That other browser maker, Opera Software, has just released Opera 10 RC1 to the masses and has announced it will be debuting the final version of its upgraded desktop browser next week on September 1. You can download the release candidate and get more information right here.
Opera 10, formerly codenamed Peregrine, will feature an improved user interface, increased web standards support, bug fixes, performance improvements, and new tools for web developers. Opera 10 Final will also include Opera Turbo, the new bandwidth-booster for slow Internet connections, and a revamped Opera Mail, its built-in e-mail client. Also worth testing when it comes out: Opera claims the next version of its desktop browser will be significantly faster on resource intensive pages such as Gmail and Facebook, deeming it more than 40% faster overall than Opera 9.6.
The question is: how many people will actually experience any of that?
The Opera desktop browser, contrary to its mobile sister, hasn’t exactly been adopted like crazy since its initial release back in 1996, even if it has been known to innovate the browser field with several useful new features over the years that nearly always end up in competing web browsers shortly after introduction. As of July 2009, usage data on English-language sites show Opera’s share of the browser market as being 1.97%.
For comparison, according to Net Applications the July data shows Internet Explorer still leading with a 67.68% share of the browser market, followed by Firefox (22.47%), Safari (4.07%) and Google Chrome (2.59%).
Also, I’m not really sure what to make of this:
The advert is great. Doubt very much that the actual browser can compete with the might of FF Chrome and IE anymore though.
Think this could be a last ditch attempt!
Opera is THE greatest Browser in world.
Everytime I have HAVE to use IE or FF I’m going crazy!
What they need to do is patent their intellectual property so that other browsers can’t use it. Similar to how Apple patented gestures on the iPhone. Even small patents like how they parse the html data.
Some may say those types of patents are trival but they can make or break a product when competing against the multi-billion dollar companies such as Microsoft.
opera seems good to me…
opera need to focus on the mobile market where they have good penetration and decent chance of success.
My sentiments exactly, mailsamd@gmail.com. Focus on the mobile browser market where a) Opera is a pioneer and b) They have any hope of making a mark. Barring some massive upheaval of sorts, I just see no way of them claiming any significant marketing share for desktop browsers. Opera could very well be the best browser out there, but they don’t have the marketability and developer community behind them of the competitors. If who won in the tech wars were always based solely on merit, we would have been recording our Sega Master System high scores on Betamax tapes back in the ’80s.
It’s important to note that Opera may want to enact some sort of mobile strategy before competitors like Skyfire take away any more spotlight. Don’t lose on two fronts trying to win on one where you never really had a chance.
That totally should have said ‘market share,’ not ‘marketing share.’
Totally.
Opera Desktop is a niche browser for advanced web users like me.
Bye,
http://twitter....om/alexnautilus
Only one real browser out there.
Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Lets face it Microsoft is the light and Firefox is for people who need some vent for their rebellious nature.
*golf clap*
/hides from the flames
Are you mad???
It’s taken to version 8 just to get web standards in IE!
Microsoft were forced to see the light by FireFox – massive adoption across the internet community and constant bitching about IE6 rendering issues finally caused microsoft to build a standards compliant browser.
As for Opera… I’m going to skip it – the only reason i’ve got it installed anywhere is to make sure my pages aren’t broken in it. FF is a much better browser – and anyway, i disagree with opera’s crass attempt to gain market share by insisting MS are stifling competition – Yeah, right. Nothing to do with the fact no-one likes your browser. If it’s such a good browser, how come google chrome has more market share?
As much as I like Microsoft technologies in general, I honestly think Opera is better than IE. I have all the mentioned browsers installed – Opera is way faster than both IE and FF.
I will get the new version as soon as it is out.
And IE still has comparable web standards to a browser from 1857…
Obviously,the major browsers mentioned most,IE,firefox,chrome & safari are(or were)supported by huge business machines behind,except for Opera
God of the internet he is. Has twitter does he.
I can’t wait. Opera 9.6 rules, so it should be pretty decent
You know what, I just downloaded the release candidate and it is actually pretty smooth. Very fast startup (unlike FF) and very quick at returning pages.
Going to go and play with my widgets now…
Opera is by far the best browser out there. The only reason I don’t use it is the lack of Plug-ins.
Opera is the best browser out there, hands down.
The only difference is that FF has the support of Google, and IE the support of M$.
FF has the support of Google??
I have been using the beta versions of Opera 10 for quite some time now. And I like it a lot! Much quicker than FF 3.5. But, it’s not compatible with 1Password and that sucks
Opera compatibility issues suck. Every once in a while I HAVE to use FF or IE.
