7 June is going to be a huge day. Not only will we find out about the next Nintendo console but a software update will be available for 3DS, bringing with it several new features. Colette has already covered the 3DS Virtual Console, but today I'm going to talk about the internet browser.
Internet browsers are relatively new in the world of handheld gaming and have never quite cut it in terms of performance and speed.
Not this time though. The 3DS should put an end to the problems that marred the DSi. Whenever I used my DSi XL to surf the net, I would often encounter messages saying I couldn't load a page properly or it would just take so long that it would simply not be feasible to carry on.
The 3DS, though, is a much more powerful piece of hardware and will no doubt be able to handle loading sites quickly and efficiently.
What's more, the 3DS will boast Netfront as its chosen browser and Netfront has the capacity to play YouTube videos unlike the DSi.
Another handy extra feature is that the internet browser will be able to run on top of another application. This means that if you're stuck on the Water Temple in Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D you'll be able to turn on the browser and look up some hints.
When I went to check out the 3DS before launch, the application with the best 3D graphics wasn't a game. It was in fact Sky 3D and the 3D films. One of the 3DS consoles featured a five minute clip of Toy Story 3 in 3D and the graphical and 3D capabilities of the 3DS really shone through.
Without a doubt I'd like to downloading some 3D movies if they become available. Even the clips of basketball games from Eurosport 3D looked amazing. This is no doubt an essential feature.
Now for something not confirmed for any update: friend chat. Back on the old fat DS, Pictochat was really cool. Incredibly pointless but cool nonetheless.
The problem with it was that the DS had no form of online friend roster. This meant that you could only chat with someone who had another DS up to 10 metres away from you, and in situations like that, what's the point really?
Now that the 3DS is out we finally have a fully functioning friend roster with only one thing missing: a chat function. It's just not enough to see when your friends are online or what their favourite games are - I want to be able to chat with them so I can organise when or what games to play with them.
Hideki Konno, producer of 3DS, has expressed his interest in implementing a chat feature in further updates, but there has been no confirmation about when it will happen.
It's a shame really. My friend list seems a bit pointless right now without the ability to communicate somehow with the Miis on it. After all Nintendo has always been about social gaming and nothing is more social than communicating directly with someone you know.
So what are you looking forward to in future updates? Put your update wishlist in the comments.
I use the DSi browser a lot for Twitter when I'm not at the PC; so it'll be good to finally get the 3DS browser to make use of the handheld's bigger memory.
I'd Like something like Igoogle where you can customize a homepage with mini games and have the weather and news updates and but the koi fish will look amazing in 3D!
YAY! 3DS YOUTUBE VIDEOS!
Let's just hope you will be able to attach pictures and music to e-mails from your SD Card as well then!
This is the thing I'm most looking foward to of the System Update!
Bring on June 7th! Nintendo Day!
Just ordered my 3ds without any games (I'm not made of money), but it looks like there will be a huge amount of stuff to do. There's so much stuff coming free with it now!
Is it just me who REALLY wants Pictochat back, so I can chat with people who have DSes. I always remember playing Hide and Seek with my younger cousins and giving them clues/chatting to them using Pictochat, and you could tell how far away they were by using the signal bar
.
could we not just get chrome or firefox -_-'
Aside from the browser and shop, the thing I'm most looking forward to is...an alarm clock! Unlike the DSi, the 3DS doesn't have one, and I really miss it.
Have YouTube capabilities actually been confirmed? Last time I checked it was just quite likely, rather than certain.
Cant wait til June 7!!
For me, I'd just love to see an update to the Friend List. Video messaging would be awesome with the front facing camera. Why not sign up a deal with Skype? You'd be able to chat with anyone you know anywhere as long as you're near a Wifi hotspot. You could even send video messages to your friends showing them where you are with the rear facing cameras. How awesome would that be in 3D?
^ Skype is now owned by Micro$oft, so the chances of it coming to to the 3DS are extremely slim.
I mostly use the internet for Youtube anyway, so if it can load Youtube videos quickly, I'll be satisfied.
I'm am looking forward to that day more and more.
Uhh... PictoChat is on the 3DS. Click on the spinning cube with a face that says Pictochat on the bottom screen, and you'll be able to access... Well, PictoChat.
Not even the Wii's browser can handle the ONM website, so hopefully this can, and YouTube would be a godsend. I wonder if it would have a special feature for watching the 3D-compatible videos on YouTube?
Its also the day of my Psychology exam. T_T
to be honest I think they should make Facebook, Twitter and YouTube apps for the 3DS - allowing you to post and view 3D photos on Facebook, post and view 3D video on YouTube, and... well, I'm not sure how Twitter would make similar use of 3D...
