Opera today released a new version of opera.com, along with the new Opera Mini 4 beta. Below are the screenshots of the new design. The two designs alternate on each visit to the page.
What do you think of the new designs? Like ‘em?
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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
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They’re pretty… Nice to always see that Opera likes to bring us changes. Some companies don’t seem to be dynamic or present anything new.
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opera is going green??
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I think they are changing the website a bit much to seem like a stable company. I know they have been around a while, but Opera seems to be trying to find the right look, but just can’t.
Besides, if they are always changing, I think it is about time to change the top of the page - it looks very old-fashioned and out-dated, not to mention the fact that it doesn’t go well at all with the lower, greener part.
Also, why does the picture up top need to be so big, and require so much scrolling to the links to download, etc, on the bottom - I have heard that 600×800 is not a focus anymore, but on my 1024×768 it even looks funny!
i don’t love it, but am glad to see they are starting to find a new look - and I hope they find it soon and cut out all these constant changes!
Like the 2.0-like green buttons!
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EC, have you noticed that Apple too changes their homepage design with each new annoncement? It doesn’t mean we’re “looking for the right design”, but rather spicing it up a bit.
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I’d have to agree with EC on a few of his points. Why hasn’t the top bar on the site been changed in years? I think it would be cool if Fred and the others could do something like the Opera Community site’s menus, just to add a little more flare. And I know this has been asked for before, but could somebody please design a new Opera logo?
(Not the business one though.)
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Getting rid of the splash was a good idea, I think.
Hmm. Big pic is *too* big. The three options below it are a bit lost even on my 1280×1024 screen.
Also, I think it is still too hard to find the resources for developers - many of whom are anti-opera to start with. A link in “support” would probably do it.
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I don’t care about the website too much.
It seems Opera is promoting other things besides the desktop browser. I hope Opera is not inclined to give up on making the desktop browser suite even more superior than the competition than it already is (even though 98-99% of the world has not caught onto this).
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I for one am glad to see so many updates! After all, they are just making major updates to the Home page..which doesn’t affect any of the pages that we use so very often. They seem to update the page for every big release..which I actually like! It makes it feel like the release is that much more important when they go all out to redesign the home page to advertise it.
I’m also liking the cool web 2.0 buttons. At first glance the big bright green download button seemed a bit too much..like they took the button from the previous design and just pimped it out a little, however, touches like that still look cool..and are great at grabbing a visitors attention. When I glance at that page..the download button beside the phone is the very first thing that I see..so great strategy in my opinion.
@EC
I absolutely agree with you about the ugly header on their pages. The other parts of the pages are great, but the ugly header just throws it all off to me.
@Ryan
The logo..+1
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The Mini “screenshot” on the design is Mini 4 (desktop layout of a page).
While the download link ould currenlty take the user to Mini 3, which cannt yield anthing similar to the “screenshot”.
I don’t like this…
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I agree that the picture is too big — I should see part of the headline “Opera for your Computer” at first sight in the Mini frontpage.
The graphics are nice, though
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I agree with the others I don’t like the top grey bar as it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the page and I notice you didn’t include that bit in your screenshots?
But the rest of the page looks cool.
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I only see the Opera Mini main promotion. Maybe because I am already using Opera on my desktop computer?..
I liked the new site. However I think it is still way too narrow. The designers should have used the page width more effectively.
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…and I am glad Opera finally dropped the splash page! I really did not like that!
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Grey navigation doesn’t fit with that picture and green stuff in the bottom.
I am using 1024*768 right now and see ONLY opera mini promotion when opened opera.com (which is bad), only a small square about “opera for computer”. You are moving away from desktop market?
Opera Mini already grows fast so I think you should focus on desktop version instead of Mini.
If I was new to PC’s and someone had told me about Opera Desktop Browser which I can get at opera.com I probably would close window, as all I can see without scrolling is Opera for mobile phone.
Don’t like it at all. Sorry. I prefer Web 2.0 design with some big screen, similar to old design, but with more navigation etc.
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Happy Birthday, Daniel!
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Jason,Vyoma,Anna, thanks.
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I hope Opera is not inclined to give up on making the desktop browser suite even more superior than the competition than it already is
treego, as you know, the development of the next major desktop upgrade is development now. Now is Opera Mini’s time in the spotlight, so we’re not hearing much about desktop. But I can assure you that desktop development is moving along fast.
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good stuff!
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I like the new layout, clean and simple, but I do feel the mobile browser has slightly too much of the focus.
On a side note having just spent 3 hours getting Flash to work in Opera on this new machine, with a Linux distro I’m not used to, is there any way Opera could “pre-load” Flash?
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Steve Barker, Opera used to include Flash with the browser. However I believe Opera stopped including Flash because it than would require Opera to release an udpated browser version with each Flash security update.
Most computers already have Flash, so this is less of a problem now.
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Daniel Goldman,
It’s your birthday today?
Happy Birthday :p
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DjiXas, yes, today is my birthday.
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Happy birthday, dude.
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I wish to get Opera 9.5 final and Opera 10 beta in my birthday (August)
But you already got it…
So you will be celebrating?
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“… What do you think of the new designs? Like ‘em?…”
Looks like a sales banner, and not like the Homepage of a listed Company…
Take a cue from the My Opera site. It projects *activity*…
Similarly, http://www.opera.com should show all the Busy Beez, not only the honey (products)
(Btw. Happy birthday :cheers: )
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@Daniel Goldman
No, I haven’t noticed (yet) how Apple changes their site with each release - because until now I hadn’t used their software at all. No ipod, no mac, no SAFARI. But, I’ll keep an eye out for it now ;). Happy Birthday to you and yours (Opera 9)!
Either way, the top bar has got to go…
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It seems that no matter how many times I refresh, I get the Opera Mini Version.
When I open it in IE7, it does definitely alternate, however.
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hey happy birthday, dude!!
and **shock** , **horror!**
:D they have managed to dump the ‘orrible “download opera” home page(you had to look carefully, to get past it.. 
)
welcome back, page with links, and yes, opera mini is getting more attention these days.. to give the devs more time to get 9.5 working sooner, I hope…
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Poor Espen, getting used again