14 DAY TRIAL // Opera has just released the latest version of its Opera Mobile web browser for Windows Mobile, the 9.5 beta, which comes with lots of enhancements but also with several bugs (since it's a beta version).
Opera Mobile 9.5 beta has a new user interface (UI), presented as more intuitive and cleaner than the UIs from the previous versions. Furthermore, the new browser is faster and features the following:
- support for Opera Dragonfly, which enables developers to check Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) or debug JavaScript;
- pan and zoom - full page viewing is now the browser's default mode and users can pan and zoom into any desired area of the page(s);
[admark=1]- quick and easy page and image saving;
- and enhanced standards support;
"Our fans have been eager for the release of Opera Mobile 9.5 since it first appeared at the Mobile World Congress this year. We are now answering the call of the people and delivering what we proudly proclaim to be our best Opera Mobile browser to date. It is a totally new user experience," said Jon von Tetzchner, Chief Executive Officer at Opera Software. That's surely an enthusiastic statement, but maybe Mr. von Tetzchner should have waited until the browser gets to be released in the 9.5 final (and stable) version.
The bugs and issues that the 9.5 beta version of Opera Mobile comes with include:
- no ActiveX support - hence embedded video streaming and Flash plugins will not work;
- custom-made IMEs (input method editors) are "buggy at best, not working at worst" when Opera Mobile 9.5 beta is installed on your handset;
- in overview mode, the text will not be displayed correctly;
- when installed on a memory card, Opera Mobile 9.5 beta may cause unexpected problems (crashes, most probably);
- except English, no other language is supported.
These being said, before installing the new Opera Mobile 9.5 beta on your handset, make sure not to expect a flawless functionality. Moreover, the installation of the 9.5 beta is only recommended for advanced users and developers, since it may lead to "data loss or other unintended actions". Thus, regular users had better wait for the final 9.5 version of the famous mobile browser.
Opera Mobile 9.5 beta for Windows Mobile can be downloaded, for free, from this address.