bandai's wonderswan game machine to double as net terminal

June 24, 1999

Nikkei English News via NewsEdge Corporation : TOKYO (Nikkei)--Bandai Co.
(7967) announced Wednesday it will release an adapter and dedicated
software that will allow its popular WonderSwan portable game machine to be
used as an Internet terminal. From December, WonderSwan owners who buy
the adapter will be able to browse the Internet, exchange e-mail and download
new games. 

The adapter comes with preinstalled communications protocol software needed
to link the machine to digital portable phones, personal handyphone system
terminals and the public phone system. 

Nintendo Co. (7974) has already announced it will offer a similar adapter for
its Game Boy portable game console. 

Released in March, domestic shipments of WonderSwan are expected to top 1 million
in July thanks to its low price of 4,800 yen and its compact, shirt-pocket sip%H%-e. 

Nintendo plans to release a device that will link its Game Boy machine, which sells
for 3,800-6,800 yen, to the Internet via cellular and PHS phones. So far, 80 million
Game Boys have been sold worldwide. 

(The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Thursday morning edition) 

<>