Opera 10.5 – Faster JavaScript? New Features?
61 CommentsPublished December 22nd, 2009 4:53 PM EST By GT500
First let me apologize to everyone for how dead OperaWatch has been lately. It’s been a long time since anyone has posted anything, and we’ve considered declaring it dead a few times. For those of you who still haven’t deleted the RSS feed, or who still drop by every now and then to see if we really are dead, then here is a quick overview of Opera 10.5:
Opera Software announced today a pre-alpha of Opera 10.5, with promises of more speed, and new/updated features. Here’s a rundown of what’s new, as is stated on the Opera Labs blog:
On the inside:
- Carakan: The new JavaScript engine that has been in development, with promises of up to 7 times better performance in the SunSpider benchmark than with Opera 10.10 (depending on your hardware and software configuration, of course).
- Presto 2.5: The latest and greatest update to the Presto layout engine that Opera uses, which contains a huge amount of improvements. It also incluses support for CSS3 transitions and transforms, as well as more HTML5 features (such as persistent storage).
- Vega: Opera’s new Vector Graphics Library. While Vega can be hardware accelerated, right now it is only doing software rendering, which apparently does not hurt it’s benchmark scores on Peacekeeper (although it is important to note that Futuremark’s Peacekeeper does not currently include the results of their complex graphics tests in the overall score).
On the outside:
- Platform integration: On Windows 7/Vista, those of us with Areo enabled will now see Opera using the Areo interface, with the pretty transluceny. On MacOS, a complete rewrite in Cocoa brings a more Mac-like interface such as Unified Toolbar, native buttons and scrollbars, multi-touch gestures, and various other smaller improvements.
- “Private tab” and “Private window”: Not only can you open a private window that forgets everything (history, cahce, etc) once it’s closed, but you can also do it with individual tabs.
- Non-modal dialogs: What was formerly dialog boxes that wouldn’t allow you to click in the browser window and continue working are now overlays, similar to the way other browsers do it (although I feel it fits the interface better, and looks nicer). Now you can click the button at your liesure, and do whatever else you were planning on doing before you come back to it.
- Address field and Search field improvements: Not only has the layout of the search and address bar suggestions been changed a bit, but new features have been added that allow you to remove items from history and even set searches to be remembered.
With all of these interesting improvements, we are left with a few questions. Firstly, just how much faster is the JavaScript engine compared to other browsers? How stable is this pre-alpha? Is site compatibility broken with both an updated Presto engine, and the new Carakan engine both in the same pre-alpha? Does Opera still pass Acid3?
Well, I took the liberty of hitting a couple of online benchmarks just to see what would happen. I did not do a proper series of tests, so don’t expect your own results to be the same, this was just a quick run to get an idea of where the new pre-alpha stands.
I ran Peacekeeper in Opera 10.5, SRWare Iron 3.0.197.0 (22047) (which is a somewhat faster version of Google Chrome), 64-bit Minefield 3.7a1 pre-alpha built on November 16th of 2009 (development build of Firefox in 64-bit which is more efficient on 64-bit operating systems), and Internet Explorer 8 with all updates applied. The operating system was Windows 7 Professional x64. The platform was VMware Player 3 with 1.5GB of RAM allocated to the guest operating system. The host operating system was running Windows 7 Professional x64, and the host computer has an AMD 64 FX-60 (socket 939) processor with 4GB of DDR RAM. The only resident software was VMware Tools (no anti-virus, no anti-spyware, no anti-malware, and nothing else running). Note that the JSBenchmark tests were run in the host operating system, using the same browser versions.
Below are the screenshots, but before you look at them, please note that your results will be different. I did not do a proper set of benchmarks, and these should not be used as definitive test results. Tests need to be run at least 10 times and the averages compared, and the files need to be loaded from your own hard drive and not run live off of the Internet. I did not do either of these, and thus the results of the tests are probably not entirely accurate.
Tests used: Futuremark’s Peacekeeper and JSBenchmark. Please have some fun, and run these tests yourself.
At first glance, Opera seems to do better in one test, and not as good in the other. And yes, I did neglect installing Minefield 3.7a1 for the JSBenchmark test. I really only cared about whether or not Opera beat SRWare Iron, and of course I had to have Internet Explorer for reference.
As far as stability, so far Opera 10.5 has been fairly stable. Unfortunately it did crash once on me while I was getting close to finishing this article. Oh well, such is the bane of pre-alpha software. Other than that one crash, I have gone the rest of the day without problems of any kind.
For those of you who want more information, more screenshots, and a download please head over to Opera Labs and the Desktop Team Blog.
