Opera 11.60 released -- get it now!
Opera Software has announced the release of Opera 11.60 Final. Despite the relatively minor version number, Opera 11.60 boasts three major new features, including revamped Address Bar, browser engine and mail client.
Opera, which runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, has long been regarded as a pioneer when it comes to the web browser -- it was the first to introduce tabbed browsing, for example, and is still the only major browser to also include a mail client.
The Address Bar has been revamped to provide an experience similar to rival browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox in providing helpful suggestions as the user starts typing into the Address field.
Version 11.60 also introduces a new shortcut, courtesy of a clickable star, to the Address Bar that makes it quick and easy to add the current web page to your Speed Dial or bookmarks menu.
Opera 11.60′s most visible new features are in the mail client’s extensive redesign, which Opera claims brings it in line with the browser’s "featherweight design aesthetic" The layout is cleaner, and messages are now grouped together by date, with options for grouping them by unread or pinned status, or not at all. Messages can also be pinned via a single click, with the pinning mapped to the IMAP \Flagged feature, ensuring compatibility with other IMAP clients, including Gmail’s Starred message status.
The Mail toolbars have been simplified and redesigned icons coupled with easier access to the settings dialog (click the new Wrench button) provide weight to Opera’s claim that this makes the client easier to navigate and more intuitive to use.
The browser engine has also been revamped -- no doubt in response to similar performance improvements across rival browsers -- and promises faster page loading times and better overall stability and compatibility, with a number of new HTML5 and CSS3 features supported. The final release also includes a large number of platform-specific fixes (including one major unspecified security hole) found during beta testing.
Opera 11.60 is available now as a freeware download for Windows, Mac and Linux. Also available for download is Opera Next, currently previewing version 12 with the promise of faster performance, built-in WebGL support and a new theme engine allowing the entire browser to be skinned. Note that Opera Next is an alpha release, and therefore not recommended for daily use.