Nintendo Wii U Browser detailed, HTML5 support and tabs
The browsers in Nintendo’s systems have always been a bit daft, the 3DS one being the newest is serviceable but it’s far from brilliant. That looks like it might be changing a little with the Wii U and their new browser.
The browser is built on WebKit, that’s the rendering engine that’s behind Safari and Chrome and includes full support for HTML5 elements including video. That means YouTube will work, at least the HTML5 version anyway. The browser does not support Flash, this web developer is happy.
The browser of course works in game and you can pull it up anytime to hop onto a website. If you are playing a game and you go to search something, the browser will automatically fill in the game title in for you.
You’ll be able to use the browser solely on the GamePad, on the TV and as well push video to the TV and continue to browse on the Wii U GamePad. Now that’s pretty cool.
Unlike the 3DS browser, the Wii U Browser will be available at launch.
This is actually really cool, I’m very happy to see them take this opportunity to bring the Internet onto the system in a very big way indeed.
Let’s just hope that they have hammered away at the browser considerably, Webkit can provide 95% of the tech needed but the supporting software can make or break it.
TABS! Finally we get them. The video on the TV while you browse on the GamePad is a cool idea too. Looks like the browser will be pretty good. It seems like we will never have Flash on a Nintendo web browser though…
great, looking forward to a better browser on the Wii U, want to be able to watch You Tube vids. I hope it really is good, good it will be available at launch..