Opera Mini Features

Opera Mini lets you have the full Web everywhere. The new Opera Mini 4.2 is even faster with more than 30% speed improvements for users in the United States and there are noticeable speed improvements for all other users. This latest version adds support for skins selections to personalize the look and feel of the browser. Opera Link was also improved and now offers support for notes, allowing users to sync their notes between the PC and Opera Mini.

Skins

Personalize Opera Mini by choosing a new colorful skin. We have reintroduced the popular skinning feature from Opera Mini 3.

Performance

Opera Mini 4.2 can use our newly established server park in the US. This means significantly faster page downloads for our users in the Americas and Asia-Pacific region. Users in the rest of the world will also experience faster page downloads since we’ve reduced the load on our other servers.

Video

We are working to make video content available on more phones through Opera Mini. If you have a new Sony Ericsson or Nokia phone, the chance is high that you can take Opera Mini for a spin on m.youtube.com.

Sync Notes

The handy Notes functionality from the Opera Desktop Web browser just got more portable through Opera Link. All of your notes are available in Opera Mini directly from the Bookmarks menu.

Now even faster

Prior to this release, we upgraded our servers and Opera Mini now receives your requested Web pages up to 50% faster. So you can now access sites like Facebook, BBC, and any of your other favorite Web sites even faster, with desktop-like speeds.

Find things faster

The new Opera Mini lets you search for text within a Web page so you can get to the information you need even quicker than before.

Get to your Web sites faster

When typing Web addresses, Opera Mini will recognize and suggest completions for you based on your Bookmarks and browsing history, making address input faster, easier and much more intuitive.

Download and upload files

On phones with JSR-75, you can now upload and download files using Opera Mini, without being re-routed to your phone’s native browser. Update your blog while on the go. Upload photos to your Web site or social network. Add attachments easily to Web-based email, and download other non media-rich content to your phone using Opera Mini.

Save it for later

On phones with JSR-75, Opera Mini lets you save pages for offline viewing so you can quickly access and read your desired Web content, even when you’re on a plane, in the subway, or in other places where you can’t get network reception. Depending on your phone, you may need to choose a destination folder for storing pages for offline viewing

Sync bookmarks and Speed Dial

Opera Mini features Opera Link, which allows you to synchronize your bookmarks and Speed Dial with a computer running Opera 9.50 or other mobile device running Opera Mini.

View pages in Landscape mode

To view the Web on a wider screen, just hit * # and flip your phone to the side to enjoy browsing in Landscape mode. Change your default view to landscape by turning “Landscape mode” on inside the Settings menu.

Give your phone a mouse

Opera Mini gives your phone a virtual mouse, so you can easily scroll in any direction. Move the mouse cursor towards what you want, and then it quickly snaps your view to the link or content.

Power scrolling shortcuts

Scroll at warp speed using your phone keypad. Find your way around on the Web pages quicker by using your phone’s number keys. Press 2 to go up, 4 to go left, 6 to go right and 8 to go down. Hitting 5 zooms you in and out.

Create custom search shortcuts

Just like in Opera for your computer, you can create your own Web search from any search field on the Internet using Opera Mini. Simply click on the search field that you want to grab on a Web page and then choose “Create search” within your menu alternatives. Then you can enjoy making frequent searches without having to type in the site link again.

Tools and support for Web designers

We support Web designers who want to make their Web sites look even better to those browsing with Opera Mini. In Opera Mini, we have included all of the CSS support that Web designers need to make their Web pages look pixel perfect on in the mobile Web world.

Full Web in your palm

When visiting a Web page, Opera Mini displays the overview of the page and suggests where to begin your reading.

Built for speed

Opera Mini is built for speed. Web pages are compressed by up to 90% of its orginal size for speed, saving your time & money.

Source:http://www.opera.com/mini/features/

The world’s most popular mobile Web browser with over 20 million users

Full Web: Opera Mini enables you to take your full Web experience to your phone. Fast: Faster mobile internet as data is compressed before being sent to your phone.

What's new in Opera Mini 4.2

Skins

Personalize Opera Mini by choosing a new colorful skin. We have reintroduced the popular skinning feature from Opera Mini 3.

