Comments on: Opera Mini v4 Mobile Web Browser http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/ Gadget reviews and news by Julie Strietelmeier and friends since 1997 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:27:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Jim Travis http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24864 Jim Travis Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:47:55 +0000 #comment-24864 <p>I have used Opera Mini 4 on a HP 210 (WM6), a Dell x51v (WM5), a Sprint PPC-6700 smartphone (WM5), and a Toshiba e830 (WM2003SE). On all four devices, Opera Mini has done an excellent job displaying full internet pages, and has been exceptionally stable. I prefer Opera Mini 4 to Safari on the iPod touch. Safari sometimes has a problem with older, single column webpages unless the webpage developer has added a Viewport metatag. In order to view some older webpages at a comfortable reading level with Safari, you have to zoom to a level which requires horizontal scrolling to read each line which gets old after about 2 lines. Unfortunately, Safari does not wordwrap again when you use the pinch zoom which is sometimes required because the double tap zoom does not enlarge the text on some single column pages to a comfortable reading level. With Opera Mini, there is a setting for mobile view which results in old single column webpages word wrapping correctly, and allows you to read them at a comfortable text size without the dreaded horizontal scrolling. With Opera Mini 4, you can display just about any full internet page, and still display the old webpages correctly.</p> <p>Apple's Safari may get all the hype, and press, but for me, Opera Mini gives the better internet experience for both the full, and mobile internets. </p> <p><em>[Edited at March 08, 2008 01:54:01 AM.]</em></p> <p><em>[Edited at March 08, 2008 01:57:39 AM.]</em></p> I have used Opera Mini 4 on a HP 210 (WM6), a Dell x51v (WM5), a Sprint PPC-6700 smartphone (WM5), and a Toshiba e830 (WM2003SE). On all four devices, Opera Mini has done an excellent job displaying full internet pages, and has been exceptionally stable. I prefer Opera Mini 4 to Safari on the iPod touch. Safari sometimes has a problem with older, single column webpages unless the webpage developer has added a Viewport metatag. In order to view some older webpages at a comfortable reading level with Safari, you have to zoom to a level which requires horizontal scrolling to read each line which gets old after about 2 lines. Unfortunately, Safari does not wordwrap again when you use the pinch zoom which is sometimes required because the double tap zoom does not enlarge the text on some single column pages to a comfortable reading level. With Opera Mini, there is a setting for mobile view which results in old single column webpages word wrapping correctly, and allows you to read them at a comfortable text size without the dreaded horizontal scrolling. With Opera Mini 4, you can display just about any full internet page, and still display the old webpages correctly.

Apple’s Safari may get all the hype, and press, but for me, Opera Mini gives the better internet experience for both the full, and mobile internets.

[Edited at March 08, 2008 01:54:01 AM.]

[Edited at March 08, 2008 01:57:39 AM.]

]]> By: Lou http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24863 Lou Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:18:05 +0000 #comment-24863 <p>With my HTC Touch and Windows Mobile 6 I had many problems with Opera Mini. First there are the nagging screens and then the instability issues. I have been trying a beta version of Opera Mobile (9.33?) and it sounds promising, but it takes over the whole device! If you hit a link in an email message you no longer have access to Explorer and there seems to be no way to change this:(</p> With my HTC Touch and Windows Mobile 6 I had many problems with Opera Mini. First there are the nagging screens and then the instability issues. I have been trying a beta version of Opera Mobile (9.33?) and it sounds promising, but it takes over the whole device! If you hit a link in an email message you no longer have access to Explorer and there seems to be no way to change this:(

]]> By: Mike http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24862 Mike Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:56:07 +0000 #comment-24862 <p>I had to go back to Opera Mini 3. I really like a lot of the functions on Opera Mini 4, but I constantly get "Error 533: ...exceeded the number of bytes allowed per connection." I'm using the AT&T Blackberry Curve 8300. I think this is a more of a function of the Blackberry Enterprise Server limitations rather than something wrong with the software, but it really limits the effectiveness of the software (to the point that I can't use it). I believe that there is a Blackberry server software upgrade coming as well as an OS upgrade which will hopefully resolved issues like these.</p> I had to go back to Opera Mini 3. I really like a lot of the functions on Opera Mini 4, but I constantly get “Error 533: …exceeded the number of bytes allowed per connection.” I’m using the AT&T Blackberry Curve 8300. I think this is a more of a function of the Blackberry Enterprise Server limitations rather than something wrong with the software, but it really limits the effectiveness of the software (to the point that I can’t use it). I believe that there is a Blackberry server software upgrade coming as well as an OS upgrade which will hopefully resolved issues like these.

