Opera Offers Android Users Free 'Ad Supported' VPN Service

When you think of Opera Software you likely think of their Opera Web Browser and rightfully so as it is the mainstay of the company. As of late however, Opera has been working on several new projects, one of which is a new standalone VPN service that the company has integrated into their desktop browser as well as an iOS App. Luckily for us Android users hat service has now been made available to allow us all the privacy and security a traditional VPN service can offer in an unlimited free option (well sort of!).

“The Opera VPN app for Android sets itself apart from other VPNs by offering a completely free service - without a data limit, no log-in required, advanced Wi-Fi protection features and no need for a subscription,” says Chris Houston, President of Surfeasy, Opera’s VPN division.

Announced earlier this week,, Opera's new app packs a ton of features that like most VPN services will allow people to browse somewhat anonymously, block ad-tracking cookies, access more online content, extend the geographical reach of apps and even test the security of Wi-Fi networks. Unlike most of those other services Opera is offering their for free and without any limits! But if you haven't noticed we did say ad-supported!

The major caveat to the app, which seems pretty ironic to us geeks, is that it is powered by a company that Opera acquired last year called SurfEasy. And while the app itself is free once you begin looking around, you'll notice ads that are presumably powered by another of Opera Software's latest projects. Opera also wants to share anonymous data about your mobile usage and browsing habits with third parties. Sow while you are getting a pretty nifty VPN service you might want to check the fine print!

Opera had this to say about the data it collects:

This information is made available to third parties who are interested in better understanding the mobile ecosystem and how it’s evolving. It’s important to understand that this is not data about what you do with your phone, but rather this is data about how a large group of people use their phones.”

If that doesn't bother you, and for most of us looking at free VPN services is shouldn't, here are a few more details about the app!

The app is completely standalone and is no way tied to the company’s web browser. So it will work with most Android (and iOS) devices and almost any web browser. There is no need to change your old ways and download Opera, though you might want to just to see how well your browser compares.

If you're not well-versed in VPNs, the app automatically handles almost everything including setting the Android VPN settings for you. It will also check the security and integrity of your current Wi-Fi connection. This feature may slow down your internet speed while you're using it, but not so much that it's too problematic to use while surfing.

Once you are in the app you can 'mask' several details of your online activity, such as applying new location settings across your entire device and other apps or blocking ad-trackers. Changing your regions settings is something most users will find useful when you need to bypass content restricted by location. Suck as viewing videos from other countries, watching Netflix while traveling ect. Currently the app will let you choose from five server locations: USA, Canada, Germany, Singapore and The Netherlands.

If you're interested in trying out the app, you can pick it up via the Google Play Store now.

Australian Tech Retailer Taxes Internet Explorer 7 Users

Any webmaster out there knows that developing websites with cross browser support can at times be messy. A site that looks and performs great on one browser might not performs so well on another. Well one internet guru is taking matters into his own hands by implementing what he believes to be “the world’s first ‘Internet Explorer 7 Tax.’”

Ruslan Kogan may not be a known entity in the U.S. (yes I had to look it up when I first read this story), is well know in the land down under. The Australian entrepreneur is a pioneer of online retail and happens to be the country’s wealthiest self-made person under the age of 30. Kogan founded Kogan.com, a manufacturer and direct retailer of consumer electronics that’s projected to hit over $100 million in sales this year. But, more importantly, the guy seems to hate the fact that his developers have to spend added time, and money developing his sites that already run seamlessly on Firefox, Chrome and Opera by building a friendly version of the site for Internet Explorer 7 users.

He hates it so much that he is willing to wage war against IE7 and charge his customers a 6.8% tax on any item purchased on his site.

In a posting on his official blog Kogan explains his reasoning

Today at Kogan we've implemented the world's first "Internet Explorer 7 Tax". The new 6.8% tax comes into effect today on all products purchased from Kogan.com by anyone still insistent on using the antique browser.

The way we've been able to keep our prices so low is by using technology to make our business efficient and streamlined. One of the things stopping that is our web team having to spend a lot of time making our new website look normal on IE7. This is an extremely old browser, so from today, anyone buying from the site who uses IE7 will be lumped with a 6.8% surcharge - that's 0.1% for each month IE7 has been on the market:

As Internet citizens, we all have a responsibility to make the Internet a better place. By taking these measures, we are doing our bit. This will help us increase our efficiency, help keep prices for all smart shoppers down, and hopefully help eradicate the world of the pain in the rear that is IE7!