Video

We are working to make video content available on more phones through Opera Mini. If you have a new Sony Ericsson or Nokia phone, the chance is high that you can take Opera Mini for a spin on m.youtube.com.

Performance

Opera Mini 4.2 can use our newly established server park in the US. This means significantly faster page downloads for our users in the Americas and Asia-Pacific region. Users in the rest of the world will also experience faster page downloads since we’ve reduced the load on our other servers.

Sync Notes

The handy Notes functionality from the Opera Desktop Web browser just got more portable through Opera Link. All of your notes are available in Opera Mini directly from the Bookmarks menu.

Popular features in Opera Mini

Full Web in your palm

When visiting a Web page, Opera Mini displays the overview of the page and suggests where to begin your reading.

Built for speed

Opera Mini is built for speed. Web pages are compressed by up to 90% of its orginal size for speed, saving your time & money.

Sync bookmarks and Speed Dial

Opera Mini features Opera Link, which allows you to synchronize your bookmarks and Speed Dial with a computer running Opera 9.50 or other mobile device running Opera Mini.

Save it for later

On phones with JSR-75, Opera Mini lets you save pages for offline viewing so you can quickly access and read your desired Web content, even when you’re on a plane, in the subway, or in other places where you can’t get network reception. Depending on your phone, you may need to choose a destination folder for storing pages for offline viewing

Source:http://www.opera.com/mini/

Best Mobile Browser

May 08, 2008 in General, Mobile

Opera Mobile is regarded, by many mobile users, as the best mobile browser available on the current market. It may has its strong point but it’s not free. It cost USD$24.00 Useless you have too much money to spend, read on.

Opera Mini is free but it works on GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) which cost you money when transferring data over airtime. If you connect to internet through WiFi, you can forget about Opera Mini (correct me if I am not as I cannot get it to work on WiFi.)

Internet Explorer Mobile, by Microsoft Windows, is the default browser that comes with Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone. If the classic browser loading speed is slow, do not expect the mobile browser to be fast.

Mobile FireFox, codenamed Fennec, is expected to released in the later part of the year. 2 versions under developement, Touchscreen and non-touchscreen. Mozilla, FireFox creator, actually has a Minimo project but seems to stop developing it.

SkyFire is more for US users, so I have no chance to test it. If you are a US mobile users, sign up for the private beta invitation, try it and share with us what you think.

jB5 Mobile Browser is free and actually quite fast. Try it and share with us what you think. I will do another Mobile Test Post using jB5 Mobile Browser.

NetFront™ Browser v3.5 for Windows Mobile Concept Version is new and available for trial till 31st May 2008. After that, you might have to download again. I have no idea if it will be free when they actually released it later. Surprisingly, it’s a touchscreen mobile browser. The Bookmark is cool too.

Iris Browser, by Torch Mobile, is based on the WebKit rendering engine, the same KHTML-derived rendering engine in Safari used in iPhone. It’s free and you can update the browser from your mobile set. The touchscreen scrolling does not work as smooth as NetFront.

Deepfish, under development by Microsoft, is a lightweight client application that leverages a powerful server side technology for delivery of content such as web pages to a Windows Mobile device. Content is displayed in a familiar desktop format that requires no additional work by the content or site author.

My choice is Opera Mobile if it is free after the 30 days trial. Till Mobile FireFox and Microsoft deepfish are available, NetFront is good but you might have to download again after 31st May. jB5 and Iris are not bad but Minimo is out. If all fails, Internet Explorer Mobile by Microsoft Windows is always there.:)

Source:http://www.richardpalace.com/2008/05/08/best-mobile-browser

First look at Internet Explorer Mobile 6 for Windows Mobile

by Brad Linder Sep 26th 2008

Microsoft will be rolling out the first major upgrade to its mobile version of Internet Explorer since... well, practically ever. The version of Internet Explorer that ships with Windows Mobile devices is based on code from Internet Explorer 4. The new version will be based on the desktop version of Internet Explorer 6 and should be able to handle pretty much any web site you can view in IE6.

