Download Squad

A tipster by the name of OperaBoy sent us a screenshot of Opera X, and - if it's real - it looks tasty. Obviously highlighted is a 'Synchronize' feature, which looks a lot like Firefox extensions add-ons like Google's Browser Sync and Foxmarks, offering the ability to keep bookmarks, notes, newsfeeds and contacts in sync between computers. Whether Opera will be offering the actual sync/storage space, or if users will need to supply their own WebDAV/FTP like with Foxmarks, is yet to be seen.

Personally, I'm not a heavy Opera user (though I crack it open on occasion to play with the interesting stuff they're always doing), so I'm not spotting any other major features on their way in this new version, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. One thing I do know, however, is that the ability to sync all these things between computers should be a big appeal for those who, like me, are looking for a one-stop solution for an app/browser that can handle all these tasks well. I, for example, am a paid Backpack user, but I'm finding that it doesn't expand well for some uses, in part because 37signals doesn't offer any kind of a search engine for all your notes and lists. Depending on how well these features are implemented and how syncing performs, Opera X could turn out to be another trail-blazing release from the unfortunate and ill-deserved underdog of the browser market.