If you enjoyed this post, then make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feed.
using
Heh, I thought I was the only guy visiting here anymore. It feels great to have a browser which competes and outcompetes the best out there. Now if we can implement extensions, there will be no more excuses for people not to switch.
using
Personally, I’m still 100% against extensions. That’s the only issue I have that’s major enough that would make me want to stop using Opera.
Just goes to show how we can all love the same browser, and have different opinions on how it should grow.
Oh, and I just realized that spell check isn’t working in 10.5… I wonder how many horrible spelling mistakes I made in that post.
using
This version looks promising. +________+
using
did they make “unite” an optional install yet? id like to be able to stop using my rolled-back version in favor of the new one.
using
“Personally, I’m still 100% against extensions. That’s the only issue I have that’s major enough that would make me want to stop using Opera.”
But what would be the alternative? Many browsers have support for extensions nowadays. Anyway, personally I don’t care much for extensions either. My usual reply to “there is an extension for that” is “well, Opera has that built in”.
I also think UserJS is underestimated. I built a quite usable script blocker with it. This is why I’m also very excited about HTML5.
using
Nice to see Operawatch back. Missed it.
Was intending to have a play, but no nix version yet…
“Private tab” and “Private window” Suppose you have to include it because everyone else has, but a Linux live disk does the job!
using
I would just build my own KHTML based browser. It’s not as good as Presto when it comes to compatibility, but it’s nice and fast.
Well, I wouldn’t go as far to say that we are ‘back’, but I felt like posting something. Fortunately, Kelson Vibber remembered the link to log in, as I had lost it sometime over the last year or so (that’s what I get for assuming it’s in an e-mail, and taking it out of my speed dial).
I’m with you on that one. I have plans to make a Debian boot DVD with this new Opera 10.5 pre-alpha on it. Can’t do that until they get the Unix versions out, though.
using
The two biggest reasons people give for not trying Opera are speed and extensions. Now, speed is no longer an issue. I have very little personally vested in extensions since I know how to utilize Opera, but if they could be implemented with minimum overhead, I say go for it. But right now, I’m content and happy for the future prospects of Opera.
using
I hope they release it before the competition is again ahead of Opera…
using
Great to see this place back!
using
Excellent post, GT500! I have debated posting random things over the last few months, most notably a tutorial about creating a search shortcut for shortening URLs (which I did post on my blog), but it seemed kind of wonky considering we weren’t blogging anything else. Maybe now I will.
I gave 10.5 a whirl today and was generally impressed. Things I noticed right away:
1) Pages loaded more quickly.
2) Google Reader doesn’t load at all.
3) Mouse gestures don’t work as well as before. Now you have to be much more deliberate in your motion for the gesture to fire.
4) Widgets designed for 10.10 and earlier will not work. (Expected.)
5) My installation of 10.5 in WinXP crashed three times over the course of about 3-4 hours. One time all I did was change a setting in Advanced Options and click Ok. This should be fixed for the real alphas, of course.
6) Clicking a link from an external program (Pidgin) loaded the target page inside the existing active tab instead of opening a new tab.
7) Menu bar is hidden by default! This is ok with the advent of the new “O” button on the left side of the tab bar, which gives access to the same menu items.
Overall, I like where Opera is heading except for one major thing: widgets. I’m not sold on this new way of dealing with them independently of the browser. Though I admit it might simply be a result of me not knowing enough about the new methodology.
using
Option-Command-F still does not place the cursor in the Google searchbox, as ever browser on Mac does.
You do own a Mac, do you not?
using
Wait. You’re the watch site.
Hence: They do own a Mac, do they not?
using
As it could be expected, its not stable at all. For me it crashed few times during general browsing and working (4 hours). I’ve sent crash reports to Opera of course.
I don’t mind it hovewer, as I said – it was to be expected.
Its helluva fast indeed. Personally I’m very happy for this Christmas gift
Wonder what they will give us on New Year ;P
using
lol. Still have the rss feed.
using
Hello,
Great news indeed . I am waiting for the release.Thanks for the information.
using
Where is the opera button, or can I access the menu bar with Opera 10.5 and XP?
using
I’ve really been looking forward to most all of the changes and new features. I think this could be Opera’s big chance to gain a larger market share. They’ve certainly introduced a lot of features and changes that I’ve been requesting over the years!
using
It’s in the upper left corner. The red button with the white ‘O’ on it.
using
Wow! A post after so long! I’m so glad Opera Watch is not dead. Good to see Private Mode there. Its one step ahead, thats great! BTW, will it be called Phantom Mode?
using
@radio_babylon: why regress when you can just not turn it on at all? unite doesn’t come turned on at all.
