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February 09, 2006
Review: Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, And Other Browsers In Four-Way Shootout Opera 8.5: Can It Survive?
Obviously Opera Software ASA can't depend on distributing free consumer copies of the browser for its income. For mobile users, Opera Mobile is available for download to cell phones for a 14-day free trial, with a $29 registration fee to keep it. Opera Mini is available for cell phones that don't have enough memory to handle Opera Mobile, and a beta version of Opera was just released for the Windows Mobile Pocket PC. There are also versions that are marketed to — a deal was recently struck with Industria, a leading broadband communication solutions provider and IPTV systems integrator based in Iceland, to use Opera 8.5 for devices in their set-top boxes. In the end, while IE and Firefox keep swinging at each other, Opera just soldiers on. It has none of the flaws that dog IE, and lacks the hint of insecurity that the open-source community continues to contend with. Opera is a mature, tested product with a well-established, loyal user base. Furthermore, it offers features unavailable anywhere else, which should continue to attract and captivate new users. And its upcoming version 9 promises even more, with support for BitTorrent downloads and widgets, an ad blocker, and thumbnail previews of tabbed pages. As the old saying goes, "The Opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings," and she's not even warmed up yet.
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