WebKit-based Opera browser downloadable on Google Play
updated 08:35 am EST, Tue March 5, 2013
Off-Road mode lowers bandwidth for mobile connections
A new version of the Opera web browser has been made available through Google Play. The updated browser has now replaced the Presto rendering engine with WebKit, the same engine used by Chrome and other browsers, and also includes a number of new features ideally suited to mobile Internet users.
At the same time as using a new rendering engine, Opera has taken the time to update the user interface, choosing to focus on user gestures for navigation rather than buttons, as well as a clean layout. The Speed Dial landing page is still available to use, while Android Police states that desktop features such as pop-up blocking, Opera Link for bookmark synching, and a download manager have also been incorporated into the mobile version.
The new Off-Road mode uses the same server-caching that appeared in Opera Mini, something that can help lower the amount of bandwidth being used on a mobile connection, and the Discover tab provides a configurable and automatically-updating news reader that seems similar to Flipboard.