As for 10.50, it is noticeably faster in loading pages for me. It is too unstable right now though
Crashed a bunch of times in an hour depending on which tabs were running.
It has a nice set of UI improvements too.
using
Opera was all there was in my world pre-Firefox, but extension is what made me leave. Maybe I’ll come back when I see similar functionality to my favorite FF extensions (listed below):
AutoPager – automatic pagination
IETab – View website using IE engine
GMail Manager – view multiple GMail Accounts and hover to read new
Firebug – Web Developer tools
FoxyTunes – control any player app in browser
All-In-One Gestures – gestures with rocker gestures supported
Or, you all can tell me how to achieve the same effects with Opera, mayhap?
Tx -Rance
using
Any comments about why my.opera.com is down?
using
@Rance Mohanitz: Dont know how to use it ur problem stay on firefox lamer
using
No Greasemonkey? I’m not even going to bother trying to convince you opera n00bs. If not Firefox, then Google Chrome ftw.
using
Same here! I’m glad I did!
using
Opera has had User JavaScript for a very long time… GreaseMonkey scripts are often compatible with it as well, as long as Mozilla-specific stuff is removed/replaced.
using
Opera 10.5 pre-alpha on the sunspider test (running via win on Crossover on my mac, using the windows version in wine)
http://tinyurl.com/yjr83b5s (rather not post the full url as it has a length of 1129 characters)
Also seem to be misreading the Opera 10.x user agent string here
using
I figured I’d mention that I also maintain the feed.
Also, @avg:
Opera has had UserJS for a very long time. It may be slightly trickier to use than GM in some ways, but it’s easier in others.
using
Hahahahah max1c, I was using Opera when you were poopin’ yer diapers. If I’m missing something, please enlighten me. I’m sure that there are some workarounds for some of the extensions that I mentioned, so if any serious power users are reading these comments, I really would like to hear your suggestions. I’ve been playing with the pre-alpha, and I’d love to have that kind of speed coupled with my FF extensions’ functionality.
Thanks for all of your wonderful suggestions, max1c (dork)
using
@Rance, OK.
“AutoPager – automatic pagination”
Not sure why that was made as an extension rather than GM? Could be done easily in UserJS, but I don’t care for such behavior. See stuff like http://my.opera.com/community/forums/findpost.pl?id=3487161
“IETab – View website using IE engine”
Can be done, but I forget how. There seem to be several immediate useful results in any search engine, however. http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/04/28/how-to-add-an-ietab-like-feature-to-opera/ is one of them (which btw got it from this site).
“GMail Manager – view multiple GMail Accounts and hover to read new”
I don’t think you can do that, although with UserJS and/or Unite… there’s also M2, of course.
“Firebug – Web Developer tools”
DragonFly has been available for a while now.
“FoxyTunes – control any player app in browser”
Use global shortcuts, put it on your task bar, or stick a minimal bar like that always on top. Also works while you’re not in your browser…
“All-In-One Gestures – gestures with rocker gestures supported”
Which is supposed to be better than Opera’s mouse gestures how? Besides, I only liked gestures when I didn’t have proper keyboard bindings yet.
using
You’re missing a lot. That does seem to happen to people once they switch to Firefox though. It’s like it sucks their brains out through their eyeballs.
Anyway, I think Frenzie has a good list there. You can also find some good scripts at ExtendOpera.
using
Its sound great but more after deeply testing. Some of sites not able to perform perfectly in earlier version.
Orkut, Gmail still weak in 10.10 with slower connections, hope this new released will help more.
using
One more this why this detect my browser as Mozilla and OS as XP?
I’m posting via Ucweb mobile browser with custom user agents. This post with another user agent. Lets see what it show…
using
The user-agent detection plugin hasn’t been updated in a very long time (possibly 2 years). It’s showing Windows 7 as Windows NT. Windows Mobile 5.1 may show as Windows XP.
using
I hope this also update in final release, coz its very confusing and poor quality plug-in.
Coz no Mozilla Firefox and not win XP, here I’m posting via sony ericsson W700i phone.
using
The browser detection plugin on this blog doesn’t have anything to do with Opera, or with Opera Software. This blog is run by individuals who like to blog about Opera, and that’s it.
using
Don’t you mean 10.50 ??
using
Both the Opera Desktop Team Blog and Opera Labs Blog refer to it as 10.5…
using
@GT500: Yes they do, but they are WRONG! Clearly, 10.10 and 10.20 are _older_ than 10.50 so it can’t be 10.5
using
I believe that nobody it was hoping that It Opera 10.5 pre-alpha defeating to chrome
using
Perhaps you don’t understand their versioning scheme?