The last I heard, Google was paying FF’s expenses since FF put Google as it’s homepage.
Opera is the bestest and safest browser. Period.
Opera has been my browser of choice since 2000.
Those that compare Chrome and FF to Opera simply don’t know what they are talking about
If you need a QUICK and RELIABLE browser – Opera is your choice. No useless features, no clutter, only the best.
If only it actually worked consistently with websites. As a javascript developer, Opera has always been my bane (along with Safari, but they finally fixed their problems).
And putting domain specific white-list hacks into the browser code instead of fixing actual bugs was the worst idea ever.
Dennis = win. I think the average consumer 1) doesn’t care what browser they have but more importantly if they DO try a new one like Opera and it fails with many pages they quickly move on to their go-to browser
Do developers want another browser? I’d say no.
As long as it inherits the standards, I welcome all new browsers. Heck, if all the browsers would obey the standards to the letter, as a developer, I wouldn’t mind if we’d have 15 different browser vendors, all with less than 10% market share.
The problem isn’t the number of browsers, the problem are the totally non-standard-compliant browsers — like IE6, the last “I render the pages exactly like I want!” browser with any significance in terms of market share.
Opera have a great browser and innovate constantly. Why the world has not caught on this is beyond me. I guess maybe its cause blogs like Techcrunch/webworker all have a love in with google and twitter and the audience follow these blogs like sheep. This Article for example saying this is a last gasp effort for Opera…why not just put them into your deadpool sure, if you are so confident about their demise.
Opera’s browser works on so many platforms (I use it on my phone…who needs an iphone when you have opera mini) I am amazed that MS/Google or nokia even have not bought them out. I would have them as a prized asset. Imagine MS being able to say they now support a browser on the WII and on all(well most) mobile phones…no instead they bring out their own oneapp thingy (that will take years to get right).
Opera would have been a great asset to Google and instead of them now trying to get it working on Apple’s OS when they’d be on every device instantly. I honestly wonder how these companies get as big as they do with the level of dumbness displayed sometimes.
Just as I think of it maybe Yahoo should license/buy Opera and that’d make a serious dent in the market I’d bet.
+1 for that.
Yes, it’s all a huge plot against Opera and has nothing to do with the fact that Firefox has plugins out the ass for every possible thing an end-user could ever want as well as compatibility with pretty much every page on the web.
No, it has nothing to do with those things at all.
Nope.
(do you see what I did there? I did it very well, I like to think!)
You should marry FF if you love it so much.
You’re just an idiot ignoring the fact that Google’s Chrome has a greater market share and yet does not have anything like the functionality of Opera. FF is a great browser but only until google pull the financial plug.
I never said or implyed that there was a conspiracy/plot. Jeez…
Actually, the reason that the world didn’t catch onto it was purely Opera’s fault. When the mega-super bug in IE reared its ugly head (I can’t remember exactly which one) it forced people AWAY from IE (even me). At that point I was up for anything other than IE and the only other free browser worth anything was an early version of FireFox. If Opera had figured out a way to make the browser free at that time, I would have just as likely gone there. Overnight, FF went from a relatively tiny number of users to a moderately significant number (several percent).
I still think Microsoft’s smartest move would be to acquire Opera. They’d get a standards-compliant browser, that ranks among the fastest out there. Sure, there’d need to be some integration work to get it working with all of the hooks they’ve created for IE, but the cost/benefit for the acquisition is a no brainer.
What’s the benefit to Microsoft? I see the cost they’d absorb some 600 employees, but not sure what they’d be gaining the the average user cares about.
I didn’t think anyone used Opera anymore.
I didn’t think people used the internet anymore.
facebook test
Opera is primarly used in the homeland (Norway I think)
Never made it big here in America with Microsoft, Goog, not sure where FF is based.
Opera is the Linux of 5 years ago of web browsers. Opera is a good browser with a lot of potential, but its most vocal users are awful at spreading the word about it without coming off as jerks.
From the first time I was told about it near the turn of the century to the most recent time, I’ve been insulted by whoever was telling me about it for using whatever browser I was using at the time rather than Opera.
This can be said about Firefox users as well. Or anything that is an alternative, niche, elite or different.
Two words: human nature.
I always wished that they had a full browser for BB! Mini was decent in comparison to the RIM browser (shudder), but still a full browser would have been nice. That was reason enough to move to the iPhone.
Some people want email, some people want a browser! Opera is good, but between FF and Explorer they have a tough row. They would have been a great acquisition by RIM if they had such a browser.
yo! That is cool! OPera Rocks!! Though hardcore FF fan, I love opera! includeing mini!
