[jlaw73]

I have seen this mentioned alot in previous posts, what is it? I heard that it was a browser. If that is true, how is it different that the one that comes with my 8330 curve? Better or worse? Is it worth it?

Thanks,
Joe

[chaz_cb]

Here's the site:
http://www.operamini.com/

It's just a little better with certain websites. I use them about 50/50.

[jlaw73]

does it mess things up? I've had it for about 2 weeks and I have had no problems at all, I don't want to ruin it.

[King21]

worth what? It's free! I'm with Chaz, I use it about 50/50, just depends what I'm looking for.

[jlaw73]

is is worth downloading? How does it differ from the embedded browser? does it allow you to view webpages that the embedded browser does not?

[stevebtx12]

I have Opera Mini 4 installed, and use it for some sites that the native BB browser doesn't support. You can't get rid of the native BB browser (only it supports doing OTA program installations), but Opera is a good addition to have for certain sites.

[tpurdin]

do you have an example of a site that opera supports but the native browser does not? thanks

[jd914]

is is worth downloading? How does it differ from the embedded browser? does it allow you to view webpages that the embedded browser does not?

Just download, install and use it for yourself. If you don't like it simply uninstall it.

[Honii]

Its more of an actual internet instead of just mobile. I can check my bank account & kids' school district for example.

[zinadork]

Opera mini is far superior to the native browser at viewing pages that were designed to be viewed on a desktop. I use both, depending on which kind of site I am viewing. Opera is easy to control and makes it much easier to view the substance of a site. I like the speed dials for favorites and easy scrolling. I would like it if it used bb shortcuts like the spacebar automatically putting periods in the right place in a url.

[dawhoo]

Here are a few things I've noticed with the Opera vs. Default browser... I'm a noof, so maybe my settings just aren't optimized.


Opera will handle inline styles (CSS) whereas the default browser seems to only work with style sheets and NOT inline styling.

Opera seems to work better with tables, whereas the default browser doesn't seem to like nested tables.

The default browser seems to have a greater range of settings, which Opera has limited settings and functions.

Opera also seems to work with XHTML and JS functions MUCH better than the default browser.

I know the keyboard navigation scrolls are nice (2 fast-up / 8 fast-down / etc..)

Default browser seems to get redirected to mobile enhanced pages with greater regularity than does Opera.

I may have missed something, so don't take this as 'the word', but only 1 very new uesr's opinion.

[rodalfa]

Its more of an actual internet instead of just mobile. I can check my bank account & kids' school district for example.

And does the pearl works to select text boxes, buttons, etc?
In my case I have to press the app button, select Edit, enter the text, what is very very unusable. I don't know if I'm doing anything wrong.

[redge]

I have seen this mentioned alot in previous posts, what is it?

Opera is a Norwegian company based in Oslo that makes desktop and mobile browsers.

There is a forum for their mobile browser. Apparently, I can't post the URL because I haven't made 10 posts here. So here it is in different form: http:// my dot opera dot com slash community slash forums

On May 22, Opera released a "silent update" of it's newest 4.1 release of the mobile browser to address certain issues relating to Blackberries and Palms. You will find a sticky about this at the top of the Opera Mini Forum.

My company insists that we use the Blackberry native browser, so I can't say much about Opera Mini. However, I have been using Opera's desktop browser on my home computer for about three years. It functions differently from IE and Firefox, and in my eperience is noticeably faster. However, some sites don't support it and therefore don't display properly on it. For these sites, it is necessary to use IE. The Opera desktop browser is better known/more popular in Europe than in North America. They are making inroads in usage with their mobile browser, which seems to be catching on worldwide. This may lead to greater use of their desktop browser, which is a very good product and an interesting alternative to IE and Firefox.

[pilotguy404]

it seems like it would be a hassle to use the default browser and opera 50/50. I mean do you know what sites work better than others with which browser? trial and error?

[redge]

it seems like it would be a hassle to use the default browser and opera 50/50. I mean do you know what sites work better than others with which browser? trial and error?

Speaking only of how this works on a desktop, although I suspect that it is the same with Opera Mini...

People who use Opera use it as their default browser and revert to Firefox or IE when they run into a web site that doesn't properly support it. The problem arises from the fact that Opera is highly compliant with standards, but some web sites are not. You find out pretty quickly which sites, of the ones that you visit regularly, are a problem. It is far less than 50%, indeed less than 1%. To give one example, aircanada.com does not work properly with Opera. Then again, aircanada.com, and a number of other airline sites, don't work properly with the Blackberry browser. Air Canada only works with IE, Firefox and the defunct Netscape, although they are apparently working on Safari. In other words, browser compatibility is just a fact of life, with most web developers being interested first in compatibility with IE, secondly with Firefox, etc.

The point about Opera is that the company is aggressively pursuing the mobile market, that browsers is its sole business and that it is a browser innovator. You might find it useful to have a look at operamini.com and see how the features compare with the Blackberry browser. For the broader picture on Opera, try opera.com, which among other things is where the Opera Mini Forum is. Opera's main site also has additional information on Opera Mini.