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Opera 9.2 is out with Speed Dial; 31 languages

Published April 11th, 2007 10:46 AM EDT By Daniel Goldman

The Desktop Team today released Opera 9.2 with Speed Dial, Opera’s new form of visual bookmarks. (Download Opera 9.2)

Similar to Speed Dial on Opera Mini, where you can quickly access your top 9 bookmarked sites by simply pressing “*” with the bookmark number on the phone keypad (i.e. *1), the desktop browser allows you to use CTRL+1 to CTRL+9 for the top 9 sites. In addition, these bookmarked sites will also be shown in a thumbnail preview on blank tabs. Clicking on the thumbnail preview brings you to the site. In addition, a search field will also show above the Speed Dial pad.

Although showing Speed Dial thumbnails on blank tabs is very different than what most users are probably used to now, it does offer quick access to the most often used tasks.

Browsing websites could fall into three categories.

  • You visit your usual 5-6 sites (i.e. you check your email, read the news, some social networks, etc.).
  • You don’t know the URL of the site, so you search for it on Yahoo, Google, etc.
  • You know the URL of the site, however it’s not one of the top 5-6 sites you usually visit.

Speed Dial takes care of the first two categories. If you’re most likely to visit one of your top 5-6 sites or search for something online, then why not bring it one click closer by showing them on new empty tabs.

Speed Dial can be easily turned off.

Tab thumbnails have also been greatly improved by removing all the useless information about mime/type, encoding, etc. Now, when you hover with your cursor over the tab bar, in addition to the page thumbnail, all you’ll see is the page title and a snippet of the URL. The thumbnails are also larger than before (see screenshot below).

Also new in this release is another way of searching the web directly from the browser. I’ve written about it a short while ago.

This release also contains multiple security updates and is a recommended update. Take a look at the release notes for the complete list of improvements with Opera 9.2.

Opera now ships in 31 languages, with the latest addition being Macedonian.

screenshot-speeddial1.png
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 screenshot-speeddial2.png
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screenshot-speeddial3.png
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New tab thumbnail

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15 Comments

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  1. 1 Heathen Dan Apr 11th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.10 on Windows Windows XP

    Is this legit? I clicked Help > Check for Updates and Opera says I’m using the latest one (9.10). And the download link provided by Opera.com is to devlib.org, which doesn’t seem like a normal Opera mirror. Am I being too paranoid? =\

  2. 2 Christian Apr 11th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    @ Heathen Dan. Yes. :-)

  3. 3 GT500 Apr 11th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    Originally posted by Heathen Dan:

    Is this legit? I clicked Help > Check for Updates and Opera says I’m using the latest one (9.10). And the download link provided by Opera.com is to devlib.org, which doesn’t seem like a normal Opera mirror. Am I being too paranoid? =\

    Last night some of us noticed that the final build of Opera 9.20 was available from some of Opera’s mirrors. I checked Opera’s FTP server, and I found that it was true. I posted the links on my blog (note that entry was made at about 2:30AM EDT).

    As far as the odd mirror, it’s probably just that they are new. You can always select another download location, or just browse the FTP server. ;)

  4. 4 ph Apr 12th, 2007 at 9:43 am
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    noticed there is no preview image for the speed dial page: not when hovering the tab (well, this is in fact positive ;), but neither when selecting speeddial via [ctrl]+[tab] (or right mouse + scroll), you just get a black page. suppose there is no way to fix this except from switching off this tab cycle preview?
    screen: http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1588/opera92speeddialru8.jpg

  5. 5 DB10 Apr 12th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    Tabs are a great improvement. :)

  6. 6 anonymous Apr 13th, 2007 at 4:13 am
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Linux Linux

    Just wanted to represent Opera on GNU/Linux.

  7. 7 Quakeulf Apr 13th, 2007 at 4:38 am
    using Opera Opera 9.00 on Windows Windows XP

    The 9.20 version works great on my stationary PC, I might upgrade my laptop’s version too someday soon.

