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Opera has a new way for you to share your favorite bookmarks
Not long after the release of Opera 25, which brought with it a completely redesigned, visually rich Bookmarks menu, the browser is getting another update today. In similar fashion to the release from a couple of months ago, the newly introduced Opera 26 also focuses on bookmarks, but this version is more about how you can share content with your friends. Put simply, Opera now makes it easy for you to turn some of your favorite sites into privately linked, shareable folders.
Opera is working on a subscription-based storefront for apps
For entertainment services such as Netflix and Spotify, the all-you-can-eat model has been tremendously beneficial -- both have racked up millions and millions of subscribers to date. When it comes to offering mobile applications, though, that idea of subscriptions hasn't really taken off. Regardless of whether you're an independent developer or a major brand, you depend heavily on storefronts like Apple's App Store or Google Play to sell and promote your content. But Opera Software, known mostly for its web browsers, wants to change this. With its new Subscription Mobile Store initiative, Opera wants to give companies a platform to offer their apps through, as the name suggests, a subscription service.
Opera Max can now save Android mobile data in 16 more regions
Over the last few months, Opera's been slowly rolling out Max across the world to save mobile data -- apparently by up to 50 percent, including images and videos -- on Android devices, and its recent collaboration with MediaTek is no doubt a big boost to the service's street cred. But the Norwegian company isn't done yet. While Opera Max is already available to users based in most parts of the Americas, all European Union countries, Russia and others, today Opera added 16 more regions to the list. Just to name a few, these include Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. You can see Opera's full list after the break, and then head to Google's Play Store to grab the Android Lollipop-ready data compression app.
Opera Mini 9 promises smoother video-watching on iOS
Since the beginning, Opera's focus with its mobile browser has been to save users as much data as possible. Now, with the release of Opera Mini 9 for iOS, the idea is to take that mentality a step further, by better managing a thing people enjoy doing most on their devices: watching video. As such, Opera Mini 9 comes with a feature called Video Boost that optimizes videos to save on bandwidth, which includes the ability to reduce loading times for those with an iPhone and/or iPad. According to Opera, this is the first time video optimization for sites has been built within a browser, and it believes the implementation is so good that it could easily replace a video-focused app -- like YouTube or N3twork. But don't take Opera's word for it, you can check it out for yourself at the App Store link below.
Opera still exists, releases Opera 25 redesign to prove it
When was the last time you used the Opera browser on your Mac? Never? Well if you're a fan of beautiful bookmarks, you might want to consider changing that for Opera 25. The new Opera update brings with it something the company calls Visual Bookmarks, which are essentially large icons pointing you to your favorite sites, complete with accompanying images. "When I think back on moments, I can see them. That's my way to remember," Opera's Zhenis Beisekov writes on the company's blog. "It's the same for how I find things on the internet. All those videos, pictures or songs that I've discovered are visual memories for me." That's the idea behind the new, prettier bookmarks. If you want to give Opera 25 a spin you can download it now directly from the announcement post, and feel free to sound off about the new tweaks below.
Opera redesigns its desktop browser with visually rich bookmarks
Even though Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari are what most people use to browse the web on their desktops or laptops, this hasn't managed to lower Opera's spirits one bit. And that's definitely a great thing for people who prefer the Opera desktop browser over the aforementioned alternatives from Microsoft, Mozilla, Google and Apple, respectively. Today, Opera 25 is being introduced for Mac and Windows, which features bookmarking options that are highlighted by image-heavy thumbnails -- it's similar to what Safari's Top Sites window does in the browser nowadays, only with slightly different purpose.
Data-saving Opera Mini browser to land on Samsung Gear S watch
While Tizen's smartphone future remains foggy, it's slowly gaining street cred in the wearable space courtesy of Samsung's smartwatches and their handful of apps. The latest brand to help push this young ecosystem is none other than Opera, who is bringing its Mini browser to the Gear S due later this year. Of course, it'd be impractical to squint at a two-inch touchscreen all day long, but Opera Mini does offer a major advantage: its renowned data compression technology that can shrink web pages to as little as one-tenth of their size, thus making more efficient use of the Gear S' integrated 3G connectivity. As an icing on the cake, this app also offers private browsing mode and a "Smart Page" that aggregates social updates plus the latest news. Opera Mini will already be available for download by the time the Gear S hits the stores.
MediaTek's new chips save your precious time and money with built-in compression
While Opera Max is slowly making official launches around the world, this cloud-based data-compression service has just nabbed another partner -- and it's a pretty big one, too. Today, the Norwegian company announced that MediaTek will be embedding its app in two of its LTE-enabled 64-bit chipsets: the octa-core MT6752 and the quad-core MT6732. What this means is that should manufacturers want to integrate Opera Max into their MediaTek-powered devices (our understanding is that this feature is optional), they wouldn't have to spend time on testing the app, ergo shorter time to market. And of course, the end user gets to load pages, music and video clips faster anywhere on the device (unlike how the Opera browser only compresses data that are loaded within it), while also saving "up to 50 percent" of bandwidth, courtesy of Opera's cloud servers. That said, the service doesn't process encrypted links, for obvious reasons. For those who aren't familiar with Opera Max, feel free to check out the new video after the break.
