Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
The premise of Opera has always been the same--develop the fastest, smallest, and most full-featured browser available--and the latest version maintains the tradition. Opera has all the basics covered, including tabbed browsing with an added functionality that lets you hover over a tab to preview a page; a search bar with Google and several other popular portals; advanced bookmarking tools, including one that lets you easily import from any popular browser; and simple integration with your favorite e-mail and chat clients. Mouse-gesture support, keyboard shortcuts, and drag-and-drop functionality further enhance your surfing experience.
With solid basics, Opera's extra features push it to the top of the class. Integrated theme support lets you preview and download themes from within the interface so you know what you're getting before you download. Widgets (akin to Mac OS X dashboard applications) are small, useful programs that appear in a window from any app while Opera is running. The Wand utility helps you autofill online forms and lets you securely save passwords for multiple sites. We really like the addition of BitTorrent support, letting you drop a Torrent link into the address bar and begin a file transfer immediately without the need for an extra app. Overall, we think Opera might have what it takes to unseat even the biggest-name browsers if users give it the opportunity. Opera is a must-download for those looking for a full-featured browser with added extras.
Opera's latest beta is blazing:Publisher's Description
From Opera Software:
Opera is a free Web browser with a pop-up blocker, multiple-window navigation, mouse gestures, keyboard shortcuts, an e-mail client with a spam filter, and integrated search for user security and speed. The cross-platform browser includes IRC-compatible chat, support for RSS newsfeeds, a password manager, and one-click customization and privacy-protection settings. Mouse gestures and keyboard shortcuts allow for accelerated Web navigation while the Fast Forward and Rewind buttons easy browsing. Users can run multiple windows as well as personalize the user interface with one-click skins. The browser also contains special elements for users with disabilities, drag-and-drop support, a notes function, user profiles, and a host of other features. Opera supports the latest in security and provides password and cookie managers.
Version 9 adds BitTorrent support, search-engine customization, thumbnail previews, and widgets.
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All versions:
4.3 starsout of 3,702 votes
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Current version:
4.5 starsout of 259 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Awesome"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
Fastest web browser out there. Beautiful interface. Entirely free.
Cons
Doesn't support your favorite toolbar or plugins.
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"Just about Perfect!"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
stable, reliable, faster than IE and firefox! my most used feature is the password manager! Its better than IE or firefox because it tells you weather or not your have a password saved, unlike firefox where you need to type the first letter or so of the username to active the password feature!
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"Good But...Not FireFox"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
nice quick browser
Cons
when it comes to pages with alot of images it tends to b slower than firefox, it doesnt have anything to increase security....firefox is better cause u can customize to not only look like opera but surpass opera where as opera is just opera with nothing to add to it
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"Fast, Secure, Complete and Free...do you need more"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
Integration of: browser, email, chat, notes, widgets, rss, contacts, offline explorer. It's fast, secure and free.
Cons
Non until now.
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"superb!!!!!"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
lockable tabs..customize all you can think of..option of ram caching..flawless restore integration with recycle bin..widgets..resolves web pages quicker than firefox..integrated mail client is wonderful..version 9.0.2 finally gmail works fine(if u still have problems use the nobrowsercheck string)..content blocking is the best and easiest to use..voice control works 100 times better than i thought..those comparing firefox and opera: opera takes no comparison :) this is why i left firefox after all this time..search,search, and search its so easy:g camcorder searches google..e camcorder searched ebay..d camcorder searches download.com..etc..can be customized as well!!..config site opera:config is wonderful..just great!!
Cons
hotmail live beta testers will not be happy..bittorrent client slows you down if you try to download a lot of torrents at once (like me :) so stick to your good old azureus
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"I love it"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
The best browser
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"The best web browser and email client there is"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
Tabbed browsing. No ads and completely free of charge for more than a year now. More secure than Internet Explorer and Firefox. Email client doesn't require any filing; you use it like Gmail. (Search, don't file.) Widgets and Notes are cool features. And it's Norwegian!
Cons
Email client is slightly buggy: the compose link doesn't work from every screen. Aggressive advertising on some websites (e.g., this one) can screw up the appearance of a page.
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"At first it was great, but after upgrade it failed miserably!"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
I really love how it will save your passwords & logon names for each page... you can shut it down & choose to open it up with the same pages u were already looking at... & the trash can feature, what a life saver, if u accidentally shut down a page it will save it in the trash can & u can retrieve it again.
Cons
I LOVED Opera & used it for a while... when an upgrade came available I gladly downloaded it & HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO USE OPERA SINCE :( ... AND u can't contact them directly to let them know u'r having a problem unless u PAY FIRST?!?! i couldn't believe it ... sadly, that was enough to make me uninstall it & look for another browser. Because of the "pay before u contact us" deal, i cannot in good conscience recommend this download.
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"I use Opera all the time!"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
You can browse more websites at a time. You can also do that on firefox but it is not as easy. You have to right click and press "Close Tab" on Opera you just have to click a little X and the design on Opera is amazing! 5 Star Amazing!
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"Nice, but just not me"
Version: Opera 9
Pros
I like Opera for many reasons. It has a nice interface, clean and simple. It is really easy to use. I really like the thumbnail preview of tabs, but by the time the thumbnail comes up, you've wasted more time than actually going to tab. It seems to be really fast. Just as fast as Firefox.
I like the built in POP3 client. The ability to make my tool bars completely customizable. You basically can click and drop a button anywhere.
Cons
I would have to agree with the editor of CNET, and say the RSS feed manager is a little clunky.
I also think that the widget feature should be a different modular than the browser itself. When I shut down the browser, all my extensions also shutdown. This feature is kind of annoying. Perhaps they should add in future versions the ability to have widgets as a separate program.
I also agree with cynical825, and say that you should keep a updated copy of IE for sites that are being a pain and block Opera.
Minor problems running some Java Script. And finally the download manager is slow. FF does it much faster.
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