    The speed-dial really maed loli loev pizza, so to say. :3

  8. 8 Alex Apr 14th, 2007 at 3:39 am
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    I don’t have problem with the Speed Dial preview on CTRL + TAB - perhaps they fixed it …

  9. 9 KeMiSa Apr 15th, 2007 at 1:20 am
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    love the new larger thumbnails for tabs (which now updates)

    love how speed dial loads pages so that when i click on them it loads lightning fast(on slow connection, with automatic reload set, sweet!)
    turned star bar back on tho (still need quick access to my favorites)

    love that search in address bar is now in opera (got caught using it when it wouldn’t work, cause i did so in other browsers). similar to me using mouse gestures in IE7. :)

    stable, safe, secure, innovative and just feels far better than any other browser, heavenly.

    The most under-appreciated browser develops yet more features, that others are gonna steal and get the credit for. (tabbed browsing :P) I guess i can be satisfied with the fact that they will copy the features, but will never make them work as well as they do in opera.

  10. 10 illiad Apr 15th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows 98

    SD (Speed Dial) is ‘tacked on’ to the ‘blank page’ function AFAIK - so no preview! try it on build 8713…

  11. 11 Guilherme May 21st, 2007 at 7:28 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.21 on Windows Windows XP

    I’ve clicked on “hide speed dial” and now I can’t find it back. Does anyone know how do I turn it back on?

  12. 12 Daniel Goldman May 21st, 2007 at 9:01 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.50 on Windows Windows XP

    Guilherme, on the bottom right corner you should see a button “Show speed dial”. It, unfortunately, blends into the rest of the interface.

  13. 13 Guilherme May 24th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.21 on Windows Windows XP

    Thank you Daniel. It was right in front of me… :-D

  14. 14 Miyah May 26th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.20 on Windows Windows XP

    does anybody know how to get rid of speed dial?? i hate it . its V annoying!! thank u !!

  15. 15 Quakeulf May 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
    using Opera Opera 9.00 on Windows Windows XP

    Holy ****, Opera 9.50? WTF?

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Opera Watch, an Opera browser blog, is run by Daniel Goldman, who used to work for Opera Software as a Technical Evangelist.

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About Opera


Q: What is Opera?
A: Opera is one of the most powerful Web browsers around. A Web browser is the program that allows you to view Web pages. Opera is well known for innovation for PC browsers and bringing the full web to mobile phones and devices.

Q: Is Opera free?
A: Absolutely free.

Q: Why should I download a browser? Doesn't my computer already come with one for free?
A: It's about getting more out of the time you spend on the internet. Opera is designed to be much faster than these browsers and gives you powerful features that the default browser lacks. Default browsers like Internet Explorer are also more likely to be subjected to dangerous software such as viruses and spyware.

Q: Will Opera keep me safe from fraudulent websites and malicious hackers?
A: According to Secunia, a respected firm that tracks security in browsers, Opera has the best reputation and track record when it comes to browser security. Keeping our users safe from security vulnerabilities, fraudulent websites, and malicious hackers is a top priority for Opera. Opera is maintained by hundreds of engineers, developers and security experts who are constantly looking to make the browser even safer.

Q: Doesn't Opera copy all of their features from other browsers?
A: Absolutely not. In fact, many of the features that are popular in other browsers today were invented and pioneered by Opera a long time ago. Opera invented the precursor to tabs (in 1994), Page Zoom (1994), was the first browser to block pop-up ads (2000), first to add a Search field in the browser toolbar (2000), Sessions (1996), deleting private data (2000), Mouse Gestures (2000), User JavaScript (2005), BitTorrent support (2005), Widgets (2006), Speed Dial (2007), and much more.

Q: Does Opera support extensions, such as those found in Firefox?
A: Much of the functionality provided through Firefox extensions is already built directly into Opera, so you don't have to download additional extensions in Opera. In addition, Opera is highly customizable and supports all standard plug-ins.

Q: Can I also use Opera on my mobile phone?
A: Yes. And your Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS or almost any connected device and mobile phones. Opera Mobile oftens comes preinstalled from the manufacturers, but if it doesn't you can install Opera Mini which runs on nearly all phones.

Q: This all sounds great, so how do I download Opera?
A: -- Opera on your computer
-- Opera Mini on your phone
-- Opera Mobile on your phone
-- or learn more about Opera at www.opera.com