Opera Updates Mini Browser For SmartphonesOpera Updates Mini Browser For Smartphones

Opera Software, a provider of Web technologies for mobile devices, on Wednesday released the latest version of its full Web browser for smartphones and cell phones.

Opera's Web browser, called Opera Mini, is optimized to work on all types of mobile devices. The newest version 4 offers some enhancements from previous versions, such as the desktop overview mode, which displays Web pages exactly as they appear on a PC or laptop. Users also can access the content they want by using the zoom feature or select Small Screen Rendering to avoid horizontal scrolling on a page.

"Two years ago, we introduced Opera Mini to the world because we wanted to bring the Web to users everywhere. As a result, the mobile Web is now a mass phenomenon. Opera Mini 4 raises the bar for user-friendly access to the Web on any mobile phone, anywhere in the world," said Jon von Tetzchner, Opera's CEO, in a statement.

Opera Mini 4 is based on a new platform called Opera Link, which synchronizes bookmarks that a user has created. Opera Link can be accessed on any device with an Opera browser or by accessing Opera's social network here. The platform was first introduced in October to make it more convenient for users to get their bookmarks, Opera Speed Dial, and personal bar on mobile devices.

The mobile browser is a free download that can be obtained wirelessly. All users have to do is point their phone's current Web browser to the Opera Mini Web site. To fully access the Internet with Opera Mini, however, users need to purchase a data plan from their carriers. The service isn't yet available to Verizon Wireless subscribers, except for those with BlackBerry smartphones.

In a related development, Opera last month partnered with Freescale Semiconductor and NEC to create a collaborative technology that would improve the browsing experience for people accessing Web sites containing multimedia content on mobile devices.