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montrealsoon on 18 July 2008
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Soleron said:
montrealsoon said:

I like Nintendo's current products, and what they are doing with them.
There seems to be lots of software for lots of tastes.

There is definitely one thing that Nintendo has done in the past few years I do not like at all though, and that is how they handled the DS Internet Cartridge. The problem I have is that you cannot connect to any (any as in "any of all available", not any as in the "opposite of none") open WiFi system that has any sort of an internal authentication. But supposedly, there is a small group (corporation connections) of WiFi connections that the DS can connect to this way.

So, basically Nintendo crippled the usability of DS Interenet for the sake of a handful of corporate deals. Poo on them.

I think you're confused.

Firstly, you don't need to buy the browser to have online. It's nice, but not neccessary - the DS is a gaming device.

Secondly, it's not a corporate monopoly - the DS came out before the widespread adoption of WPA encryption and has no mechanism for firmware update. Nintendo only supported WEP encryption, which fewer people have because it's less secure. "Corporate" connection don't usually use any wireless security because they are free to use.

 

 

Sorry for wording it poorly.  Yes, I know the DS can connect to the internet without the DS Browser, but the DS Browser itself cannot connect to the internet in the case of manually authenticated public sessions (even with no encryption of any form, WEP or WPA).

An example of this is many airports in Canada allow free unencrypted access online, but one has an to go through a (free) authentrication process (much like one has to login to VGCHARTZ before allowing posts).  This process will not work with the DS Browser in general.  My understanding is that this does work for certain hotel chains I believe.  It is a pre-arranged limitation by Nintendo in partnership with those "hotel chains" or whoever they are.

It's sounds really strange, but it is the case.