By Opera’s updated their Android version of the popular Opera Mini browser to version 5.1. From what I can see at first glance, the update enhances several areas of the browser that most people had problems with. Specifically, you can now leave the app and return to see all of your tabs opened just how you left them. In earlier versions of the browser, you would need to start over nearly every single time you ventured away from the app.
This update also adds the ability to set Opera as Android’s default browser. Until now, users have had to use workaround apps such as Make It Default and OperaBridge in order to open the browser whenever clicking links in other apps. Finally, Opera’s added pinch-to-zoom functionality, but it’s shoddy, at best. It’s the same implementation that the iPhone version uses (where it’ll recognize the pinch-to-zoom gesture, but it won’t zoom in and out to specific levels).
You can find Opera Mini 5.1 now in the Android market.
[Thanks, Graham!]
[Update]: And now Opera’s made it official with some press release love. Get those goods right below.
Opera Mini 5.1 for Android released
Oslo, Norway – July 14, 2010
Opera spreads the love to Android mobile phone users. Opera Mini 5.1 is now available for phones built on the Android platform, offering better browsing performance and improved user experience.
With over 61 million users worldwide, Opera Mini is the world’s most popular browser for mobile phones, allowing much faster browsing speeds, while keeping the costs to a minimum. Browse at lightning speed today by downloading the free Opera Mini browser from the Android Market or at m.opera.com.
Opera Mini is a favorite not just on feature phones, but also on smartphones, scoring an impressive 1 million downloads on the iPhone during the first 24 hours of availability. Opera Mini is highly optimized for almost any handset, delivering the best Internet experience on more than 3000 mobile phone models.
Opera Mini raises the game on Android phones. Since its Opera Mini 5 beta release, Opera Mini can now be set as the default browser for more convenient Internet access. Opera Mini 5.1 also offers improved page layout on high-end Android handsets with large screens.
What we say
“Opera Mini 5.1 for the Android platform is the next step in bringing the world’s most popular mobile web browser to all major platforms, offering improved performance and great web experience to almost any handset,” says Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “Opera Mini is used by over 61 million people on more than 3000 handset models and with today’s release Opera continues its mission to provide the best web experience on any device and on any platform.”
About Opera Mini
Opera Mini brings the Web to almost any handset by compressing data by up to 90 percent before sending content to the phone. This results in significantly improved page loading speed and reduced data costs for the user. For example, with webpages such as BBC.com, a normal mobile web browser will display a BBC News page roughly 1 time, as compared to 9 times with Opera Mini for the same cost.
In addition to providing speed and cost savings, Opera Mini 5.1 comes with useful features, such as tabbed browsing, password manager, bookmarks and Speed Dial, built into the browser to deliver easy web access while on-the-go. With Opera Mini optimized for Android phones, more people are able to get a PC-like browsing experience on their handsets.
Download
Download Opera Mini directly to your Android phone for free from the Android Market, or at m.opera.com. For more information, visit http://www.opera.com/mobile/.
Video
Watch the video at: URL
Screenshots
Screenshots are available at: http://www.opera.com/press/resources/.
About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA has redefined web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera?s cross-platform web-browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.
So it’s taken a ridiculous length of time and number of market comments to make a half-assed attempt at fixing the issues…think I’ll stick with the default browser.
1st!!!!!!!!! when will we see a new firefox on the droid
i hope they refine the pinch-to-zoom, its rather unusable now
The pinch-to-zoom is useless – it toggles between zoomed out, and zoomed in – just those two presets.
Why does it take Firefox so long to do anything? We’ve had Opera for years on Android and WinMo, and all the while Mozilla has been promising Firefox for mobile platforms…but it never happens.
It takes Firefox forever to do anything, because they’re busy building bullshit non-browsers such as Firefox Home for the iPhone, when they should be building browsers.
Every device really needs adblockplus, especially with data limits in place.
pinch-to-zoom implementation is horrible, as for the other fixes they are very welcomed, however they need to improve the renderer especially when dealing AJAX-based functions and allowing flash plugin would make it the best browser
If it had real pinch zoom it would be my default.
How do you get pinch to zoom? I don’t have it after I upgraded to the new version on Droid.
sux to know. I love Opera on my TP2 and I was lookin forward to still using it when I get the Vibrant tomorrow. Sounds like a major fail.
Opera Mini 5.1 seems like a perfectly cromulent browser for Android 2.1 and below.
It is (with one exception) a total fail on Froyo given it’s lack of Flash support and the other comments above.
I will give them some credit for supporting move to sd card.
Can’t still view Chinese.
I love Opera. It is much faster than the default browser on my somewhat underpowered Eris. I am glad that I can finally select it as the default browser without using a workaround.
People who are complaining about the lack of infinite zoom levels don’t understand Opera mini. Websites are reformatted on Opera’s servers to have each row of text and/or pictures fit the width of your screen. There really are only two useful zoom levels: row width or whole page view. Again, this isn’t as elegant as a page that can be dynamically reformatted to your desired zoom level, but not ever device can handle that kind of work seamlessly.
You guys won’t notice how helpful this browser is until you get to a place with low signal. On a roadtrip to chicago I had Ede and Gprs most of the trip and opera still loaded everything withing 3 or 4 seconds. It’s definately not perfect, but I’ll take it anyway.
Any improvements to Opera are welcome. It’s an awesome browser for G1
I want a user agent string changer. I had to use mobile sites instead of iPhone/Android optimized sites.
Bad news for EVO users (HTC EVO – android 2.2.
Opera mobile 10, & Opera mini 5.1 are NOT supported on
the EVO. Perhaps it’s because it’s too advanced a system for
the Opera DEV’s to support – who knows. But for those whom
spent top dollar for the best mobile platform available
available, they will need to look elsewhere for a browser –
for the time being, anyway. I made every effort to get Opera
for this platform. But it isn’t listed anywhere in the Opera mobile, or Opera 5.1 mini.
Wake up Opera!
I have to agree with e1000sn above.
For me it has been a very valuable addition.
Especially when I am doing something else and just want to access
a page for utility or just NEED to see what is there without having to give the screen my full attention. I use different browsers for different sites and purposes and am glad for the mini as well as 11 and future extensions support.
Droid X