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OperaMobile posts

Filed under: Internet, Windows Mobile, Mobile Minute, Browsers

Opera 10 Beta for Windows Mobile released

Over the past few years, Opera Mobile has become the browser of choice for the majority of Windows Mobile users. Shipped as the default browser on many devices and available as download for others, Opera Mobile addresses the many failings of the preinstalled IE browser with better performance, variable zoom and text reflowing as well as a polished and intuitive UI.

Pushing the mobile browser closer to a desktop grade experience is the promise of Opera's latest release, Opera 10 Beta for Windows Mobile.

The Opera Mobile 10 Beta overhauls the look and feel of it's predecessors and is similar in design to the Opera 10 desktop browser as well as the Java based Opera Mini 5 beta. The UI overhaul brings Opera's offering across all of it's platforms in line, as well as providing a great range of features from the desktop platform including Speed Dial, tabbed browsing, a password manager and Opera's server side compression technology, 'Opera Turbo'.

I've had a try of the new browser and it does indeed feel more consistent in style with Opera's Java based offering, no bad thing as Opera Mini has always made excellent use of the available screen real estate. Performance seems great and the UI seems intuitive. Some features found in previous releases don't seem to have made it into version 10 yet - we spotted a lack of device rotate support and no support for multitouch zoom on the HTC HD2, but Opera does look set to maintain it's class leading position on the Windows Mobile platform.

The Opera Mobile 10 Beta is available for free download now from the Opera website.

Read more →

Filed under: News, Browsers

Is Opera cooking up "the next big thing" in mobile browsers?


That's at least what they want us to think. On Opera's "Next" web page, you'll see the image above. Remind anyone of the teasers the company posted earlier this year for the Opera Unite alpha?

So far there are no clues in the HTML source as there were with Unite. If we're going by the puzzles pieces, the new project is only about 33% complete -- though it's entirely possible that's just what Opera decided to go with for a grabber image.

With Unite, it only took four days to go from the tease to the big news. We'll see what happens this Tuesday.

If you're an Opera Mobile or Mini user, what would you like to see in a new version? If you aren't, what could Opera do that would make you switch mobile browsers?

Update: Opera's Espen André Øverdahl has spilled the bean(s). It's Opera Mini 5, though that's all his post reveals. No actual substance as of yet.

Filed under: Internet, Google, Googleholic

Googleholic for February 29, 2008



Welcome to Googleholic - your bi-weekly fix of everything Google!

This edition covers:

  • Google Docs gets a redesign
  • Opera Mobile goes Google
  • AdSense updates terms and conditions
  • Register for free Google website optimization seminar

Read more →

Filed under: Features, Macintosh, Windows Mobile, Apple, Mobile Minute

Anything iPhone can do, you can do better - Mobile Minute

RE's LauncherCongratulations. You've spent the weekend managing not to buy an iPhone, which is more than we can say for at least two Download Squad writers.

Sure, the new phone is the coolest thing since sliced bread was replaced by low-carb bagels. But aside from an innovative new interface and one of the best web browsers ever to grace a mobile device, does it really do anything new?

Today we'll take a look at some of the features that make the iPhone special -- and show you how your 2 year old Windows Mobile phone or PDA can accomplish most of the same tasks.

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Filed under: Internet, Windows Mobile, Palm, BlackBerry

Opera Mini 4 includes full desktop views

Opera has released a public beta of Opera Mini 4. Like previous versions of the Opera Mini web browser, it will run on any Java enabled phone, and it's probably a lot faster than the browser you're using right now. But there's one killer new feature: zoom.

Here's a little screencast we made demonstrating the zoom feature using a web-based Opera Mini 4 emulator.



Much like the Opera for the Nintendo Wii, Opera Mini 4 lets you see an entire web page at a glance, pretty much as it would look on a desktop. Since your standard definition TV and your mobile phone don't really support the same resolutions as your desktop, the text isn't really readable. So you can easily scroll over any part of the page and click to zoom in.

The thing is, the new desktop view works great if you're visiting sites you're already familiar with. But if you need to find the local news section of the New York Times, you had better know that you'll need to click on the left side of the page before you get there. Luckily, you can hit the 1 button to bring up a context menu that will let you choose to bypass the desktop view and use the "fit to width" view you've come to know and love.

Filed under: Features, Windows Mobile, Mobile Minute

Mobile Minute News: MS updating sync center, Opera Mobile beta and more

In today's mobile Minute, we'll take a look at some of the latest news and software related to Windows Mobile devices.

Windows Mobile Device CenterWindows Mobile Device Center 6.1 on its way

When Microsoft announced they'd be replacing ActiveSync, few Windows Mobile users were complaining. The default program for synchronizing data between a PC and mobile device has always been a bit finnicky, to say the least.

Microsoft built a synchronization center into Windows Vista for basic functions, and released the freely downloadable Windows Mobile Device Center for more advanced users. And it didn't take long for those users to realize that WMDC seems to offer fewer synchronizations, not more. For example, ActiveSync has an option to manually resolve conflicts between appointments on your PDA and computer. WMDC does not.

Version 6.1 of WMDC is due out withing the next few weeks. While it doesn't look like there will be any major updates other than support for Windows Mobile 6 devices, there should be a number of bug fixes and some new features such as improved accessibility support.

Read more →

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Windows Mobile, Commercial

Opera 8.65 for Windows Mobile coming soon

Opera MobileOne of the best web browsers for Windows Mobile is getting an update. While it's not Opera 9 just yet, version 8.65 adds a number of new drool-worthy features for any mobile browser:
  • Grab and scroll through screens on Pocket PC edition devices only
  • Web search in the address bar
  • Save images
  • Copy text
  • Send a link as an e-mail, SMS, or MMS
  • Import IE bookmarks
  • Multi-language support
  • Support for Macromedia Flash Player 7 for Pocket PCs
  • FlashLite 2.1
We're pretty sure that flash support does not mean you'll be able to view the full versions of flash video web sites like YouTube, but there's always the mobile version.

Opera 8.65 will be a free upgrade for registered users. Right now if you click the download button you're taken to a link for Opera 8.60, but look for the new version to go live any minute now.
[via Aximsite]

Filed under: Internet, Windows Mobile

Opera 9 web browser coming to Windows Mobile

Opera MobileOpera this week announced plans to develop a version of the Opera 9 web browser for Windows Mobile phones and PDAs. Opera 8.6 is already one of the fastest web browsers available for Windows Mobile devices, with a super speedy rendering engine.

Version 9 will incorporate several new features.
  • Users will be able to view a full web page or zoom in to a particular area, much like the way the Opera browser for Wii works.
  • Opera will add widgets to the mobile browser, letting users check weather, traffic, news, email and other information.
No word on pricing or availability, but Opera 8.6 sells for $24, and I'd expect Opera 9 to be similarly priced.

[via Boston Pocket PC]

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