Hmm... Eurosport 3D, does this mean we will be able to watch the 2012 Olympics on our 3DSes?
No it isn't. What are you on about?
Uhh... PictoChat is on the 3DS. Click on the spinning cube with a face that says Pictochat on the bottom screen, and you'll be able to access... Well, PictoChat.
No it isn't. What are you on about?
I think I must have confused it with the spinning cube with a face on the DSi menu. Indeed, PictoChat has not returned.
It would nice if you could make bookmarks on your homescreen.
I hope YouTube will add a "3DS" 3D option to their already available 3D videos.
Im confused, I don’t know why everybody is getting there hopes up about the browser, yeah sure thing you can go on it whilst playing games, but it is incredibly slow, it would probably be worth using later in the future. It’s not a great idea to get your hopes up, I done that when it was the DSi browser, well what you should do is look forward to the eShop… come to think of it, why is nobody talking about it
YOUTUBE!!!!!!!
Youtube
Facebook
etc.
Films, sky aswell
I hope this all works!!
I really want this update!
I use the DSi internet to just check to see what's happening on ONM.
Great news we can play youtube videos on it.
YOUTUBE! I luv it!!!!
"Internet browsers are relatively new in the world of handheld gaming"
I'm sorry, what? The DS lite had an internet browser (albeit as a separate retail thing), and that was five years ago. And the PSP got a browser nearly six years ago. Internet browsers on handhelds are not a relatively new thing.
I agree with all that you have said. Definitely looking forward to a better browser on the 3DS, compared to the DSi one which was a bit slow. Multitasking to search online is perfect...eliminates the need for me to go online on my phone as this will, hopefully, be easier.
PictoChat needs to return, but with online capabilties. I agree...it's annoying to have a friend list where you can see what they are playing and they are playing the EXACT same game as you, but no quick way to say "Hey, wanna play together online?". And with this, a better way to share friend codes. It should be as simple as, when you StreetPass with someone, you get their friend code...and you can choose to add it. When someone adds you, you get a friend request and can choose to accept. And why wouldn't you? More friends=more fun. And makes for a much much better social experience and gameplay.
Exactly what I said in a previous topic! Definitely a day full of Ninty goodness!
Yep...sad times.
HAHA! Me and my cousins always used to use pictochat for silly things like that. We'd even chat via pictochat while in the same room. And if I, for example, went downstairs, I'd keep talking via pictochat. And we'd do silly drawings and stuff. HAHA, it's really weird, you do similar things to me with pictochat with the same people and use the same alias (I'm known as Kirby8 here...but most other places I'm known as NintendoMad888...I just felt like doing something different for once. Because I thought....so my nintendo obsession to randoms, but since here, I'm full of Nintendo Mad people...I'll show my Kirby love! LOL!)
Weirdly I also have fond memories of cousins and pictochat, the best was playing that game where you fold a piece of paper in three and each draw the head, body and legs (obviously no paper was involved, and sometimes the body parts were horribly out of line.)
I hope it can load the new ONM site which not even my Wii can do !!!!!
Also, chat, why not include a Wii speak channel style thing, the mics there, and you could choose to use miis or the inner camera!!! Awesome or what! You could ahve that on top and Write on the bottom, or for non direct chat you could have write on the bottom screen then send the mnessage and either attach a mii or attach a screenshot or a picture too, etc.
HAHA! I used to do that too. Paper way and Pictochat way! LOL! Good ol' PictoChat! XD
Them being out for the past six years isn't that long, it's only one generation. Compare six years to the full 31 years that handhelds have been out.
Coolest thing I've read so far here is the idea of the Olympics on my 3DS, I'm sure some events will be recorded in 3D like in the World Cup. I really hope I can watch my favorite events on my 3DS
The dsi web browser was cool but, it took too long to load and was lagging a lot. It was also hard to check something out fast because of this. The 3ds is more powerful so that should not be a problem. It will also be nice because if your stuck in a game, you can quickly press the home button on the 3ds and go to the web browser and look up some tricks. This next update will be awesome
will facebook be good on the 3ds?
for internet in your pocket i don't think this will be as accessable as my ipod touch. the touch screen controls are so instant and tactile that i struggle to see how the 3ds will compete. obviously the 3ds and also the ds are far superior for playing games, and that what really matters on a games console, but i think i will prefer the ipod for internet surfing and listening to music. though the 3ds has the 3d so that should be better for watching videos. i hope to see youtube utilise this with 3d videos exclusive for 3ds and uploaded by users. there could even be a youtube app, or something similar.
think about it,it works like game notes so while playing you can watch onm tv
WHAT!!!??? NO PICTOCHAT
)-':
Facebook Is going to get that bit more Epic " Facebook 3D without the glasses"
