Opera Releases Rewritten Version 7
Opera Software this week released the next version of its niche Web browser focused on speed and standards compliance. Opera 7 is aimed as an alternative to Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser and was completely rewritten from the ground up.
The new release includes numerous features over its predecessor, including a Fast Forward button and an e-mail client dubbed M2. Version 7 also introduces Spatial Navigation, which enables users to navigate links more easily using the keyboard.
"More and more users realize that the Web can be a faster, more productive tool than the limited options presented to them by Microsoft's Internet Explorer," said Opera CEO Jon S. von Tetzchner. "Opera 7 provides the latest and finest in browser technology to all Web users, offering millions of new users a better Internet experience."
Opera 7 entered public beta testing last November and is smaller in size than version 6, despite the added functionality. The new rendering engine supports DOM level 2, non-standard DHTML, CSS1 and CSS2, along with WML 1.3 and 2.0.
Following in the footsteps of other browser suites, Opera created its new M2 e-mail client for Opera 7. M2 automatically categorizes messages and includes a spam filter for ridding inboxes of unwanted junk mail. M2 supports POP3, IMAP, ESMTP and can display mailing list messages in a threaded style, making for easier navigation.
Opera 7 can be downloaded with Java and without Java from FileForum. For more information and details on the many new features in Opera 7, visit Opera Software.