Virgin Media's TiVo UI is getting a welcome makeover
If you were one of Virgin Media's early TiVo adopters, you won't have noticed the user interface change much over the last four years. Well, Virgin's decided it's high time for a significant redesign (with TiVo doing much of the legwork), and it'll begin hitting several thousand set-top boxes next week, with a wider rollout starting late October. We were treated to a preview of the update today, and the visual differences are immediately obvious. The red background has been ousted by a new "plum" colour (that's purple, to you and me), and is joined by a new font and minimalist logo that's part of Virgin Media's ongoing rebrand. The whole menu system is displayed in a higher-resolution than before, too, but it's not just a reskin, and should be quicker and slicker to navigate.
Opera's web compression app can now save you some Vietnamese dong
After eight months of beta testing, the Opera Max web compression app is finally getting a launch partner, and it happens to be in Vietnam. Opera's joining forces with local carrier Mobiistar to have the app preloaded on select Android devices (Lai504m, Bean414 and Prime508). By way of multimedia content plus text compression, the service claims to save up to 50 percent of data bandwidth -- it's all visualized in the app for your viewing pleasure. For those outside of Vietnam, you can still install the beta app and try it out in the US, Europe, Brazil and Russia; or try the customized version of Opera Max if you're in China.
Opera Mini for iOS gets a new look and another way to save data
Opera Mini for iOS has always been a thoughtful - if not particularly handsome - alternative to Apple's mobile version of Safari. Now it's finally gotten an overdue, iOS 7-friendly facelift and a new web surfing mode for mobile data misers who don't want to give up all their visual flair. You see, in days past you only had two options: your standard, uncompressed browsing experience, and the Mini mode that compressed images and text to keep your mobile data use from getting out of whack.
Opera's Coast iPhone browser is a speed dial for your favorite sites
Last year Opera introduced Coast, a simple mobile browser designed specifically for the iPad, and today it brought the same unique experience to the iPhone. Coast is a little different than Chrome or Safari, and streamlines browsing by organizing shortcuts to sites on menu pages like they're apps. Think of it like your phone's home screen, except exclusively for the internet. It's intentionally pretty barebones, and doesn't have much besides those site icons -- so no address bar or back button. While the stripped down browser may sound a bit restricting at first, we've been testing the iPhone app for a few days and have found it makes getting to your favorite sites a lot easier.
Story and Sound: Mozart would be writing the World of Warcraft
I've been thinking a lot lately about the dynamics of telling a story. What exactly is a story? How do you tell it most effectively, both from an artistic narrative stand point, and a consumer-friendly attention grabbing one? I've also been concerned with new ways to tell a story, especially one that people might discount at first since the story mechanism lives on the edge of pop culture. Besides working on WoW Insider, I also make my home at the Minnesota Opera, working on their website and advancing an opera's story through digital mediums. Opera is an old art form, one that if not nurtured and brought into the next century is at risk of becoming obscure. I'm proud to work for a company that realizes this and does some really ground breaking things. It struck me recently when sitting through a dress rehearsal the eerie similarities between Warcraft and an opera like The Magic Flute. After thinking about how very like these two story-telling vehicles are, I realized that they are both just a natural progression in humanity's ability to tell a story.
Opera's Android browser catches up to rivals with support for webpage video chats
Given Google's Chrome dominance, it's easy to forget that there are other Android browsers. Opera is one of the also-rans, and it's just brought a new version with a nice round number, 20, for your consideration. It's touting WebRTC as the main hook, which lets you do video calls straight from Opera to any recipient with another WebRTC browser. That includes Opera, Chrome or Firefox, since the latter two apps have actually supported WebRTC on Android for quite awhile. Other additions include a new UI layout that you can customize for tablets or phones, an update to the Chromium 33 core (yes, Opera now uses WebKit), search improvements and a new download manager. It still claims to use less data than other browsers thanks to its off-road function, so if you're pushing that hard carrier limit, check the source.
