Opera users can now get the full Opera experience on Windows Mobile 5.x and 6.x handsets from today.
By writing a native Windows version of the traditional Java-based Opera Mini , Opera claims to be able to deliver an optimised version of the Opera Mini browser that “dramatically improves performance and the overall user experience.”
The Opera Mini 5 beta for Windows Mobile includes the same feature set as the Java-based version. Features, including tabbed browsing, the password manager, bookmarks and Speed Dial, are all built-in and users used to the Java version won’t be disappointed.
As with the Java version the browser also benefits from Opera’s data traffic compression which compresses data by up to 90 percent, resulting in significantly improved page-loading and speed.
“Windows Mobile deserves a mobile browser that looks better, handles better and delivers better than the default browser,” said Dag Olav Norem, Vice President of Products, Opera Software. “Even though Opera has 50 million satisfied Opera Mini users, we always seek ways to improve our browser for each and every mobile phone user out there. Now, we are pleased to offer the world’s most popular mobile Web browser as a native Windows Mobile application.”
Windows Mobile 5 and 6 users can download Opera Mini directly to their phone for free from http://m.opera.com/next/ or read more at http://www.opera.com/mini/next/.
Amusingly the press release adds “Java is not required on the mobile phone for this download.” Just in case you hadn’t been reading the previous six paragraphs.