PlanetWeb Web Browser 1.0

"(Version 3.0) After a whopping 7 tries it still a crappy browser."

They say the third times a charm but with Planetweb it's been seven tries unfortunately they still haven't gotten it right. During the days of the Net-Link Planetweb released a browser for the Saturn. Given the Saturn lack of ram and what they had to use it was widely considered good. Now 3 years later the DC is released and SoA has design a browser for the Dc. Well enough history and onto the review. Well this browser was suppose to be released last year alongside SegaNet well it didn't happen and we had to wait over a year for this one.

Here are the good parts and added features. The interface hasn't change which is one of the few good points about it. Java and Instant Messaging are finally incoporated. Flash 4.0 is also thrown into the mix. So you can no play Java games and chat using Java. Which surprisingly doesn't lag. I don't have a BBA nor a mouse so I can't comment on those features. Also it doesn't strain the CPU like the previous browsers did. (2.1, 2.6 and 2.6.2(!?)

Now it's time to show the discuss bad parts which really rear there ugly head alot. The browser still locks up and it does it alot. There are times when you have to manually turn off the power or open the DC door to reset it. The e-mail beyond some bigger fonts remain the same. It still can't read graphics or MIMME. Something that really bugged me with the first version. The Java is awful. Java games run very slow some won't run at all. What is pJava anyways? Poor Java? Pathetic Java? Probably Planetweb Java. IM is not available yet so I can't comment on that. The Java chat is rather a mixed bag. On Yahoo it worked pretty good but the fonts were extremely tiny. On another site (which shall remain nameless) it locked up once the applet was loaded. And some web sites (Launch.com was the first I experienced) lock up immediatley. Although it loaded perfectly on the older Dreamkey software. Dreamcall is also gone supposedly because cost control. I never got to use it so I would'nt really care about that.

Overall this is a better upgrade of an already poor browser that still has the same problems that have NEVER been fixed. The only reason I say get it is because there probably won't be that many pressed and it'll end up as being one of those rare items like Panzer Dragoon Saga or Shining Force 3. But those were great products. If you can live without pjava and BBa and Flash 4.0 you should get a Dreamkey or a Dream Passport. The Dreamkey is in alot of DC games that have built in internet support. And Passport is in alot of import games.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 11/20/01, Updated 11/20/01