]]> By: Tomas http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24861 Tomas Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:49:10 +0000 #comment-24861 <p>Daniel,</p> <p>If you'd like to contact me by email - you can get my address by clicking on 'Tomas' in the bottom right of this message - that's easier than using the comments system!</p> <p>Thanks, Tom</p> Daniel,

If you’d like to contact me by email – you can get my address by clicking on ‘Tomas’ in the bottom right of this message – that’s easier than using the comments system!

Thanks,
Tom

]]> By: Daniel Goldman http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24860 Daniel Goldman Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:20:23 +0000 #comment-24860 <p>Tom,</p> <p>You're right. The iPhone has the 'Apple wow' factor, which most other products don't. As for the mobile Web, I think the public needs more education on it. Most people don't expect to be able to browse the Web on their phones. </p> <p>It would be helpful to know the phone models that you and your readers are using. I'll pass the crash information along to the Opera Mini team. It would also help if you send me some specific error information (if you can).</p> <p>Daniel (not Dave)</p> Tom,

You’re right. The iPhone has the ‘Apple wow’ factor, which most other products don’t. As for the mobile Web, I think the public needs more education on it. Most people don’t expect to be able to browse the Web on their phones.

It would be helpful to know the phone models that you and your readers are using. I’ll pass the crash information along to the Opera Mini team. It would also help if you send me some specific error information (if you can).

Daniel (not Dave)

]]> By: Tomas http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24859 Tomas Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:46:10 +0000 #comment-24859 <p>Daniel, thanks for having a look at the review.</p> <p>Whilst I see that the numbers are very impressive, I was simply making the point that when talking to the average phone user, they would have no idea about what Mini - or indeed much about the mobile internet market - something that, I think, appears to have been somewhat dominated by Apple... I mean, talk about the iPhone browser and you'll be greeted with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the features, say Opera and you are greeted with a blank face - that's marketing! Perhaps the statement, "the latest offering of Opera Mini, version 4, hasn't really sent shockwaves through the World of cell phones", should have been prefixed by "Regrettably"!</p> <p>As far as crash rate is concerned, I experienced, as I said, a high one, and so have others that I know who tried out the software - the comment above from Eric also shares that perspective over Opera products as a whole. Perhaps a contributing factor was the Symbian S60 OS which you wouldn't have on your Samsung - it can be somewhat temperamental!</p> <p>But I don't mean to be negative - I really do like this browser and it is something that I think the mobile industry has needed for a long while - as I said to Eric - "it's free, easy to use, it renders your pages in a 'desktop style', easy synchronisation, computability..." - I hope I made this clear in the article! </p> <p>I think my wording of 'a fairly high crash rate' could be improved and I'm not entirely happy with how I wrote this, but all in all, apart from the cons I have noted, this really is a superb piece of software.</p> <p>Tom</p> <p><em>[Edited at February 22, 2008 04:46:19 AM.]</em></p> Daniel, thanks for having a look at the review.

Whilst I see that the numbers are very impressive, I was simply making the point that when talking to the average phone user, they would have no idea about what Mini – or indeed much about the mobile internet market – something that, I think, appears to have been somewhat dominated by Apple… I mean, talk about the iPhone browser and you’ll be greeted with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the features, say Opera and you are greeted with a blank face – that’s marketing! Perhaps the statement, “the latest offering of Opera Mini, version 4, hasn’t really sent shockwaves through the World of cell phones”, should have been prefixed by “Regrettably”!

As far as crash rate is concerned, I experienced, as I said, a high one, and so have others that I know who tried out the software – the comment above from Eric also shares that perspective over Opera products as a whole. Perhaps a contributing factor was the Symbian S60 OS which you wouldn’t have on your Samsung – it can be somewhat temperamental!

But I don’t mean to be negative – I really do like this browser and it is something that I think the mobile industry has needed for a long while – as I said to Eric – “it’s free, easy to use, it renders your pages in a ‘desktop style’, easy synchronisation, computability…” – I hope I made this clear in the article!

I think my wording of ‘a fairly high crash rate’ could be improved and I’m not entirely happy with how I wrote this, but all in all, apart from the cons I have noted, this really is a superb piece of software.

Tom

[Edited at February 22, 2008 04:46:19 AM.]

