"Recommended security and stability upgrade"

Apr 27, 2010 10:45 GMT  ·  By

Opera Software has released a new version of its feature-packed web browser. Opera 10.52 is a recommended security and stability upgrade, according to the company. Posted on April 27, 2010 (today), Opera 10.52 for Mac OS X is immediately available as a free download from Softpedia.

“Opera highly recommends all users to upgrade to this version to take advantage of these improvements,” the maker says. “For your reference, the changelog for Opera 10.52 beta 2 (with Opera Widgets for Desktop) for Mac is available at the Opera Changelogs for Mac Web site,” the company goes to outline. More details on this release are offered at the Mac changelog page, where Opera Software lists new features, like better integration with Mac native systems (Cocoa Framework; “Growl” notification; “Growl” license included in opera:about).

As far as Opera Widgets are concerned, avid users should know that these have been treated as entities inside the browser in many respects, the company claims, although they run outside the browser. Good news for those relying on this feature, as “The new Opera Widgets for Desktop ends this dependency on the browser and moves Opera Widgets to the next level: that of first-class applications. Above all, Opera Widgets for Desktop gives widgets the potential to replace some native applications on the computer,” the Oslo, Norway-based software company stresses. Moreover, Opera Widgets for Desktop includes the following features, according to the release notes:

- A Widget menu located within the Mac menu bar. Menu options include: Get Widgets; Manage Widgets... (opens the Widgets panel in the Opera user interface). - Widget lifespans are separated from the Opera desktop browser. - Each widget runs in a separate process. - Integration with the operating system includes support for creating desktop and Dock-based application shortcuts. - Widgets are now visible in Mac Exposé. - Widget control buttons organize important actions: Move; Close; Minimize; Settings. - Support is provided for different widget modes such as “Application” and “Widget.” - Notification pop-ups are supported. - Password manager is supported. - File I/O (Input/Output) access is supported. - The upgrading of installed widgets from current to new runtime is supported. - Improved support for Opera Dragonfly is provided. Remote debugging is possible; configurable via a widget's context menu.

Private browsing has also been improved, going by the “what’s new” section over at Opera.com. According to the browser’s maker, “Creating, browsing, and then closing private tabs and private windows removes all records of Web sites visited through them.” Users need to employ the traditional Mac Dock or File menu and go to File > New Private Tab and File > New Private Window, Opera Software explains. For the full changelog, visit the company’s website here.

Download Opera for Mac OS X (Free)