Comments for Opera 9.6 Launches, Now Includes Magazine-Style RSS...Sort Of

Opera 9.6 Launches, Now Includes Magazine-Style RSS...Sort Of

2008-10-08T14:04:14Z

Today, Opera revealed the newest version of their web browser, Opera 9.6. As always, the latest update includes speed and performance increases, but the update delivers several new features, too. The one new feature that we were really excited to try out is how Opera 9.6 deals with RSS feeds. In this latest version of the browser, you can preview your feeds in an attractive magazine-style layout. But what we really wanted to know is could read your feeds like this once subscribed?

]]> Magazine-Style Feeds

In Opera 9.6, a new feed preview feature has been introduced that turns any RSS feed into a magazine-style page where the articles in an feed appear as columns. (See image below). With the feeds laid out in this manner, suddenly RSS reading becomes accessible, understandable, and far less geeky than its acronym implies. Although heavy RSS users and techie folks will probably continue to use an RSS reader like Google Reader, a magazine-style layout is a great option for a light reader or someone new to RSS.

Previewing RWW's Feed

In a way, Opera's new magazine-style feature reminds us very much of how the Firefox extension, Feedly, operates. With Feedly installed, you can view your Google Reader feeds in an easy-to-read format while still being able to hop into your different folders. Of course, Feedly does so much more than just change the layout of Google Reader, but that's a whole other topic.

The difference between Feedly's magazine interface and what Opera does is that Opera only displays feeds in this manner when you preview them while deciding whether or not to subscribe. That's disappointing. We were hoping that Opera would include this as a new option under the "Display -> View" settings in Opera's built-in RSS reader, too. Unfortunately, those view settings have remained the same. Feed reading there is still an inbox-like experience, with feeds titles in one window and the articles in a second window. This familiar Outlook format works for some people, we're sure, but to have the magazine-style option here as well would have been a nice treat.

Other New Features

In addition to the preview feeds feature, Opera 9.6 also adds other updates, including the following:

Expanded Opera Link: Opera Link is one of the browser's best features. With it, you have access to your data from any computer or mobile device. It synchronizes your bookmarks, Speed Dial, notes taken in your Opera browser, and personal bar. With the update to Opera 9.6, Opera Link now lets you take your favorite search engines and browser history with you, too.
Optimized Opera Mail: Opera's built-in e-mail client, Opera Mail, now includes "low-bandwidth mode" to retrieve mails even faster when bandwidth is limited. This is great for when you're on the road and trying to use your air card in a bad spot where the signal isn't very strong.
Prioritized e-mail: Opera Mail has two new ways to manage e-mail conversations. Keep an eye on important threads and contacts by following them, or ignore less important threads and contacts with a single click. Looks like you can start to manage your information overload with this.
Increased speed: Opera 9.6 improves the quick responsiveness and page loading of Opera 9.5.
Improved fluency: Opera added support for Indonesian, Ukrainian, Estonian, Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil languages.

Comment from Capstar on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T14:53:56Z

Oh no way, thats a slick way of viewing RSS feed straight from the browser. I'll still view it with my usual reader. But thats a cool way to view it straight.

I like opera more than firefox in some ways because it takes up way less memory that firefox does. But Firefox has extra useful plugins that are pretty cool that you can't run on opera. But thats probably what takes up all the memory in the first place.

Comment from Jaseem Umer on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T15:08:55Z

Opera always had great features in it, but I don't know why it is not popular than Firefox or Internet Explorer. I am not using it only because it is not used by majority.

Comment from coxy on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T15:49:02Z

@Jaseem Umer - but if everyone said that, nobody would use it. The ball has to be pushed to start rolling. :)

Comment from Craig on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T17:02:43Z

Sounds like a great browser but have never used it. I have been using FireFox for awhile now and find a sense of loyalty in using it, kind of like buying laundry detergent. I know Firefox is in the works of updating their browser to compete with the Chrome and new IE. It seems there is a browser war going on. What features would you like to see enhanced? Which browser do you currently use?

Craig
www.budgetpulse.com

Comment from william on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T17:27:30Z

Is Opera open source ?

Why is Google Reader not Open Source ?

It would be great to extend their browser and what they have just added with the feed reader capability

I m also a feed junky, and because I wanted to have some features not available in most feed readers; I have designed a feed reader that matches and best google reader in many areas. To make sure that the feed reader can continue to evolve with the best features in the near future we will be releasing it with an Open Source license.

Comment from Medikal on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T17:28:13Z

Thanks!

Comment from alex on 2008-10-08

2008-10-08T20:07:56Z

Opera has all advanced features implemented and speedy; unfortunately, the html rendering engine was so poor -- can't handle very complicated pages correctly.

I just installed 9.6 and see my previous known layout issue fixed. Guess it's Opera show time.

Comment from Andy Gongea on 2008-10-08

2008-10-09T04:55:13Z

It has the features, the speed, now it only needs our support.

Great Job Opera Team

Comment from wut on 2008-10-09

2008-10-09T10:34:23Z

"the html rendering engine was so poor -- can't handle very complicated pages correctly"

That's just nonsense. It could handle them just fine. It's just that some sites insist on blocking Opera.

Comment from Dave on 2008-10-09

2008-10-09T12:46:13Z

Actually Opera is the most stands-compliant browser available when it comes to HTML rendering.

Comment from Tobbi on 2008-10-10

2008-10-10T17:08:32Z

This familiar Outlook format works for some people, we're sure

Yes, i like this way of displaying my feeds. Furthermore you could use filters to seperate the feeds in the way you like.

It's a little bit difficult to get what you want to filter feeds how you like. But when you've finished your work, you never want to use an other feedreader :)

Comment from Amir on 2008-10-10

2008-10-10T18:47:56Z

Pogo is a new open source web browser based on Firefox. It seems great. Go to pogobrowser.com.

Comment from Mol10 on 2008-10-10

2008-10-10T20:57:21Z

An application does not need to be open source to be good or customizable. Opera is extensively customizable by default and with additional "user Javascript"/Greasemonkey scripts, "user CSS", custom buttons, standard Netscape-type plugins, Opera Widgets, custom menu files, etc.

In addition, Opera has many functions built in that Firefox needs extensions for.

Also, Firefox has always been plagued by more security vulnerabilities than Opera, despite being open source. (Of course Opera has had its own vulnerabilities, but none of them remained unpatched for long. Firefox 2 has at least three long-standing security bugs, according to Secunia.)

Comment from Ciro on 2008-10-13

2008-10-14T05:44:30Z

What I cannot stand from other browsers it's the fact that they're not secure. Opera always has zero security problems.

Using Opera is the only way I know to keep my computer stable.

Since I installed Opera 6, I've had no problems with my operating system. Every time my kids use IE or FF, I end having some issue, either malware or viruses. I guess many people curses Microsoft, when they should be blaming their browser.

Besides, it's evident that FF keeps updating their features set based on Opera's advances. I've not seen a single feature in FF that has not been put forward first in Opera.