The::unwired got a handful of screenshots of Internet Explorer Mobile 6. And it looks like a pretty major upgrade. First, you can choose between desktop and mobile browsing modes. In desktop mode the browser will squeeze full web pages onto your PDA or Smartphone's small screen. In mobile mode, you'll get the mobile version of any web page that's optimized for mobile browsers.

There's certainly still room for improvement. Full desktop mode on the iPhone version of Safari or on the Opera Mini web browser manages to squeeze large pages onto small screens without the need for scrollbars. Yet Internet Explorer Mobile 6 requires a bit of side to side scrolling action.

Internet Explorer Mobile 6 is expected to be available as a free upgrade for Windows Mobile 6.1 users soon. But if you just can't wait, you might want to check out the Skyfire web browser for Windows Mobile. It's available today and supports the desktop version of Flash, which means it can handle YouTube videos and other Flash content all within the browser.

Source:http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/09/26/first-look-at-internet-explorer-mobile-6-for-windows-mobile/

the iris browser

The Iris Browser is an advanced, high-performance and versatile application that is specifically designed to function in resource-constrained environments. It brings the full Web experience to mobile phones, set-top boxes, mobile Internet devices, portable media players, Ultra-Mobile PCs and other embedded devices - in a fast and user-friendly manner.

The Iris Browser leverages the WebKit rendering engine, providing a powerful, standards-based and Web experience that is consistent across mobile Web devices. Harnessing our extensive WebKit expertise, we made the Iris Browser small, fast and adaptable.

The Iris Browser is currently available for:

• Windows Mobile® 6
• Qt® embedded 2.3
• Qtopia® core 4.3
• Qtopia® 4.3

Why shouldn't you get the desktop browsing experience in a mobile environment? With the Iris Browser's revolutionary technology, you can access the full Web on resource-constrained device and get the same functionality as you would on a PC.

Some core features include:

• WebKit Rendering Engine
  Our developers have unparalleled expertise with WebKit, the rendering engine that is quickly becoming the de facto standard for cutting edge Web browsing. We built the Iris Browser to bring you everything that WebKit has to offer, including standards-compliance, efficiency, portability and stability.
• Customizable Interface
  The graphical user interface of the Iris Browser is highly customizable. This means that we can adapt it to your specific requirements.
• Touch Screen Control
  The Iris Browser is equipped with intuitive touch screen controls, giving you more control than ever over your Web browsing experience without making you navigate complicated menus.
• Advanced HTML & CSS Support
  We believe in being ahead of the curve. That's why the Iris Browser supports both HTML 4 and some parts of the upcoming HTML 5 (canvas), as well as CSS 2.x and 3.x, allowing you to view cutting edge Web sites with exciting new features.
• Languages
  Devices are shipped all over the world. Your software shouldn't limit your market. The Iris Browser supports internationalization of the user interface and viewing Web sites with international encodings.
• Zoom & Tap Function
  The Iris Browser lets you focus on what you want to see. When you view a Web site, you're looking at the full page that is shrunk down to fit the size of your display. Nothing is missing. You can focus on what interests you by tapping on the screen and zooming into specific sections of the page.
• Multiple Windows and Tabs
  You want your Web browsing experience to be smooth and simple, so we designed the Iris Browser to support multiple windows as well as multiple tabs, allowing you to easily transition between Web pages.
• Input Methods
  The Iris Browser can handle any input method that's on your platform. Handwriting recognition. On-screen keyboards. iTap. Auto-complete. No problem!
• Software mouse cursor
  Not all Web pages are created equal. In fact, some are impossible to navigate without a mouse cursor. The virtual mouse in the Iris Browser lets you chart your own Web experience through all sites, giving you the freedom to take a desktop browsing experience with you on the go.
• Special Effects
  You want your device to be unique. We do too. The Iris Browser provides a broad range of special effects, including animations and sound effects, letting you to tailor the application to your style. Some of the existing page transitions that you can choose from include slide-in/slide-out, tear away, shatter, swirl, and many more.
• Rotating Devices
  Now you can get the most out of your hardware. If you're using a device with a rotating screen, the Iris Browser automatically and seamlessly rotates the contents and reformats the page between landscape and portrait modes.
• Advanced Security Features
  We want your Web experience to be fun and safe. That's why the Iris Browser includes a number of advanced security features, including phishing and spoofing protection.
• Pop-Up Blockers
  We know you don't want your Web experience to be interrupted, which is why the Iris Browser is designed to block annoying pop-up messages.

