By Opera has released a new version of its Opera Mobile browser in the Google Play Store. We’re already on version 12 if you don’t remember, and this latest revision brings us up to version 12.1. The list of changes don’t necessarily get us ready to explode from excessive excitement, but they’re good changes nonetheless.
For starters, increased security will warn users of potentially malicious sites before allowing them to visit said sites. This feature isn’t really as prominent on mobile as it is on desktops so Opera’s proud of themselves for this one.
Secondly, new connection technology SPDY and WebSockets should make for a better overall browsing experience. The former is a new protocol improvement technology that makes it more efficient to fetch web pages. Two popular sites already supporting SPDY are Google and Twitter, and hopefully more will follow suit over time. WebSockets will improve two-way server communication for mobile users.
Finally, Opera has added more HTML5 goodness to its engine, including HTML5 drag and drop, and HTML5 clipboard APIs. Opera remains one of the best browsers in the Play Store and with today’s upgrade we don’t see it slipping anytime soon. Be sure to grab the upgrade from the Play Store whenever you’re ready. Read on for full press details.
Opera launches Opera Mobile 12.1 for Android
Oslo, Norway — October 9, 2012 — After a strict diet, the new Opera Mobile 12.1 for Android is ready to show off its sleek new binary in the Google Play store. Despite being tailor made for four different chipsets, ARM v5 and v7, MIPS and X86, the Opera Mobile 12.1 browser remains sleek and slender since you only get the version suited for the chipset in your Android mobile or tablet. That saves time and data on downloading — Opera style. Combined with its Opera Turbo compression technology, Opera Mobile 12.1 is one lean, mean surfin’ machine.
If you don’t know Opera Mobile from before, it’s most easily described as the full-featured sibling of the data-saving Opera Mini, a browser essential for anyone on a slow network, or in need of compression to save data, for example while roaming abroad. Opera Mobile 12.1 features Opera Turbo technology, one click turns on the compression capability — and you will use less data.
Keeping the baddies at bay
The bad guys on the web never pass up an opportunity to try their tricks on surfers, but staying mobile doesn’t have to mean being unsafe. Unlike Blade Runner, you don’t need a Voight-Kampff test to determine whether you have a rogue site on your hands, just Opera Mobile’s new fraud detection. The fraud detection system tells you when a webpage has been marked as being suspicious or used for illicit activity. If you get a warning, it’s a good idea to think twice about visiting that site.
Raisin’ the standardsUsing the web on the go should not mean sacrificing functionality. That’s why Opera Mobile now supports even more web standards, making sure the experience of mobile surfing is as close to the desktop experience as possible.
From the big screen to the mobile
In Opera Mobile, several features that have previously only been seen on the big screen, the computer screen that is, come to life on your Android mobile or tablet. In Opera Mobile 12.1, several heavy-hitting desktop capabilities are available for your mobile and tablet devices:
SPDY: Shortly after the introduction of SPDY on Opera 12.10 desktop beta, the HTTP improvement protocol has made it into the Opera Mobile version. Using a new and improved protocol for communicating to web servers around the world, the SPDY protocol makes fetching webpages more efficient. Twitter and Gmail are two early adopters of the SPDY protocol. Rumors has it that SPDY, by the way, would be pronounced “spø-ddi” in Norwegian.
WebSockets: Rich content is the new way of the web, and WebSockets is here to make it happen. With WebSockets, the browser in your mobile device get top notch access to the web server, improving two-way communications between your mobile device and web server for applications.
Better-looking browsing
There is no reason for letting surfers have a bad day on the web while using mobile devices. With Opera Mobile 12.1, there are even more options for web developers to improve the surfing experience and make sure the content of their webpages is displayed in the best way possible. This is why we included even more web standards in the new, smaller package.
CSS features: New support for CSS Animations and Flexbox allows web developers to be even more creative in design and layout of their webpages.
More HTML5 goodies: Combine the visual eye candy of CSS with some HTML5 practicality and voilá, even better mobile browsing. That’s why we’ve added HTML5 goodies like HTML5 Drag and Drop and the HTML5 Clipboard API to Opera Mobile 12.1. These features help web developers connect better to the surfer’s devices and, e.g., access clipboard content such as text and pictures.
Download Opera Mobile 12.1 for free Android from the Google Play store!
About Opera Software ASA
The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 275 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. ‘Opera’, ‘Opera Software’, ‘Opera Mini’ and the ‘O’ logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.
the problem in Opera is the missing adblock – which ‘exists’ to some part but is pain in the ass to setup and mostly is either outdated or simply doesn’t work
Firefox does have its flaws on android (I’m on beta for over year and it went from excellent to good to very bad in latest nightly ;-) but when it comes to blocking zillion of annoying adds – it does excel (due to adblock plus extension). And it cuts the httpRequests to them not just hides them thus saving data, improving latency and generally even reading of many ad-infested webpages.
Firefox is completely amazing on desktop, I just wonder why they’re screwing it on Android – version 13 nightlies were the most amazing for me, now on v16 and its disasters hehe
Definitively the best mobile browser. Speed, and the navigation buttons at the bottom is what I really like about this browser.
the best browser for my gn. hope it still the best on my i5.
on my note 2 the latest update also brought startup time down from 4s to 4ms
the splash screen is no more than a white flash now.
cowgar: adfree works as long as you have turbo disabled, and works in games too.
I’ve never liked adfree for various reasons – but I’ve dig into this option once again and found AdAway alternative – which is opensource and has a bit more features so I might give Opera a try. Not that missing adblocking was its only fault…
But blocking ads in host file is a bit different than in the browser extension (which is in effect only per app) – say I don’t want to mess with my host file (or put bloat to it) by blocking ads from various ‘eastern european’ sites I visit (no, no pr0n ;-)
Dude no one cares about your little ip5 get one and gtfo you wont be missed