Opera-based browser for the Nintendo DS

[Chaos]

Not quite sure how this one was missed (I read it over a week ago, and thought I remembered seeing it on MR - but I was mistaken), but the Nintendo DS will be getting a web browser, based on Opera.

Particularly of interest is the note, made by Masaru Shimomura (Deputy General Manager of Nintendo's R&D department - long title to put on business cards), that the DS is fully operational "within just five seconds of turning on the system", making it "the ideal device to enable people to swiftly obtain the latest information from the internet, wherever they are". Quite an interesting idea, with plenty of potential, as I see it, considering Opera does have some of the best mobile web rendering, and a very good page re-flowing system, to make regular pages suitable on handhelds.

I can see this being very successful, or a complete failure, depending on one major potential problem. The wifi range. Nintendo claims 30 to 100 feet - less than most other devices. Could you stand having to be 100 or less feet away from an access point to browse the web? It may work in some circumstances, but potentially not in others. And considering the minumum range is 30 feet 'depending on circumstances', one may find themselves almost tethered near an access point.

Overall it's an interesting idea with potential, considering Opera's solid mobile browser, but some possible flaws, such as the wifi range. Can anyone else see other upsides or downsides to this?

Also reported at the same time as the web browser, is a DS TV tuner. Bad news (if that sort of thing appeals to you) is that it's unlikely to be seen outside of Japan, because of the format of signal required, so I'll stick to reporting on the web browser.

From IGN, Engadget, Slashdot and Joystiq.

(And on the note of having missed this earlier - I'll do better next time, I promise. )