The free version of the Opera browser that is available to owners of the new Nintendo DSi is surprisingly powerful. Check out these 10 tips for working effectively with this interesting tool.

1. Get on-line The new DSi is more powerful than it's predecessor and can connect to secure, WPA-encrypted networks. However, the process of getting connected can be confusing. Nintendo has provided an easy-to-follow walk-through at http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/dsi/en_na/online.jsp

2. Download the browser The browser is built into the DSi, but can be downloaded for free at the new on-line Nintendo DSi shop. Just tap on the shopping bag icon on the main screen of the DSi and you'll be taken to the on-line store. Anyone who has used the Wii store should find the DSi store familiar. If you haven't seen the Wii store, don't worry. The DSi is simple and straightforward. You're just a few stylus-taps away from browsing.

3. Using Shortcuts You enter information (web addresses, logins, etc.) into the browser by way of tapping an on-screen keyboard. On the 'Go To Page' screen (accessed from the main page of the browser or via the menu in the lower-left corner) you'll find some handy shortcuts arranged at the top of the keyboard. These include common web terms like 'www.', '.com', 'http://', and '.html'. Tapping one of these adds the entire term to your line of type. The small arrows at the right-side of the screen scroll through the list.

4. Writing vs. Typing By tapping on the pencil icon on the keyboard screen, you can switch the browser's input to a PalmPilot-like writing interface. The character recognition is a little slow, but users who prefer writing to hunting-and-pecking might want to check this out.

5. Overview vs. Column View By default the DSi browser tries to render the web page exactly as it would appear on your desktop or laptop. The top screen shows a scaled-down image of what the page would look like and the bottom screen shows a close-up of a small section of the page. An orange box on the top screen corresponds to the close-up. You can drag the stylus around the bottom screen to pan around the page.

By tapping on the double-headed arrow near the bottom-left corner of the lower screen, you can switch the pages and drag the orange box around until you find what you want.

This isn't an entirely satisfactory browsing experience. A better approach is to use the Column View. You can access this by tapping the the menu icon in the lower-left corner of the bottom screen and selecting 'Column View' from the menu that pops up. This will re-format the web page into a mobile-friendly version that trades beauty for functionality.

6. Text Size The handy text-size button on the main browser screen allows you to cycle between small, medium and large fonts. Great for those of us who are hard-of-seeing.

7. Search in Page Cramming a whole web page onto the small screen can make it tough to find what you're looking for. Use the 'Find in Page' tool (located under the menu button in the lower-left corner of the page) to search for the word or term you're trying to locate.

8. Mobile Websites Although the DSi browser does a pretty good job of reformatting web pages, it works better with pages designed for small-format screens. Often, these pages have the same address as their full-scale counterparts, except they start with 'm.' instead of 'www.' So, for example, you can find the mobile version of Yahoo at http://m.yahoo.com. From there you'll be able to use all of the familiar Yahoo tools (including a stripped-down version of Yahoo Messenger) on your DSi.

Google offers a whole laundry list of mobile services on their mobile page at http://m.google.com.

9. Quick Search An intriguing feature of the DSi browser is it's ability to do a quick search of text on a web page. To activate this, rest the stylus at the beginning of the text until the cursor turns into an I-beam. Drag over the word (or words) you'd like to search for and release. Tap the binocular icon (bottom-center of the lower screen) and the term will be entered into your default search engine (either Google or Yahoo).

10. Bookmarks Like any good browser, the DSi browser allows you to bookmark your pages. Add a new page by tapping the star icon (bottom-center, lower screen) and selecting 'Add Page' on the screen that pops up.

Your existing bookmarks can be managed using the 'List', 'Move', 'Edit', and 'Delete' buttons arrayed along the bottom edge of the lower screen.

This is a little counter-intuitive at first. By tapping one of these buttons, you'll put the Bookmarks screen in a new mode. Then you tap on the bookmark you want to change. To go to the web page of your choice, make sure you're in the 'List' mode.

These ten tips ought to get you rolling on the browser. If you have others, please share them in the comments section below.