Opera's Sponsored Web Pass gives you free mobile internet if you watch an ad
Did you know that people like free stuff? Opera knows, which is why it's now launching an ad-supported version of its Web Pass platform. Mobile operators can now easily take advantage of this tool to not only sell duration-based passes (like unlimited browsing for a day or just Twitter for a week), but to also offer them for free. The catch? You just have to watch an ad before each session begins, which doesn't sound too painful. Users also have to stick with the Opera Mini browser, in order to leverage its cloud-assisted web compression technology. We're talking about saving up to 80 percent of data traffic here, hence the cheap or even free web passes -- like Malaysia's DiGi offering unlimited browsing via Opera Mini for just $0.60 per day. Of course, you can still use Opera Mini to save money in other scenarios, especially when data roaming. With the upcoming Opera Max service, smartphone users can save even more by having their app and video traffic compressed. If you're based in the US or Western Europe, you can now go ahead and pre-register for the Opera Max's open beta.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: Opera SVP Aneesh Rajaram
The Norwegian company is still best known for its alternative browser, but Opera's been increasingly making a push toward new platforms, including perhaps most notification, TVs. We'll be speaking with Aneesh Rajaram, the SVP of TV and devices about exactly that. January 10, 2014 2:30:00 PM EST
Opera Max beta compresses most of the data going through your Android device
Opera's mobile browsers are quite popular because of their ability to compress data, but it's unfortunately been limited to just that -- the browser itself. This becomes less and less useful as smartphones continue to evolve, since our data usage patterns encompass so much more than just the simple browser: many of us are constantly streaming music, uploading and downloading images and apps, and so on. To lighten the hefty load we inflict on our monthly data allotments, Opera has launched a beta of its new Android app called Opera Max, which compresses most of the information that goes through your device -- websites, images, videos and many of your usual apps (Instagram and Vine immediately come to mind, but the possibilities are wide open). Opera makes this happen by setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that measures all of the data coming through your device. Data requests are then sent through Opera's servers, though the company tells us that it only measures how much data you use and how much you save -- in other words, it says your information is safe. There's no guarantee on how much data you'll save, but if you're a gulper like us, we suspect it'll be a significant amount. While the company hasn't specified how many beta testers are allowed, it does say that room is limited; if you're into the idea, you'll need to join its Google Plus Community, opt in to the beta and then download the app from the Play Store.
Opera's Coast browser for iPad gets makeover, ditches back/forward buttons
Opera has released a major new version of its iPad web browser Coast today. Version 2.0 adds several new features and builds upon the touch-centric design of its predecessor by doing something pretty radical: removing the back and forward buttons that have been a staple of web browsers since the early 1990s. With Coast 2.0, users will move forward and backward using gestures. It's something that may confuse more novice users (though those users probably wouldn't be using anything but the built-in Safari browser), but the move is a welcome one as it embraces the changing human-computer input method that touchscreens have enabled. Opera notes that there's also been a host of other new features added, including: Tap and hold on the home screen to customize the visual background and swipe through a gallery of backgrounds provided by Opera or select one of the pictures from your photo stream as background. Music and audio visualization: Sites with sound (music or video) have a visual indication that looks like a graphic waveform on the Speed Dial on the home screen to make it easier to know where the music is playing. Users can directly open PDFs from the web in iBooks or other PDF readers, which has been a frequently requested feature enhancement. It's faster to go back to the previous page; 80 percent of the time, you can go back instantly, making for less waiting time and frustration. Better "app detection": correctly displays the right graphics for users' favorite sites that are added to the Speed Dial. Smoother UI performance flows naturally + a lot of small changes based on user feedback. For the geeks: The security engine has been updated to better recognize attacks. Default sites can now be dynamically updated (with more relevant ones). Coast 2.0 for iPad is a free download.
Opera's iPad browser loses navigation buttons, gains lockscreen music controls
Since its launch in September, Opera's iPad-centric browser Coast has struggled to remain as visible as some of its more popular mobile apps. In an attempt to breathe some life into the app, the company today dropped a new update that introduces a number of new customization, navigation and media features that set it apart from Apple and Google's browser offerings. In version 2.0, Opera has ditched the familiar forward and back buttons in favor of the gestures it supported at launch, so expect your swiping finger to get more of a workout. The app now lets you set wallpapers using images from your Photo Roll and gives you the option to select which apps to open PDF files in, whether it be iBooks, Dropbox or another PDF-compatible app. Coast now also features its own media player, which is capable of handling music playback from the iPad lockscreen. The new update is said to make browsing speedier and more secure than before -- very helpful if you need to make a quick escape from some of the nastier corners of the internet.
Opera's Android browser gets dedicated support for bigger tablets
After jumping aboard the WebKit train and launching a dedicated browser for the iPad, Opera's now turned its attention to Android tablets. With the release of Opera 18 for Android, the company is quick to note that it didn't just update and scale up its smartphone browser: navigation and menu buttons have been strategically placed to where your fingers naturally rest and its improved Discover feature lets you swipe between newspaper and magazine content that has been matched to your interests and location. Like with all its browsers, Opera's Android tablet app comes complete with data-saving capabilities. Off-Road mode is designed to help you stay online when you're on a public Wi-Fi connection or trying to reduce your data usage, basically when connectivity is less than ideal. Underpinned by Google's Chromium 31 framework, Opera's big-tablet app is available on Play Store right now -- check the source to grab it.
