Android Market gets Opera Mini 4.2 beta
By Tim Conneally | Published November 24, 2008, 1:29 PM
Two weeks ago, Opera released the beta of Opera Mini 4.2. This morning it's been made available to Android users directly from the Android Market.
Android Market, the open mobile OS's app store, has been graced with only a handful of blockbuster applications, most of which were released when the T-Mobile G1 was released.
Now, however, the first alternative to the G1's built-in browser is available. The major updates in this version from version 4.1 is a purported page rendering speed boost, and the ability to play back video supported by the device without the need for a browser plug-in.
Opera has opened a new server park in the United States, which handles page rendering for North America and Asia-Pacific users, promising an overall increase in speed for all Opera Mini users. The company now claims over 20 million users of Opera Mini, an increase of 3 million in just a single quarter, so the additional server facility will help alleviate this increased traffic.
As the only other browser choice for Android users, Opera may well see yet another sharp increase in the size of its user base.
always been a fan of this browser on mobile devices.. you get a better browsing experience by far, than if you use the standard mobile browsers.. Already downloaded it and am impressed by its new features..
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I use Opera Mini -- a lot. It's a great idea, but on my Blackberry Pearl, it's 'pre-cooked' pages tend to be screwed up and even less usable than those on Blackberry's default browser. I really do not like how Opera Mini combines pre-rendering pages with resizing text areas to make them more friendly for cell phones. What you end out with in many cases is a completely incorrect internet experience... I love/hate it and usually use the opera browser (4.5) as that's at least more usable (and lets me type in text fields within pages)...
I cannot imagine WANTING this on a Gphone. Screw more battery power. =)
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It is also the primary alternative for the Samsung Instinct, which just last week got a software update that allows third-party applications to properly use the built-in keyboard. But you have to use 4.2 beta, 4.1 does not work.
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you know im just not a fan of opera. the drawbacks out weigh the benefits.
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Opera Mini != Opera != Opera Mobile
Opera Mini is a proxy browser. your phone does not render actual html. Remote servers do and send pre-cooked pages to you. you get benefits smaller pages and longer battery life.
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Aye. What he said^
Even if you don't like Opera desktop it's not a reason to discount Mini.
Not to everyone's taste still, but there we go.
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Yeah, I'm not a fan of the normal desktop browser, but compared to the browser on my phone, it's amazing.
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i am downloading it right now
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Not signed for the Samsung T639 yet. :( But I'll be getting my N810 on Friday, :) so not that worried about it.
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