The Iris Browser offers unparalleled flexibility. Its browser layer and user interface are modular and can be easily customized to meet specific requirements. The component-based design provides manufacturers with complete control over the software. The Iris Browser is portable to many devices and platforms.

Other Features Include:

• Advanced mobile key navigation
• HTTP cache optimized for low disk usage
• SSL and authenticated proxy support
• Styled Form Controls
• Netscape plug-in API
• JavaScript/ECMAScript 1.5
• SVG, XPath and XSLT support
• History Auto-Complete
• Efficient storage of bookmarks and cookies
• Bookmark editor, carrier specified list
• Favorite icons and history
• XHTML 1.x mobile profile support
• Customizable about: pages

Source:http://www.torchmobile.com/products/

thunderhawk

A Mobile Web Browser from Bitstream - ThunderHawk

ThunderHawk mobile Web browser from Bitstream provides a familiar desktop browsing experience on the mobile Internet.

In order to remain competitive, mobile operators, device manufacturers and others in the wireless industry have a mandate to increase ARPU in the data services market. At issue is how to effectively display news, commerce and entertainment information and other wireless Web pages on a mobile device in order to provide a desktop-level browsing experience subscribers are excited about.

Recognizing this challenge, Bitstream developed the ThunderHawk mobile Web browser, which covers a full range of operating systems in high end (Windows mobile and Symbian browsers) and mass market (Java browser) mobile phones and PDAs. ThunderHawk provides increased data services and content revenue with a flexible implementation path, resulting in ultimate subscriber satisfaction.

Mobile Operators: Repurposed content in a "skyscraper" column does not represent the real Web. So forget this stripped down version of the Internet, and supplement voice with data services by offering a true, user-friendly experience with your own branded mobile Web browser. Device Manufacturers: Finally, a promise of the real Internet gets mobile operators and subscribers excited about your latest handset, while object-oriented client architecture and a small footprint enable flexible implementation across device offerings. Corporations: ThunderHawk mobile Web browser removes potential roadblocks corporations face when going wireless, so members of your workforce are as effective on the road as they are in the office.

A promise of the real mobile Internet: ThunderHawk displays real HTML Web pages just as they would appear on the desktop.

A Superior Mobile Web Browser and Java Browser for the Mobile Internet...

	ThunderHawk Java Browser Edition (for mobile operators and enterprise only) The ThunderHawk Java™ browser enables mobile operators and device manufacturers to offer a real, desktop level browsing experience on mass market mobile phones that would typically not have enough memory to run a mobile Web browser on the device. Combined with client/server technology, ThunderHawk offers a small footprint (under 100KB) and robust MIDP 2.0 support for full HTML browsing on Java-enabled mobile phones.
	ThunderHawk Symbian Series60 (S60) Edition for select Symbian S60 phones ThunderHawk Symbian Series60 (S60) Edition complies with Symbian interface guidelines while offering the same features and functionality users have come to expect from ThunderHawk. It is similar to browsing on the desktop because ThunderHawk includes functionality that enhances the user experience in ways that other browsers do not, including unique "full screen" and "split screen" viewing modes and seamless connectivity over the mobile Internet.
	ThunderHawk Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition for Windows Mobile 2003 and 2002 Smartphones ThunderHawk Windows Mobile Smartphone Edition displays full, HTML Web sites just as they appear on the desktop, for the best browsing experience the phone. ThunderHawk is the only mobile Web browser that enables subscribers to move between "full screen" and "split screen" viewing modes, making information easy to find and easy to read on small screen phones. Subscribers can read Web-based E-mail, check flight and travel information, go shopping online, and browse the wireless Web with ease.
	ThunderHawk Windows Mobile Pocket PC Edition for Windows Mobile 5, 2003 and 2002 Pocket PCs ThunderHawk Windows Mobile Pocket PC Edition allows subscribers to browse the wireless Web on a PDA effortlessly. In addition to desktop-level Java support, fast speed and seamless connectivity, the Pocket PC Edition provides unique zooming capabilities. Subscribers can adjust Web page resolution according to preference, for low (480x360), medium (640x480) or high (800x600) resolution viewing with minimal scrolling. Source:http://www.bitstream.com/wireless/