So, what are you waiting for? Time to upgrade your browser!

Now we may all laugh at this at first, but think about it. If it takes me an extra hour or two to develop a site for an older browser. That is cost out of my pocket. So why not pass some of the expense on. By means of telling you you need to upgrade, Kogan is actually doing you a favor. Once, by added security, and again by saving you the cost he is imposing.

Now obviously this is a bit of a PR stunt. Those Aussie's are well known for pulling off lavish stunts like this just to garner a bit of fame around the world. But it does have some merit. I'd just like to seem him take it a step further and add in a warning for users of any dated browser not just IE7. I mean IE7 isn't really that old, or that bad. It has been a bit of a P.I.T.A. to code for but at least its not IE6 or early editions of some of the other browsers with loads of security holes.

Opera Previews New Touch Based Browser For Tablets And Netbooks

Opera has announced plans to launch a new touch based version of their popular web browser at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week.

The new browser will be specifically geared to work on the latest tablets and touch enabled netbooks. Offering users a full touch capable web browsing experience with smooth panning and smooth zooming.

“In 2011, tablets are a new must-have. Opera is creating waves with the first public preview of Opera for tablets,” said Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer, Opera Software. “Opera for tablets brings the same trusted Internet experience to tablets and netbook PCs as users have come to love on their mobile phones and desktops.”

There is no word on exactly when the new version of Opera will be available on that visitors to this week's CES can preview it at the Opera booth in South Hall 2, Lower Level, #26502.

Opera Posts State of the Mobile Web Report, Touts iPhone Numbers

Although the acceptance of Opera Mini into the Apple App Store came as big surprise to many the fact that they are now reaping huge rewards because of its inclusion should not. According to Opera in just two weeks since the addition to the App Store the iPhone has already reached the slot of the third-most popular handset for Opera Mini users worldwide.

The full report is available from http://www.opera.com/smw/ (English only). In addition to a short preview of the iPhone’s impact, the report highlights global statistics, reviews the mobile browsing trends in the European Union (EU) and includes a look at worldwide handset metrics.

Opera at this time isn't releasing the full details of the the initial data from Opera Mini’s release on the iPhone. They are however promising that the preliminary numbers will be reviewed in greater depth and will be publish in April’s report next month.

Global trends

• In March 2010, Opera Mini had over 55.2 million users, a 9.3% increase from February 2010 and more than 140% compared to March 2009.
• Those 55.2 million people viewed more than 25.8 billion pages in March 2010. Since February, page views have gone up 17.4%. Since March 2009, page views have increased 200%.
• In March 2010, Opera Mini users generated over 396 million MB of data for operators worldwide. Since February, the data consumed went up by 19.8%. Data in Opera Mini is compressed up to 90%. If this data were uncompressed, Opera Mini users would have viewed over 3.6 petabytes of data in March. Since March 2009, data traffic is up 166%.

iPhone impact preview

• The Apple iPhone is currently the #3 device used by Opera Mini users worldwide. All the other top 20 devices are Nokia and Sony Ericsson handsets.
• The Apple iPhone is currently the #1 device used by Opera Mini users in the United States, well ahead of BlackBerry (which previously occupied the top spot).
• Next month’s top 10 countries may be in for a change. By mid-April, due to the iPhone launch, the United States jumped from #8 to #5 in the top 10 countries list.
• Out of the top 10 countries according to Opera Mini usage, the United States and the United Kingdom are the two countries where the Apple iPhone has become the #1 device used by Opera Mini users. Beyond the top 10 countries, Australia, Korea, Canada, Germany and Japan are other examples of places where the iPhone has become the device of choice for Opera Mini users.

Jon von Tetzchner, Co-founder, Opera Software say, “These numbers are more than just bragging rights; they are proof that the joint efforts of our industry matter.”

The success of a third party browser on the iPhone just goes to show that user want more openness and the ability to pick and choose the browser that want. Not be force feed Safari or other WebKit based browsers. Perhaps its time for Apple to rethink their running of the App Store.

