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Portable version of the great Web browser

Portable version of the great Web browser

Vote: (103 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Opera

Version: (UIQ) 6.31

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(103 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Opera

(UIQ) 6.31

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Blazing-fast page rendering and browsing
  • Well-implemented zoom
  • Google search integration
  • Speed dial home screen
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Look and feel very similar to the desktop version
  • It's free

Cons

  • Not as well known as some of the more popular browsers

Opera Mobile lets you take the Opera web browser on the go with your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. On first impression, Opera Mobile is fast, lightweight and capable. If you rely on your mobile web browser for work or play, Opera is probably the right choice.

Opera's webpage rendering engine is based on chromium. This means blazing fast page loading and browsing. Chromium is the foundation for the rendering engine employed by Google Chrome. Indeed, Opera and Chrome enjoy similar speeds.

Opera Turbo greatly improves load times by compressing data before it is received. This is especially helpful on slower connections. With the help of specialized web servers, the Opera browser is able to cut down on bandwidth usage by as much as 80 percent.

Speaking of features, zoom is very good, resulting in crisp, clear images and text. Zoom makes it much easier to quickly get a better view on all those webpages with annoyingly small text. The "speed dial," feature is essentially a home page with thumbnail-style bookmarks of your most frequently visited pages. You also have the option of manually adding and deleting bookmarks to/from the home page. The address bar is easily configured to sit at the top or bottom of the window, depending on your preference. And, of course, there's the standard browser features such as password manager, pop-up blocker, form auto-completion and more.

The Opera browser is attractive all by itself. However, the great job Opera does of cross-platform compatibility makes it even more desirable. Don't have an iOS or Android device? Opera Mini is available for most other smartphones. Windows and Mac users on a desktop or laptop can use the standard version of Opera. There's even a version designed specifically for tablet users. Being able to use the same web browser, regardless of device, can make your web experience much better.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Blazing-fast page rendering and browsing
  • Well-implemented zoom
  • Google search integration
  • Speed dial home screen
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Look and feel very similar to the desktop version
  • It's free

Cons

  • Not as well known as some of the more popular browsers