Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine - Comments for "Pocket PC version of Famous Web Browser, Opera 8.5 beta Officially Released!"

Yup, Opera is great. I wish the current beta didn't have the 'download stalled' bug on WM2003(SE), which can really be a pain in the back if you frequently run into it.

BTW, I've just published some new tips and tricks for Opera at http://www.smartphonemag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=558&more=1

Finally, I hope you've all noticed there's a brand new review of the WM5 version of the browser available at http://www.smartphonemag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=478&more=1

Wilbur, don't be afraid of the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Apps\Opera Software Opera] key (the only key where there're absolute paths to the installed Opera browser); Opera doesn't ever read it. You can safely delete it.

Wilbur, you will need to import this registry file.

As far as the HTML file association prblem is concerned, I've uploaded a registry file here. You'll need for example Resco Registry Editor to import it (see this article on registry editors). Let me know if you have problems importing it.

Before anyone says I'm biased againt Opera: no, I'm not. I just like to be absolutely fair and have the necessary experience (see my other reviews, tutorials, roundups etc. of Web browsers) to be able to really test the compatibility of Web browsers.

Also, I do recommend the linked discussion threads to see what other people say about Opera.

Well, you're right in that it's a beta and the final version shouldn't be judged based on the bugs / missing functionality - this is what I've also emphasized in the review.

Still, I think comparing it to other, also beta-stage products (Minimo 0.012 and NetFront 3.3 TP1.03 - I'm comparing Opera to these two browsers) is fair because they are also beta. NetFront has far less bugs, and, speed issues aside (I have emphasized in the review that Opera is by far the fastest browser with pages that it can load and doesn't crash/stop at), in general, is far more usable on the Pocket PC for generic browsing, because of sheer compatibility and bug-freeness. Furthermore, the additional stuff NetFront (or, to a lesser degree, Minimo - or, for that matter, any PIE plug-in) offer is just not comparable to that of the current beta of Opera. The latter really lacks basic stuff like proxy setting, User-Agent rewritability, link copy, search within a page or a decent, no-tab/no-addressbar full screen mode etc.

I do hope that the final Opera release will indeed be bug-free and will have more 'goodies'. This beta isn't and it's only this beta that I don't recommend for generic use - not the final product, which, again, will be, hopefully, much more compatible with Web pages out there.

Yup, it's still a beta. Hope the Opera staff whill have ironed out the bugs (and, hopefully, added some real additional functionality like link copy, page save, image save, no-scrollbar full screen mode, ability to change fonts etc) by the time it's released as final.

Yup, it's great if you need speed - but, IMHO, not if you need compatibility with almost all Web pages (that's what, say, NetFront, or, to a lesser extent, Minimo offer) or stuff like link copy/image or page saving/proper rendering using proportional fonts.

Smartphone &amp; Pocket PC magazine - Comments for "Pocket PC version of Famous Web Browser, Opera 8.5 beta Officially Released!"

Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine - Comments for "Pocket PC version of Famous Web Browser, Opera 8.5 beta Officially Released!"