The New Browser War: Mobile Firefox vs. Opera Mini

Last October, Mozilla announced that they were working on a mobile version of the Firefox browser. As it turns out, they were working on two versions: one designed for touchscreen devices like the iPhone and another for traditional phones. Now Mozilla has finally given us a glimpse of their designs by posting the plans, mockups, and details of these two upcoming mobile browsers on the Mozilla wiki.

Non-Touchscreen Firefox Mobile

The non-touchscreen browser introduces a virtual cursor that is controlled with the keyboard navigational keys. Using short presses (clicks) on the directional pad's left key will quickly navigate through clickable elements. Longer presses on the left key will begin smooth scrolling. When scrolling, after a set amount of time the page will gradually zoom out to give you a view of the entire layout which will allow for faster scrolling. When you stop pressing the directional pad button, the browser will gradually zoom back in on the element that the cursor is positioned over.

The right key of the directional pad will bring up a menu that provides access to navigation functionality, including items like the Address Bar, Refresh, Back, History, Bookmarks, Tabs, Bookmark This, and Quit.

Touchscreen Firefox Mobile

The touchscreen version of the Firefox mobile browser seems to borrow from Apple's mobile Safari browser with some familiar-looking buttons which include the back and forward navigation arrows, a bookmarks button, and a retractable address bar. The star-bookmarks button will show you a list of your bookmarks if you tap it once; tap it twice and you can bookmark the current page you are viewing. However, this UI also includes some new features like Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons, which are on the bottom toolbar, as well as a tabs button that will display up to four tab previews displayed 2x2 on your screen for fast tab switching.

Weave Integration to Come?

Although not detailed in these specifications, many sites are speculating that these new mobile browsers will provide bookmark syncing through Weave, Mozilla's new project for data and metadata portability. This is likely since mobile syncing was one of the listed "Use Cases" in the Mozilla Labs forum on the project. With Weave, though, bookmark syncing could really be just the beginning. Weave could, in theory, also sync up browser settings like sessions and passwords from desktop to mobile to laptop and beyond.

Another big possibility is the development of extensions designed just for Mobile Firefox. This would be a break-out feature that could make Mobile Firefox unique in this space. However, no plans for this type of development have been announced yet.

The Mobile Firefox browser should arrive sometime in late 2008.

...But Opera Mini Already Does That

What's interesting about the Mobile Firefox announcement and surrounding hubbub is that Opera Mini today offers nearly the same features that Mozilla is still developing.

Most notably, Opera Mini 4 can already sync your mobile phone bookmarks with the bookmarks on your computer by using something called Opera Link. Although not as seamless as the possible Weave setup (perhaps), syncing bookmarks with Opera is fairly simple.

You click "Synchronize Opera" on the Start Page and then sign in with your Opera Account. Opera Mini will continue to synchronize your data until you log out.

Opera Link Photo via Opera.com

Opera Mini also has many useful navigation options, too. For example, pressing * # switches your screen to Landscape Mode, a setting that can be enabled as the default.

A virtual mouse is also provided: you can move the cursor towards what you want and it quickly snaps the view to the link or the content. When you first visit a web page, Opera Mini shows you an overview and suggest where to begin reading. Click once and you can zoom in on the content.

Before you click on a link, however, you can focus the cursor on the link to see where it's going to take you. You can then choose whether you want to open the new page with images turned off, a feature that can be turned on or off at any time.

Opera Mini also has several keyboard shortcuts. Power scrolling shortcuts (2, 4, 6, and 8 keys) let you quickly move around the web page and the 5 key zooms you in and out. Pressing 1 bring up the Context Menu where you can hit reload or switch to Mobile View. This unique Small Screen Rendering feature lets you fit any web page to your screen's width. Opera Mini 4 will adjust the page structure on the fly, so you can browse up and down without having to also deal with horizontal scrolling.

