The Opera browser is one of the most powerful and extensible cross platform browsers out there. So when Nintendo and Opera announced the Wii’s Internet channel would be powered by Opera - nerdcore geeks rejoiced. For the rest of us, disappointment. The beta version of Wii Opera used an old Flash 7 player. Many hoped that misstep was only a side effect of beta software but now that the final version of Wii Opera has been released, the browser is still hobbled with Flash 7. Wii ask why?

“The simple answer is that it’s out of both Opera and Nintendo’s hands. If you want to run Flash outside of Windows, Linux or Mac, you need the Flash SDK (software development kit) which is made by Adobe. The problem is Adobe hasn’t released their SDKs for Flash 8 or 9 and until they do so, we’re stuck with Flash 7.”

So there you have it. Don’t blame Nintendo for the outdated Flash player. If you got words, you know who to go after - Adobe.

[Via Opera Watch]

The company Turtle Beach has announced today its new specialized headphones for the DS Lite, the Turtle Beach Ear Force D2. Along with a high quality microphone attachment for DS chat these headphones sport the following features:

Hear every bleep, blip and bark from your game in full stereo sound.

Adjustable microphone makes it easy to speak or sing (if you’re a fruit) when playing interactive games.

Designed for hours of comfortable play on your DS or DS Lite.

Play on the road or at home - without the world hearing you.

These babies will set you back around $19.95 and are available at your local Best Buy.

I guess I can see how the microphone might come in handy (if you like singing your DS to sleep) but why can’t I just use my regular old headphones again…oh wait…I can.

What two things drive technology? Greed and Porn and since the NES never saw it’s true potential, the latter never happened. But in 1991 a Minnesota State lottery was in the beginning stages of using an add on that would allow users to connect an actual modem to their NES. This way lazy gambling addicts could pick their numbers in the comfort of their living rooms and also check out a supposed news ticker option, too bad the whole thing got shut down before it got started.

It’s been almost 20 years since that time and Nintendo is just now starting to show it’s presence online, even though the capabilities were obvious then. Too bad we have to deal with friend-codes, meh,right now its Xbox Live FTW.

[via humaninbox]

In a valiant attempt to prove sex will sell anything from a loaf of bread to a used bag of medical waste, I4U shows us the old trick of the trade is as prominent as ever in tech ads. And just for clarification, I know those hotties have no idea what they are selling and I know that they are probably laughing at me behind my back.

That’s why I look and don’t touch, no broad is going to effect…my….holy crap is that chick playing a Wii? Damnit, where’s the closest ATM when you need one?

[via I4U, Digg]

You know I was all ready for the big release on Saturday of Nintendo’s highly anticipated news channel for the Wii. I had my nice comfy chair, a bottle of jack, and my bunny slippers all prepped, eagerly awaiting the moment when I could surf though the digital news airwaves with the click of my Wii-mote.

But I woke up this morning discovering that last night Nintendo decided to pull a fast one and release the whole damn thing early! Now I’m sitting here at work, no comfy chair, no bottle of jack, and no damn bunny slippers having to search for news the old fashioned way cause Nintendo had to get all trigger happy!

Anyway, if you’re one of the masses that is home today (lazy bastards!) turn on your Wii and start your news surfing goodness. Currently there are only a few news feeds that are operational: National News, International News, Sports, Arts/Entertainment, Business, Science/Health and Technology, but definitely enough to keep you interested over your morning bowl of fruit loops. Enjoy!

[via DailyTech]