I use Opera Browser since Version 8 because it has the best features and is still the best browser for me.
Firefox only adapted a lot of the features
I respect Opera for its innovation. I use firefox for its add-ons.
Just about every great feature that Chrome/FF/Safari/IE ever got was stolen from Opera.
Tabs/speed dial/mouse gestures/bookmark synchronization/ Built in RSS just to name a few of the big ones.
I like some of the ideas in the opera browser
WTF is Opera? Isn’t she that talk show host on CBS in the afternoon?
You can’t argue with quality.
Opera is the only browser that matches IE on features, yet is much faster and more stable.
It is also only a 20MB install, compared to Chromes’s 68MB.
Sadly, this browser lacks Big Tech support, and this sneering post title by TC doesn’t help.
Maybe if TC actually did some proper jurnalism and tested Opera’s features vis a vis the overrated Chrome, under-featured Safari and dead slow IE, it would realise this is without hype the world’s best browser.
This isn’t a review, smartass, I’ll be happy to test it next week. Fact is: 2% market share isn’t much, and if calling that fact is sneering than I’m guilty as charged.
You’re right, it’s not a review.
The headline by itself is nothing more than a patronizing wiseass comment: “Will Anyone Take Notice?”
Well the elite are 2% of the world, even less, and we use Opera.
Who cares? Do the math. Millions use it.
Can those millions give me NoScript, FlashBlock, or Update Scanner?
If not, they mean nothing to the people who use Firefox for its add-on library. Having a better anything means nothing if it doesn’t have what a particular user wants. Hundreds of millions of people want add-ons, and widgets don’t cut it for them.
If Opera wanted to entice Firefox’s users, it would be very easy for them to make it a viable option to those people by either implementing Firefox’s add-on system, or providing a superior competing system.
Opera’s limited desktop adoption is their own doing.
Yap, Opera has all those features. Just you didn’t bother to look, have you now?
@MeanEYE: It has none of those things. Yes, you can go through 3 menus to globally allow or deny flash and javascript for an entire site, but nothing like Flashblock or Noscript. And I saw nothing like Update Scanner.
I used Opera for over a year, by the way.
NoScript: http://my.opera...c.dml?id=241208
FlashBlock: http://my.opera...dx=300#comments
UpdateScanner: Ok what is this? Auto updating in Opera? *checks*
@ys: No, not autoupdating. Checking websites for updates. You went and found alternatives for all the others, and didn’t bother to look up the update scanner add-on? :\
But now we’re back to “why?”. Firefox is working fine for me. I haven’t had a crash in years, and it loads things at pretty much the same speed as Opera on my computer. Where’s the compelling reason to switch?
The proprietary formats Opera uses for everything is also annoying. I can install a plugin in Firefox to view all the SQLite databases, but Opera uses its own thing that no one has written an editor for.
For now, Opera is the most underestimated browser on the planet. However, with Opera 10 it has potential to gain much broader audience:
First of all, Opera 10 is the best browser for netbooks: it’s much lighter than FF with multiple tabs opened and its Turbo feature allows comfortable browsing even on slow EDGE connection. In times of today’s “netbook revolution” this advantage may lead to significant market share gains.
Second, Opera Unite (web server inside of a web browser for fast file sharing and more) is a revolutionary feature, it has a chance to spread virally.
Third, Opera Mini usage is skyrocketing, Opera may utilize its success on mobile market to gain more market share on desktop.
It’s clear that some people love Opera. And I love trying new apps, but between Chrome, FF updates and actually having to get things done I just don’t have time for a 4th-tier browser.
Opera 9 made it onto my system when I read about Unite on TechCrunch. That effort was such a turd, though, that any lingering curiosity was quenched. No time left for Opera after writing this useless comment.
I use Firefox for the most part because a few of the add-ons for it are critical for my work.
But I do find myself using Opera more and more, especially for general browsing. I never used to like it in it’s previous incarnations and that put me off using it again, but recently I had a need to and I discovered I really like what they’ve done with it. The more I use it the more I’m impressed with it.
The really bizarre thing is, I’ve no idea what it is that I’m specifically liking about it.
Microsoft made IE, Firefox had the backing of open source community and Chrome well its Google’s product plus its actually a good light browser. Opera should probably go open source, maybe that will help it build a larger community and get some traction
I’ve found different statistics.
http://www.w3sc...wsers_stats.asp
Unfortunately it is never going to happen, Opera has always been at the fringe and too unfashionable for people. A pity really as it has over the years produced some nifty features. Its biggest prize is its speed. Now that Firefox and Google are competing in the speed market it seems likely that Opera 10 will not catch on, maybe for a little while but then it will be dropped again.
