Smile for the camera, Opera Next is watching you

Things continue to develop apace in the world of Opera, with the latest snapshot of Opera Next showcasing camera support. The latest addition to the browser means that developers will now be able to use JavaScript to access webcams, which opens up new levels of interactivity with web pages -- everything from using your webcam as a color picker to simplifying the process of uploading a picture of yourself.

There are obvious privacy concerns when web pages are allowed to access webcams, but Opera Next ensures that users are kept informed about what is going on and are given the chance to block or permit connection as they see fit. Whenever a page attempts to access your camera you are warned by the appearance of a popup that gives you the opportunity to block or allow the site on a permanent or one-off basis.

Websites are also able to make use of a site visitor’s location and changes have been made to Opera’s tabs to allow this information to be conveyed to the user. Whenever a site is making use of an attached camera or is using location information, badge icons are displayed in the relevant tab. Simple tab-based controls can then be used to make further changes to permission settings as and when required.

As this is a very early snapshot of a future release of Opera, it is only reasonable to expect that there are going to be a few problems here and there. That said, things are already looking good and there are a few demonstration web sites that can be used to test out the capabilities of the new camera support -- take a look at Photo Booth, Polaroid, Color Picker, Explode and Speedo for samples.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the app by paying a visit to the Opera Next review page; there is also a 64-bit version of the program available.

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