Nintendo will launch the Internet browser for their latest handheld machine across Europe on October 6th, which will cost around £30. As if the DS wasn't already enough of a social object, the browser, designed by Opera Software, will allow gamers to surf the Web, read and send emails and indulge in live chat. It can hook up to home and public Wi-Fi when out of range of one of Nintendo's free hot-spots.

The browser comes in the forum of a DS cartridge, and will come with a memory-expansion pack, which should help minimise loading times for multimedia-heavy sites. Seperate versions of the cartridge will be released for the original DS and the new DS Lite (so make sure you buy the right one).

The browser has been designed by Opera Software, and seems to have been cleverly made to minimise the machines limitations in comparison with PCs which have keyboard and mouse - and it includes an onscreen virtual keyboard and support for handwriting recognition.

It even makes great use of the dual screens - in Fit-to-Width mode you can use the browser to display a complete web-page scaled down to fit on both screens, eliminating the need for scrolling. Alternatively, in Overview mode the top screen will display a magnified view which can be controlled using the touch screen.

Come October 6th, the DS console's capabilities will be greatly expanded, and the web browser will certainly be more accessible than the PSP's shockingly-unfriendly internet surfing.

Stay tuned to Gameroobie for a review of the hardware, but to see a demonstration of it in action, click here.