Part of this as well is it’s proprietory nature, even though it opened up for developers to create gadgets, it still has not caught on.
+1 for Opera. Have been using it for years, and even though it used to have rendering incompatibilities (these have largely gone away in recent years), its speed, mouse gestures, and various other features always keep me coming back whenever I have to use FF or Chrome.
I’m so tired of bloggers who don’t know their history… how old are you? If you had a clue you would understand how important Opera is not just for Opera’s sake but the sake of all browsers since they constantly look to Opera to steal its innovative features. Chrome and Firefox do not even compare when you know what to compare, thats what bloggers used to do. Not just rampant speculating about whether people will care.
All you have told is is most people are too stupid or to herd like to use or try a much better browser know as Opera… well … thanks for that!
How old are you? Every element of Opera minus a handful of innovations were taken from older browsers, and so it has been with every browser.
I could say Opera ripped off Internet Explorer which ripped off Mozilla which ripped off Mosaic, and it would mean as much.
Hey, genius, take a look at this http://en.wikip...of_web_browsers then say something about Opera ripping IE… Opera was standards compliant when IE didn’t know how to save bookmark… Get your facts right!
Congratulations on missing the point!
You are a credit to your demographic.
Just try it and u will find that it is the best browser over there. I’m a developer so i have something like 6-7 browser installed on my pc. Opera ranks first and is my browser of choice for personal browsing AND email (1 program, less footprint). I open that elephant of FF just because of Firebug. Everything u need to install in FF as a plugin, u get it by default in opera since, at least, 3 major versions. Opera rocks and I don’t know why it is so underestimated. TC, maybe u can do a real review, it would be great for our community. And, about compatibility issues, Opera just doesn’t try to correct your mistakes. Develop according to standards, and it will work as a charme on Opera. I support this behaviour, so u know when u did wrong and don’t spread sh*t on the web.
what kind of web developer can prefer Presto over WebKit ?
once you discover the true power of CSS 3, you just want IE and Opera to disappear, and fast.
Opera can’t do soooo many things. It renders pages fast, but it’s damn slow to manipulate the DOM and can’t do things that advanced browsers can.
Thanks to IE, we can’t use the power of modern browsers so it’s not obvious that Opera is late on new technologies… but it is.
Probably you are not up to date. Opera supports css3 selectors, canvas tag, html5 draft, etc… Agree on the IE-disappear part
what about gradients, rounded corners, box-shadows, border-images, resize: (both/horizontal/vertical), masks, css transformations & animations, good fonts support (check http://www.css3...with-font-face/ with Opera 10 and Safari 4)… ?
i could continue the list on and on and on… but what for ?
i’m developing for the web for more than 10 years now. i just can’t stand to use an image or a JS trick to have rounded corner, or a shadow, or a gradient. These things are there from the very start, downloading a few script or images is just plain nonsense.
my favorite platform is the iPhone : a top rendering engine, geolocalisation, gestures… and no bad browser to restrict the use of these nice things.
Please do continue… and do a CSS3 test on that css3.info site… then come back and say if FF has passed all the tests and did opera pass them too?
Or even better, check out the acid3 tests…
http://my.opera...arakan-and-vega
Support coming, rather than NOT coming.
Opera easily kicks FF and IE’s arse. It’s the best.
FF + Safari + Camino + Chrome
Do I need another one? May be not!
If you want a decent browser, then yes.
+1 on that
Why Opera never caught on? Simple, as folks were starting to explore the Net they preferred doing it with free browsers (Netscape, IE) then having to pay for Opera. Opera wasn’t free until late 2005:
http://www.oper...ses/2005/09/20/
That was, like FF, courtesy of Google in exchange for referral. So Opera didn’t gain the market share because of costs, in the beginning. By the time Opera was free, FF was seen for several years as the free alternative to IE. People were happy with that alternative and didn’t see any reason to change. If Opera would have made themselves free after Netscape collapsed, I think it would be number 2 right now.
I use Opera 9 for porn, nothing else. It just doesn’t have all of the features I need for regular browsing. Firefox doesn’t, either.
But Firefox Extensions do.
People complain a lot that Firefox “steals” features from Opera, but that’s wrong. Firefox *extension authors* do all the stealing, and thank God for that. Every awesome feature any other browser has can be replicated by some random dude in due time for Firefox.
