Thread: Opera Mobile browser for Android launches

Smartphones running the Android operating system now have access to a full version of the Opera browser.

Opera Mobile 10.1 beta for Android launched Tuesday, Oslo-based Opera Software announced in news release.

The company claims the browser has faster page loading compared to competitors, thanks in part to a feature that compresses data by up to 80 per cent on slow or congested networks.

Opera Mobile also includes features such as password management and "speed dial" for favourite sites. The browser can be downloaded for free in the Android Market.

Android users already had access to a number of browsers, including the standard Android browser, Mozilla's Firefox 4, Skyfire, Dolphin HD and a lighter version of the Opera browser called Opera Mini.

Opera Mobile has been available on phones that use Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Nokia's Symbian S60 operating system, while Opera Mini has run on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone.

According to Opera's official blog, My Opera, the main difference between Opera Mini and Opera is that Opera Mini relies on a browser engine on a server rather than the phone itself.

"In practical terms … Opera Mobile will render Web pages just like a desktop browser," Dag Olav Norem wrote on the site. "In Opera Mini, there may be slight differences, and very complex Web pages may not work optimally."

source: CBC News - Technology & Science - Opera Mobile browser for Android launches