]]> By: Daniel Goldman http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24858 Daniel Goldman Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:10:52 +0000 #comment-24858 <p>"the latest offering of Opera Mini, version 4, hasn't really sent shockwaves through the World of cell phones"</p> <p>I think the numbers tell a different story of the success of Opera Mini 4. We've had over 35 million downloads of Opera Mini. There are more than 100,000 downloads of Opera Mini each day. In addition, the Opera Mini servers processes over 1.5 billion pages each month. These numbers clearly show the great interest in Opera Mini and mobile Web browsing.</p> <p>"it has a fairly high crash rate" I don't share the same experience with Opera Mini on my Samsung mobile phone. There apparently is some issue with your phone. I suggest you post about it in the Opera Mini Forums (http://my.opera.com/community/forums/forum.dml?id=111) -- hopefully we could troubleshoot and figure out what's going on with your phone. We aim to get Opera Mini working on as many phones as possible.</p> <p>Daniel Opera Software</p> “the latest offering of Opera Mini, version 4, hasn’t really sent shockwaves through the World of cell phones”

I think the numbers tell a different story of the success of Opera Mini 4. We’ve had over 35 million downloads of Opera Mini. There are more than 100,000 downloads of Opera Mini each day. In addition, the Opera Mini servers processes over 1.5 billion pages each month. These numbers clearly show the great interest in Opera Mini and mobile Web browsing.

“it has a fairly high crash rate”
I don’t share the same experience with Opera Mini on my Samsung mobile phone. There apparently is some issue with your phone. I suggest you post about it in the Opera Mini Forums (http://my.opera.com/community/forums/forum.dml?id=111) — hopefully we could troubleshoot and figure out what’s going on with your phone. We aim to get Opera Mini working on as many phones as possible.

Daniel
Opera Software

]]> By: Tomas http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24857 Tomas Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:46:45 +0000 #comment-24857 <p>Eric... Whilst I see your point, and perhaps it's just the fairly poor way that I have conveyed this idea into words :o), but as buggy as Opera is, and always has been (that's why I don't use it on my PC!), we have never really seen anything like Opera Mini for the mobile software market; it's free, easy to use, it renders your pages in a 'desktop style', easy synchronisation, compatability - that's a success.</p> <p>I don't mean to promote the browser too much, I just see it as much more of a successful and useful tool than any other mobile browser I have ever used. A quick scout of the internet will find many more people with the same view.</p> <p>And, on your other point, our software industry is very different to the car industry and I'm not sure we can make direct comparisons... :o)</p> <p><em>[Edited at February 21, 2008 17:46:35 PM.]</em></p> Eric… Whilst I see your point, and perhaps it’s just the fairly poor way that I have conveyed this idea into words :o ), but as buggy as Opera is, and always has been (that’s why I don’t use it on my PC!), we have never really seen anything like Opera Mini for the mobile software market; it’s free, easy to use, it renders your pages in a ‘desktop style’, easy synchronisation, compatability – that’s a success.

I don’t mean to promote the browser too much, I just see it as much more of a successful and useful tool than any other mobile browser I have ever used. A quick scout of the internet will find many more people with the same view.

And, on your other point, our software industry is very different to the car industry and I’m not sure we can make direct comparisons… :o )

[Edited at February 21, 2008 17:46:35 PM.]

]]> By: Eric http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/02/19/opera_mini_v4_mobile_web_browser/comment-page-1/#comment-24856 Eric Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:48:37 +0000 #comment-24856 <p>I don't see how you can mix these two statements, "But overall, a real success..." and "it has a fairly high crash rate."</p> <p>It seems to me that a piece of software is useless if it crashes. </p> <p>That is one of the things about Opera that has bugged me over the years. It doesn't matter what version I use, no matter how many patches I install, it always crashes.</p> <p>If we applied the "Opera" principal to automobiles, we'd all run high-octane fuel with nitrous-oxide. Then all our cars would be really fast and we'd save all kinds of time going to and fro, except for the few times that cars burst into flames, right when they are merging into freeway traffic...</p> <p>If software crashes when I'm doing work, I just can't see how it improves my productivity.</p> I don’t see how you can mix these two statements, “But overall, a real success…” and “it has a fairly high crash rate.”

It seems to me that a piece of software is useless if it crashes.

That is one of the things about Opera that has bugged me over the years. It doesn’t matter what version I use, no matter how many patches I install, it always crashes.

If we applied the “Opera” principal to automobiles, we’d all run high-octane fuel with nitrous-oxide. Then all our cars would be really fast and we’d save all kinds of time going to and fro, except for the few times that cars burst into flames, right when they are merging into freeway traffic…

If software crashes when I’m doing work, I just can’t see how it improves my productivity.

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