Opera Software has announced the release of the free Web browser Opera Mini for BlackBerry and Palm devices.

Opera Mini offers faster and better page rendering while saving on memory and data usage. This is achieved via a server-based component that compresses Web pages, ultimately reducing the size of data transferred and associated costs.

"Opera Mini is a no-frills, instant gateway to the World Wide Web on today's basic line of mobile phones," says Rolf Assev, Chief Commercial Officer, Opera Software. "But we see folks in the industry who are thrilled to use it on higher-end devices. People who are accustomed to mobile browsing in addition to e-mailing or texting, enjoy the speed and reliability Opera Mini offers on today's professional handsets. The fact is, it's a choice available to everyone, novice or pro."

Opera Mini was launched in February this year and, since then, it has exceeded 1 billion pages viewed. Usage statistics reported by Opera in August revealed that Google search is the most popular .com site visited using Opera Mini, followed by Gmail.com, Friendster.com, MySpace.com, Yahoo Messenger and hi5.com.

"We see that users are browsing with Opera Mini in the same as they are accustomed to on their desktop. They use Mini to find information or network, even bid on eBay while on-the-go," says Rolf Assev, Chief Commercial Officer, Opera Software.

Along with the launch of the Opera Mini browser, Opera has initiated a contest, as part of its "Your Web, Your Choice" campaign. Applicants need to register at http://www.opera.com/contest/operamini/ and choose a BlackBerry or Treo device and state how Opera Mini would improve their on-the-go lifestyle. The winner will be chosen by Opera and will receive a BlackBerry or Treo smartphone, with the Opera Mini browser preinstalled. The campaign lasts until November 30th.