I admit that it has always been odd that they do version numbers like this (note that this is just an example):
1.1
1.2
1.3
…
1.10
1.11
…
1.2
1.21
…
1.5
1.51
If you look in the software, the version number actually says “10.50″, which probably means that they are leaving the implied zero off of the end on purpose.
using
Hey Frenzie and GT500,
Thanks for your serious suggestions (minus a little Firefox flaming from GT500 – hey I can handle it
). I’ll take a look at the things that you mentioned, because I really want to love Opera again, aspecially with the super-speeds that I’m getting with the pre-alpha.
Thanks again! -Rance
using
Looking at Frenzie’s suggestions, it seems that I should be able to do most of what I want to do.
@Frenzie – I use a lot of keyboard shortcuts as well, but I like to have the ability to go previous and next with rocker gestures (hold left button + click right button to go forward,etc.). I’m over the drag gestures, which, by the way, I first used in Opera 5 I think?
And one more extension that I’m lacking – There is an extension called BackIsClose (in other versions it was BackToClose) that closes a tab when you navigate back if there is no previous page in that tab. I used that with the rocker gestures to quickly navigate through a site, then back up until the tab closed.
I understand that some people don’t want the functionality of the extensions that I mentioned. That really isn’t the point – I want that functionality! And the point for Opera should be to give me everything I want so that I don’t use a different browser.
Also, Frenzie, I realize that much of the functionality that I want can be simulated with scripts, etc., without an extension, but most would prefer to simply DL an extension and GO!
Thanks again for the great suggestions! -Rance
using
Teseting 10.5 pre alpha. Very impressive. Tab bar is right on with google chrom type options. The transluscent tab bar is off the charts. This build looks promising and I’m excited. 10.10 has been a pain in the *** so far with windows 7 (64) lots of lock ups. So far this alpha build is screaming. Speeds are matching Chrome.
using
I just can’t resist a little bit of Firefox flaming.
using
@Rance:
Ah, so that’s what you mean by rocker gestures. But I’ve been using this in Opera since long before Phoenix even existed, so I must say that I still don’t know what you’re getting at.
Interesting idea, but I don’t think I’d like it. I could write you that as a UserJS in literally a few seconds, though. Something like if(history.length==0)window.close(); Heck, look at that, I finished it already; took me as long as it took to type it.
I suppose the real issue here is that Opera isn’t paying much attention to UserJS (a manager akin to GM would work wonders), but the Unite application could certainly help with that.
using
Um, I just gave that some more thought and that would of course not work properly, but I’m sure that something could be implemented along those lines.
using
Sorry for not getting your comment approved very quickly there Frenzie. My Internet is out today, and I’m on my phone while on the road with friends.
using
And my phone is not running MacOS… It’s running webOS, which is supposed to be Linux based with a WebKit based browser drawing the UI…
using
Hmmm how can i get this new invented opera 10.5?
using
Downloads are right after the screenshots on Opera Labs.
using
@GT500: less than a day according to the timestamps, no problem at all.
using
Another addendum, the following topic regarding some kind of AutoPagerizer thing was posted a couple of days ago.
http://my.opera.com/community/forums/topic.dml?id=355571
using
I can’t wait to see 10.5version.wow a beauty experience
using
@Rance: I use FlipBack (rocker gesture) to go back through history and then have the Delete key mapped to close the tab. Or, I middle click on the tab itself. I would close the window way too often for what you’re suggesting…
However, I was able to configure what you want with the standard gestures. Under Tools->Preferences->Advanced->Shortcuts, edit the mouse configuration. Then, under Application, change the FlipBack gesture to do “Back | Close page”. That tells Opera to go back in history if possible and close the page if not.
using
Boy, do I feel stupid. So obvious! I must say the idea of closing a tab automatically like that is kinda scary to me though so I guess I didn’t really think about it.
using
@Frenzie
Of course, you can always to Ctrl-Alt-Z to reopen the tab
using
Rance Mohanitz: lmao to bad ur still pooping ur pants cause clearly ur hands and brain are so badly damaged that u cant do anything else excpet write retarded comments gl hf noob. O and 1 more thers such thing called google also ENJOY!
using
I’ve got a slightly different keyboard shortcut, but yes, I know. I guess if you sort of work in a one website/task per tab way it could work. Personally I rather like to go back all the way to, for example, the Google search. And yes, I’m aware of rewind, but I’d just rather it not close automatically.
using
Many of the jquery ui demos appear to no longer work (they work ok in 10.10)