Blackberry users have built-in menus designed just for them and for Windows Mobile/Symbian users, there's an even more feature-rich Opera Mobile browser to use.

Why Firefox Might Win

Although Opera Mini is a great mobile browser with tons of features, back on the desktop, Firefox has more users. So, when it comes time to choose a mobile browser, the one that syncs with your desktop browser of choice is likely to win out. Plus, if add-ons are developed for Mobile Firefox, it has the possibility of becoming a killer mobile app.

Source:http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/mobile_firefox_opera_mini_new_browser_war.php

Browser Wars: Mobile Firefox with Extensions?

We have been keeping our eyes on the browser wars for quite some time here at CMSWire. While the battle has been heating up on desktop platforms, the new and cool thing is mobile browsing.

Mozilla has been lagging behind in the mobile arena, but that may have changed with Mozilla's latest mobile browser -- Fennec. Fennec enables the very things that made Firefox so popular: extensions. The first extension has been released and things are moving quick.

Mozilla hasn't had much luck when it comes to mobile browsers. After the company pulled the plug on Minimo, Mozilla's first attempt at a mobile browser that had a strong presence on the Windows Mobile platform, things were looking bleak. However, it was announced that a different and more serious approach to mobile browsing was going to be taken by Mozilla shortly after Minimo's demise. Lo and behold, we now have Fennec to look forward to.

Mozilla Fennec

Nearly a year after that announcement, it appears that Mozilla has done things right this time around. Mozilla Fennec, the code name for Mozilla's mobile version of Firefox, has already begun making headlines as details emerge about the browser's capabilities.

Fennec, Mozilla's second attempt at a browser

The Fennec mobile Web browser will support third-party extensions, just like Mozilla Firefox. This is a big deal because mobile browsers are typically far less functional than desktop equivalents. Empowering third-party developers to innovate on a browser that not only works well but operates on mobile devices can't be anything other than an amazing accomplishment that shouldn't be taken lightly by the competition.

The First Extension

The first extension for Fennec -- URL Fixer -- is also a player on the desktop version of Firefox. Its purpose is to offer suggestions for misspelled URLs. This is important for both security and efficiency. But its importance is magnified on mobile devices where misspellings are plentiful. It is already a winner in our books.

The first extension for Fennec, URL Fixer

This is only the beginning. There are numerous other extensions that can already be envisioned for a mobile version of Firefox. Perhaps built-in instant messaging and chat. Maybe tools for mobile Web developers. Possibly social bookmarking to popular services like Delicious and StumbledUpon. The possibilities are endless.

Who's Down With Fennec?

The new kid on the block, Android will not be seeing Mozilla Fennec anytime soon. This is due to the requirement that applications be written in a Java-like language for Android. Mozilla has stated that they are in no hurry to get the browser on Android because of this limitation. This might be more of a win for Google than a loss for Mozilla because the built-in WebKit-based browser is highly optimized for Google's services. But it must be discouraging for some users of the T-Mobile G1 and other future Android-based devices.

As for the iPhone, Mozilla will have minimal impact at best because Apple and AT&T will not allow applications that have JavaScript rendering engines on the network. Opera already tried and failed with their publicity stunt -- we doubt that Mozilla would attempt the same.

This leaves Opera Mini and proprietary Web browsers in the cross hairs of Fennec. Phone manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung and Research In Motion will be the targets of Mozilla's latest developments. These are the phone manufacturers that will need to support Firefox Mobile if there is any hope to gain traction against the competition.

Fortunately for Mozilla, telecommunication companies are opening up to new advancements like open source software. While nothing is certain, it is a pretty fair bet that there is going to be a mobile device somewhere in the world that will support Firefox Mobile.

Mozilla has a huge edge in the browser wars and that edge is the capability to add nearly unlimited functionality through extensions. If Mozilla can package that into a solid, reliable and efficient mobile browser while promoting high quality extensions, the mobile browser wars could be turned into a bloodbath where Mozilla shows no mercy to its competition.

Source:http://www.cmswire.com/cms/mobile/browser-wars-mobile-firefox-with-extensions-003503.php