Nintendo chooses Opera to make Wii sing

Nintendo has partnered with Opera Software to make Opera the official Web browser for the Wii game console. A trial version will be available for free download beginning on Friday via Nintendo's Wii Shop Channel, both companies announced Tuesday. Eventually, it will also be available for the Nintendo DS game console.

When Wii users download Opera, it will activate the "Internet Channel" on the Wii and allow them to use the game console to browse the Internet on their television. Opera via a comic strip, and Nintendo via a statement, announced that the final version of Opera for Wii will be available in March 2007. That final version, according to Nintendo, will also be free March through June, after which it will cost 500 Wii points (roughly $5) through the Wii Shop Channel. In addition to its PC and OS version, Opera is already available for portable devices via Opera Mobile for smart phones and Opera Mini for cell phones.