Another day, another browser update! Opera’s release schedule could be a match for Chrome although, sensibly, they don’t update their major version number as often as Google.
Despite being a minor version update, there are several new features which could interest developers and Opera users…
Speed
Opera claim to have made further JavaScript engine optimizations which have resulted in a 50% speed improvement over version 10.50. I don’t doubt their benchmarks, although whether it’s noticeable during real-world use is another matter. That said, it feels a little quicker.
WebM video support
Opera is the first (non-beta) browser to support the new royalty-free WebM video standard. WebM is likely to become one of the most predominant web video format during the next few years.
Further HTML5 features
All the vendors are attempting to out-do each other with HTML5 improvements. Opera 10.60 now supports:
- Geolocation — the browser will ask whether you want to share your global position with location-aware websites.
- Web Workers — thread-like background JavaScript processing.
- App Cache — offline web application support.
Improved security
The browser’s security has been enhanced with AVG’s anti-fraud systems and phishing protection. Users should see a warning page when they attempt to visit a site with malicious content.
Assorted updates
The Opera team has focused on stability and performance improvements across all platforms. Few people are likely to notice major differences, but Opera fans will claim that little needed changing.
The only minor interface tweak I noticed was the addition of “Menu” next to the Opera logo when the menu bar is hidden. That wasn’t in 10.50, so I guess a few people had trouble locating the options.
If you’re already an Opera user, you’ll certainly want to upgrade. Choose Help > Check for Updates and it’ll be magically updated for you.
New users should head over to opera.com. Give the browser a try — you might like it.
Of course, all web developers visiting SitePoint have Opera installed and use it as part of their testing regime. Or do they?
Craig BucklerCraig is a freelance UK web consultant who built his first page for IE2.0 in 1995. Since that time he's been advocating standards, accessibility, and best-practice HTML5 techniques. He's created enterprise specifications, websites and online applications for companies and organisations including the UK Parliament, the European Parliament, the Department of Energy & Climate Change, Microsoft, and more. He's written more than 1,000 articles for SitePoint and you can find him @craigbuckler.
