Opera 10.0 Build 1750 is the latest release to enter the dominant browser downloads measuring contests. And by all means, Opera 10.0 managed to hold its own against other household names such as Firefox and Internet Explorer. In the first week since it was released to the general public, Opera 10.0 Build 1750 was downloaded no less than 10 million times, Opera Software revealed. The Norway-based browser maker noted that the record number of users that crowded to grab a copy of Opera 10.0 is indicative of the appeal generated by the evolution of Opera, and the latest enhancements introduced. In total, Opera accounts for in excess of 40 million active desktop users, the browser maker said.

“While we have consistently grown in our download rates with each consecutive launch, Opera 10 has far exceeded any previous record we had,” revealed Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. “To us, this means that Opera 10 delivers a more compelling reason to choose Opera, and that reason is Opera Turbo. The concept of turbo browsing was the result of our One Web initiative, as our goal is to ensure that Web browsing is fast, efficient and universal, anytime, anywhere.”

Opera Turbo is a new technology introduced in Opera 10.0 designed to make sluggish and low-bandwidth Internet connections feel like broadband. The compression technology is set up to address certain scenarios with the concept of turbo browsing. Fact is that users with broadband connections will not notice a gain in performance, as Opera Turbo is tailored to improve browsing, particularly for low bandwidth and multiple browsing situations when the user experience is impacted by limited connectivity. Opera 10 with Turbo comes to compensate the handicap of slow and congested networks, the Norway-based browser maker revealed.

In addition to Opera Turbo, Opera 10.0 Build 1750 brings to the table an overhauled graphical user interface. The visual redesign represents a step forward in terms of UI for Opera, and users will even be able to enjoy a revamped icon for the latest iteration of the browser. While some aspects of the graphical user interface have been touched up, Opera 10.0 Build 1750 also reinvents the tab thumbnails. Tabbed browsing is a must-have feature, but Opera has taken it one the further, delivering similar functionality as Windows 7’s Live Thumbnail Previews, except that within the browser. Via visual tab thumbnails, users will be able to not only receive basic text-based information about all open tabs, but also a screenshot of the specific webpage opened.

Opera 10.0 Final Build 1750 is available for download here.