Alternative browser company Opera Software has officially launched the Opera Mini--a hosted mobile phone browsing service and application that reportedly has a better user experience than WAP. Designed for Java-enabled mobile phones, the Opera Mini communicates with proxy servers that strip down the size of the Web sites to enable them to load faster and fit a small cell phone screen. Opera had quietly amassed about 1 million users in select European countries. Now it's available everywhere.
The beauty of the software is that is allows users to access the Web on phones that are normally incapable of running a Web browser, which includes the majority of today's WAP-enabled phones. Anyone can download the software, but certainly this innovative concept hits roadblocks in the U.S. Opera Mini is available to all Sprint and Cingular customers but availability for T-Mobile customers is dependent on the subscription plan. BREW-enabled phones, including Verizon subscribers', are currently not supported.
For more about the Opera Mini:
- check out this article from IDG News Service