Firefox is a huge tentacled awesome machine, ripping the sweetest features out of every browser and absorbing them in ways that would make a Hentai enthusiast blush.
I salute you, Firefox extension authors.
I imagine that your use of Opera accounts for 90% of your inet browsing so…
lol. So you consider Opera’s privacy features are better than FF…hey why not get one of the “Extension Authors” try stealing that feature. …they couldn’t no doubt
I like how your imagination goes WILD and you just start plucking all sorts of weird and delirious excuses from the air to convince yourself about my supposed browsing habits and reasons for using Opera.
More, please.
Here’s Opera’s problem. They’re too nice. Why would I use Opera if half of their ideas are ripped off in a few months and included in FF and Chrome. Opera 10 is awesome (I’m using it now), but I expect the Google and Firefox will copy most of the new features within a few months. And so the question for potential new users is: Why Switch?
Sorry, I meant “that” instead of “the”.
Thanks
Now, see, when I use Opera to try and comment on TechCrunch, I get this.
http://i297.pho...atechcrunch.png
No Facebook icon. Forget it, Opera, no deal.
I’d consider that a feature
I’ve been using Opera for almost 10 years now, since I was 13. I started to use it then because of the convenience of the tabs. As more and more browsers added tabs, the appeal of Opera with average users wore off. However, I still love using Opera because I needed the email integration for everyday use, it makes my job a million times easier.
Frankly, I like that Opera doesn’t have a lot of market shares so that advertisers and hackers will ignore Opera users. One problem I’ve experienced with FF (before installing AdBlock plus add-on) is that a lot of advertisers target it, mostly those annoying pop-ups. Opera never have that problem, its pop-up blocker blocks the ads that needed to be block and leave the useful one as it. So experience wise, Opera is a much better browser. if only more websites support it or actually follow the correct web standards.
Hey Robin, how about taking that finger out of your ass. Opera 10 is important, aside from any market share numbers. It’s packet with features, of which i.e. the tab dublication feature has been adapted in Chrome.
I absolutely can not wait for this as I have been using Opera for years now. I absolutely hate having to use Firefox at work as I’ve become so used to the quality of Opera. Why more people do not use it is simply beyond me…
I’ve been using Opera for several years now and it is still my preferred browser over Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Chrome.
They just lack good promotion and let’s face it .. most computer users are just not looking around for better software and just use what they get/know.
I use Opera for more than 3 years and leave it once in a while for FF or IE8 if some comaptibility issues turn up. At this moment the only things I’d change is the login/password management and java engine (in some situations a bit slow). Nevertheless I find it a fantastic browser because its very fast and so pleasant to use and recommend it to everyone.
People! – use Opera – its really good!
I have used Opera a few times in years past but was too wrapped up in the IE and FireFox world to give it a fair shake. I have been using Opera 10 beta – RC and I cannot imagine going back to any other, it simply does everything right.
Most people that I do computer work for do not really care what browser they use. All they care about is that they can use the internet and thats it.
I saw one post on here that said Opera wasn’t a free browser at first. That’s one of things that killed Opera’s market share. Internet Explorer comes with windows so when people bought a new PC they got IE for no additional charge. Firefox has always been free.
Second thing is PC manufacturers do not include it in their OEM versions of Windows installed on those PC. So the general public doesn’t even know it exists unless your computer savvy.
I wish them luck, they’ve always seemed like a good company. They have an interesting approach. They don’t need a big share in the desktop market to do what they’re good at. They’re diverse and I don’t see any obvious problems in their business. In reference to the article’s headline I think some people will take notice but it really doesn’t matter, there’s more to a good company than having a billion users.
Great comment, I couldn’t agree more.
I’m guessing the comments section is going to be full of people “in the know” telling the “ignorant masses” that the only real browser anyone should be using is Opera.
The idea that the masses have missed yet another jewel has been the cry of tech-nerds since Betamax tanked in the ’80s.
Some nerd makes a browser/OS choice/etc. a personal religion and has to condemn everyone else who doesn’t buy it to IT hell.
Tech fundamentalists are annoying.
I don’t see the point of using a non-WebKit based browser at this stage. It is so far ahead of everything else that we might as well eliminate everything except WebKit and let everyone build their ecosystem and browser environment around that one rendering engine.
I’ve been using Opera on my Windows based laptops from the biginning,and so far no troubles.I’ve gave up IE since a long time,and honestly I don’t miss it.
On my Mac laptop I’m pleased with Safari,but Opera is also there…just in case…