mobileu.co.uk

Opera Software launches Mini 5 beta

Opera Software has launched Opera Mini 5 beta, the next edition of its popular mobile phone browser Opera Mini 5.

Available free of charge for Java-enabled handsets and all Blackberry smartphone models, the new version can be downloaded directly from the Opera website.

New features include tabbed browsing, a password manager and a refined user interface, according to the manufacturer.

The password manager can, however, be disabled via the software's privacy options.

Jon von Tetzchner, chief executive of Opera Software, commented that the main reason consumers opt for Opera Mini is because it is "easy to use".

"The idea of navigating the vastness of the web from such a small screen can be a daunting leap," he acknowledged, explaining that Opera's aim is to reproduce the PC browsing experience on individuals' mobile phones.

“With new, sleek navigation buttons, tabbed browsing and speed dial bookmarks, you are never more than a click away from where you want to go on the web," the chief executive concluded.

Opera's browser currently holds around a quarter of the mobile surfing market, followed by Apple's mobile Safari with 22 per cent and Nokia with 21 per cent.