Read more via the Opera Press Release

Opera Mini Submitted to Apple's App Store Will It Get In?

As of today Opera has officially submitted their Opera Mini for iPhone application for inclusion into the Apple App Store now the question is will the popular mobile browser be accepted or denied by the iron fist of Apple?

We are all very aware that Apple likes to keep a strangle hold over the app's it accepts and denies and they often remove, or simply reject, any applications that might compete against their own software. So the question is will they step up and allow users to use Opera Mini over their own Safari Browser?

According to Opera the Opera Mini for iPhone browser is fast, really fast, powering through Web pages up to six times faster than Safari. They give credit for the speeds due to server-side rendering, Opera Mini compresses data by up to 90 percent before sending it to the phone, resulting in rapid page loading and more Web per MB for the end user. This allows Opera mini to deliver more information MB/MB than Safari meaning it would substantially drop a users data usage.

I for one hope it gets in not because I'm an Opera fan, in fact I'm not even an iPhone/iPad user. But I hate to see good hard work kept out because someone is afraid of a little competition. 

Check out Opera's iPhone count-up counter on My Opera community site and enter the contest to win an iPhone.

Opera Unite now available in new beta release of Opera 10.10

You have never experienced the Web like this

Opera Unite now available in new beta release of Opera 10.10

Opera Software today released the beta version of Opera Unite, available in Opera 10.10 beta. Opera Unite is a novel technology platform that shakes up the old client-server computing model of the Web. Opera Unite turns any computer into both a client and a server, allowing it to interact with and serve content to other computers directly across the Web. Download Opera 10.10 beta from http://www.opera.com/browser/next/.

You have never created applications like this

Opera Unite is an extremely powerful platform that opens up a new category of client-to-client applications. Harnessing this power is as easy as coding a Web page. This dramatically simplifies the complexity of authoring advanced Web applications. To create an Opera Unite application, a Web developer needs only to know the same open Web standards they use every day, such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Additional tutorials on building Opera Unite applications are available at http://dev.opera.com/articles/unite/. Opera Unite applications can be accessed by any modern Web browser on any device.

Opera 10.10 beta includes the following Opera Unite applications for you to try:

• Photo Sharing
  Create instant Web photo galleries from your PC.
• Messenger
  Chat live with your friends in My Opera.
• File Sharing
  Share a file from your personal computer without having to upload it.
• Web Server
  Turn your Opera browser into an instant Web server that hosts your Web sites directly from your computer.
• Media Player
  Stream your entire music catalog from anywhere, instantly, using any Web browser.
• Fridge
  Post a note on your friends’ virtual refrigerators.

More applications are available from http://unite.opera.com/.

“You have never enjoyed music like this”

You have used a media player, but have you tried an Opera Unite media player? See a band use Opera Unite to teach an old media player new tricks, such as streaming their newly recorded songs, instantly and directly, from their computer to a Facebook friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eak_o_1Kzd0

What we say

“We invite developers all over the world to use their creativity and imagination to push the boundaries of what is possible with Opera Unite,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera. “We are moving closer to our goal of reinventing the Web and are excited to see Opera Unite continue to evolve in powerful and compelling ways.”

It is easy to use Opera Unite:

1. Download the Opera 10.10 beta with Opera Unite from http://www.opera.com/browser/next/.
2. To start Opera Unite, click the Opera Unite button in the lower left-hand corner of the browser and log in with your existing Opera ID — the same Opera ID used for other Opera services such as My Opera and Opera Link. Opera Unite will prompt you to register an Opera ID if you do not have one.
3. Now you are ready to use Opera Unite. Simply access your Opera Unite applications from the Opera Unite panel of the browser.
4. New applications can be installed from http://unite.opera.com/.
5. Running an application will give you a direct Web address to the Opera Unite application on your device, for example: http://[notebook].[username].operaunite.com/[media_player]/, where [notebook] is the name of the local device serving content, [username] is your username, and [media_player] is the Web application being accessed. This link will also allow others to access the same Web application from your computer through their Web browser.

FAQ

The FAQ answers the most common questions about Opera Unite: http://unite.opera.com/support/#general

Source: Opera