, they'll have 480p support which looks pretty damn good. It's not 720p or 1080i, or the mythical 1080p (no tv actually supports 1080p, hence the "mythical" status), but it will still look good.
One more point: You can't connect an XBox 360 to any old PC, it must be running Media Center Edition. So about 50 people nationwide can browse the internet from their XBox 360. What's that you say, more than 50 people own both a MCE PC and an XBox 360? Yeah right, name them. Why do I care so much about browsing from my game console? Simple: I've got an LCD projector throwing a 110" image on a screen. I'll watch the Skins game on the main channel, and using PiP I'll put the Wii up in the corner, open to the browser, looking at my Fantasy Football Stats on the web.
Trying to browse the web at 480p resolution is an exercises in frustration. Try lowering your computer's resolution down to 680x480 and see how much fun it is.
Brad,
The browser won't replace a PC, but it's a nice feature and almost assuredly going to be optimized for the low resolution. Ever been to a hotel in Vegas? They all have TV browsers that are optimized for 640x480 with really small fonts. They aren't perfect, but they suffice for things like web mail and searches.
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