First Beta of Opera 10 Released 278
Miladinoski writes "Opera Software ASA today released the first beta of their tenth version of the Opera browser. In addition to the browser's known features, like mouse gestures, keyboard shortcuts, voice navigation, mail and RSS support, speed dial and so forth, it now includes a Turbo mode which unclogs your connection to get faster browsing, a new interface, a tabbed browsing update and customizable speed dial. Opera 10 continues to follow the web standards by getting 100/100 and pixel-perfect scores on the Acid3 test. The beta is currently available for every modern OS platform."
Current Presto & Webkit Score 100/100 (Score:5, Interesting)
Opera 10 continues to follow the web standards by getting 100/100 and pixel-perfect scores on the Acid3 test.
Yeah, I think anything running the latest versions of Presto (Opera) & Webkit (Safari, Chrome) [wikipedia.org] are getting 100s. Two nights ago I put the latest and greatest Chrome in WinXP SP3 on my eeePC and got a 100/100 even though it said Linktest failed.
Odd thing is that the more popular a browser or layout engine is, the worse it seems to do on the Acid tests!
Details on the Turbo mode are in the changelogs (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.opera.com/docs/changelogs/mac/1000b1/ [opera.com]
"This new Opera feature increases your internet bandwidth speed on slow connections using data and image compression technologies. Opera Turbo uses Opera proxy servers to compress the traffic before it reaches the Opera browser on the clientâ(TM)s computer; see this Opera reference. Opera Turbo can easily be configured to suit your browsing needs:"
So it basically does what their mobile browser already does for your desktop. Cue tinfoil hatters in 3,2,1...
I really like Opera but (Score:3, Interesting)
I installed it and used it on my Windows & Ubuntu machines and really liked Opera. It's clean and fast, and I love the sync option. For some reason I have trouble committing to it. I also liked the speed of Chrome and, God help me, IE8. I know they're great browsers but I guess I'm just happy with Firefox.
Re: Unclogs? (Score:5, Interesting)
Unclogs your connection?
If I understand correctly, Opera Turbo only works in conjunction with specialized servers.
http://www.opera.com/business/solutions/turbo/ [opera.com]
You use a proxy server while you surf. The proxy compresses the pages (partly by reducing image quality and blocking plugin content until you click on it) and delivers the compressed version to your browser.
I have lots of questions about this. Are there free servers available to the average consumer? Is this an open standard? Do the servers themselves represent a problematic bottleneck? Anyone understand this better?
Re:Slashdot Looks Like Shit in Opera (Score:4, Interesting)
Really, Slashdot looks like shit in most browsers with blatantly obvious bugs everywhere, like the infamous white on white comment titles.
Oh thank goodness. I just thought I was losing it...
Nice, but no x86_64 QT4 build... (Score:2, Interesting)
Hmmm (Score:4, Interesting)
I've been a big fan of Opera for a long time, but I'm growing more and more disappointed in it. First off, I have 9.64 and I get an 85 on the ACID3 test, but that isn't my biggest issue. My biggest issues usually evolves CSS and JavaScript. AJAX sites not working or menuing on some of the Net's largest sites not working. (forget using MLB.com) Not to mention I've seen Opera's footprint being over 700M and still growing before. Granted I had more than a few tabs, but that is ridiculous! It's currently 215M while FF3 is 250M which I find acceptable, but that isn't always the case. (I use both browsers at the sametime)
AdBlock Plus? NoScript? (Score:3, Interesting)
So, does Opera have any functionality at least as good as AdBlockPlus and NoScript?
They are the /only/ reason I use Firefox. Really, for webbrowsers, AdBlock Plus is the killer app - if Opera can block ads at least that well, I'll be done with Firefox for good. If not, I have no reason to use it.
Opera and Adblock (Score:4, Interesting)
It has already come up in this thread but I think it warrants another post on the subject. And just some quick background: I used Opera as my main browser since right around IE3. Looking it up now I see that IE3 came out in Aug 96' and Opera was released to the public in 96 as well. One of the main reasons I liked it was how they supported the nix platforms, albeit just with binaries, as well as Win32.
Anyway suffice to say I used Opera for a long time, recommended it to friends who I thought were advanced enough to use it (Bit of a backhanded statement I know but oh well.), and even was sad when I moved away from it late last year. And the reason I finally did move away from it was that Firefox + Ablock + Noscript simply is a better overall experience.
And yes I know Opera has/has had it's own content blocking for ages now, that is not the point. It is not nearly the same thing as plugging in Adblock, picking your list, and then you just go. I also say this having already used, and continue to use, my hosts file as a filter as well.
As good as Opera is, and I still think it does a lot of things better/faster than anything else, the again overall experience with Firefox when you have it's addon support makes it better. And Firefox is also a much better replacement when moving an end user away from IE.
Opera, unless they do some really bad things, will always have a home on my PCs but right now Firefox is better for day to day usage.