Opera strikes out in a new direction with Opera Mini 5 beta, a rewritten version of its mobile browser for Java phones, like Sony Ericssons and even BlackBerrys. The beta is not only slicker looking, with a glossy visual treatment that focuses on icons instead of on text links, but it also appeared faster in our tests.
The Mini 5 beta browser carries over several features from the desktop version and from Opera Mobile, the offering for Windows Mobile and Symbian phones. These include features like tabbed browsing, searching for specific words in a page, and Speed Dial, the signature splash page you get when you open a new tab. Speed Dial displays nine thumbnail images that you hyperlink to your favorite sites. Other improvements include a Password Manager and the ability to type directly into a text field. Previously, you needed to type into an intermediate page.
Opera Mini 5 beta is missing certain elements from the stable version, including Opera Link, Opera's tool for syncing common content like Speed Dial customizations and bookmarks across all your Opera browsers (for instance, the desktop, laptop, and mobile phone). It also lacks the ability to create custom search engines, and skins. Most of these should return by the time Opera Mini 5 goes final, Opera says. The application may reveal more hiccups and omissions during its beta development, but so far we're impressed with the overhaul we see, especially in focusing the interface with Speed Dial, and in improving productivity with browser tabs and with the Password Manager.
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