UIQ devices get Opera Mobile 9.5 beta

Opera Software has been touring the world this week to support the release of the latest Opera Mobile browser beta version 9.51b2, which was released on Monday.

In mid-summer, the first beta, exclusive to touchscreen Windows Pocket PCs with WM5 and WM6, was rolled out with about two-thirds of the expected features. That version has been upgraded, and support for UIQ has been added. The UIQ touch platform is supported on a number of Sony Ericsson handsets, such as the W950 and 960 Walkman phones, and the Motorola MOTORIZR Z8 and MOTO Z10.

The mobile Web has been a topic of great discussion this week, as Intel unveiled developments for its Moorestown platform, the lack of a "full web" in portable devices was discussed. Senior Vice President and GM of Intel Ultra Mobility said, "It is not possible today. It requires some fundamental innovation to happen to make [the full internet] pocketable."

As Opera unveiled its latest browser beta this week, the company reminded us that it has been making the full internet portable since 2000 -- though the Psion Series 7 on which Opera Mobile first appeared could more be regarded as a proto-netbook than a pocketable device (though it did run a Symbian OS).