Opera 8.5 Pocket PC beta version is based on the same core as the Opera 8.5 desktop browser and brings the full internet to mobile Pocket PCs. The version is available for both WM 2003 and WM 5.0. We tested the browser and we were very happy to see that it supports the VGA resolution out of the box, as our comparative screenshot reveals. There are still bugs though, namely with zoom control, fonts become huge when unchecking the “fit to screen” option or going landscape, and the fact that it doesn’t pop up the virtual keyboard when a form field/URL-bar is focused. Other than that, it looks great.
Opera 8.5 Beta for Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2003/SE/5
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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Some visual improvements I would like to see:
1. Use the standard scrollbar. Opera’s have smaller edge-scrollbar-buttons which are more difficult to target and click with a stylus.
2. Use a smaller font on the URL bar (use Sans Serif). The font used currently is ugly and spaced-out and takes away too much space in the url bar even if the URL is small.
3. Change the Goto/Menu order to Menu/Go. Currently, it reads like a sentence: “Go to menu”. I wonder why noone spoted that at Opera…
Having used briefly a Nokia 770 with Opera 8 (I think) I must say that Opera has done a beatifull job with mobile implementations.
With Opera, you can use GMail in all it’s glory, the way Google developers intended it to be. Same goes for Google Maps and all other Ajax, JS, FLash sites.
I must say the 770 still has an edge over the Pocket Pcs with 800*480 vs 640*480 for the latter.
I personally use numerous Ajax websites such as http://www.rmilk.com and I must say that it is diificult to imagine having a browser that doesn’t provide this functionnality (that’s you Pocket IE and Netfront!).
Unfortunately the 770 is otherwise too limited in functionnlity for me, and I have a bad experience with PPCs. Eugenia, do you know if/when, they will get this ported to Palm? I would love to use this on a Palm TX.
Thanks
Eugenia, do you know if/when, they will get this ported to Palm? I would love to use this on a Palm TX.
Unfortunately (as I am a Palm OS user), I do not think this will happen any time soon. The Palm OS is somewhat of an endangered species at this time. It’s never gotten over Sony’s departure (who really brought the “cool” to the Palm OS).
These companies can always be relied on to sign their own death warrants and weild the axe on to their own necks by supporting Microsoft and Windows – in a market where they are the minority and are already committed to IE being pre-installed.
100 million downloads of Firefox and 30% usage in some European countries says you’re talking rubbish.
100 million downloads of Firefox and 30% usage in some European countries says you’re talking rubbish.
1. This is not about Firefox.
2. This is not about desktop Windows, but a version of Windows that is in a minority – Windows Mobile.
Please do try to read and think before jumping in with the usual tosh that people tend to do.
Are you aware of the fact that Pocket IE is a somewhat limited application which isn’t exactly as ‘good enough’ as its desktop counterpart? I mean it’s just almost plain unusable in default installation, and not so convinient even with MultiIE od PocketPlus installed. So I don’t think that PPC Opera will be a flop.
Are you aware of the fact that Pocket IE is a somewhat limited application which isn’t exactly as ‘good enough’ as its desktop counterpart?
Then you leave Mobile Windows users with their inferior IE. Bet on the fact that Microsoft wants to make IE the default, and it doesn’t help Opera supporting platforms where they are simply not welcome.
The point is that people do download software to replace defaults and alternatives can exist and survive. The results of Firefox on the desktop proove this. The GP was spouting rubbish by claiming that making alternatives to defaults is a waste of time.
The point is that people do download software
No that’s not the point. People are not going to be downloading software for a Windows Mobile machine (or on any mobile platform – you have read the article?) in a market where Windows is a minority. Opera will be better off not supporting, and gaining share for, a platform that is in the minority where its producer wants to explicitly eradicate Opera and all alternatives to IE and their own software.
replace defaults and alternatives can exist and survive.
And we all know how successful those have been on Windows. Firefox has gained some share because Microsoft has stopped pushing and improving IE, but the point is that at least 70% of users use IE. That’s not a successful replacement of a default.
The results of Firefox on the desktop proove this.
Not applicable here. Desktop Windows is a monopoly and any software has no choice but to support it, at least in some way. Windows Mobile isn’t.
The GP was spouting rubbish by claiming that making alternatives to defaults is a waste of time.
You haven’t read what I’ve written at all, and you have no clue what I’m talking about.
Wait.. wait.. let me get this right. You are criticizing Opera for supporting another platform?
Wow. I thought you were a big FOSS guy, all about choice.
I guess not if it involves a Microsoft platform.
Just put it on there and yeah it is far far better than the other browsers but damn it really is a “needs must” rather than every day need to browse on those devices.
yes, yes, you are all experts. now get on with your lives.
i don’t know about everyone else, but the Opera version would be impossible to read without having the PDA up to my face. The NetFront version and even the IE version i could probably read without squinting or moving it closer.
What good is the better res if the text isn’t readable?
VGA screens on PocketPCs come on 3.6″, 3.7″ and 4.0″ diagonial. When the normal PC desktop DPI is used, that’s about 200 dpi, making text very small.
But some people want that so they can fit more text in the screen. Nokia is doing exactly the same with their new smartphones too, I blogged about it here:
http://slashdot.org/~Eugenia%20Loli/journal/126616
But I hear you. “True” VGA rendering on mobile devices is NOT for everyone. Thankfully you can alter the font size though on most browsers. Unfortunately, on this Opera implementation you can only change the Zoom factor, not the text factor (zoom also resizes images, making them look like crap).
If you don’t have a VGA device, but a QVGA one, you should be ok though.
Edited 2006-01-18 18:56
I must have good eyes. Test that small on a tiny pda screen isnt hard for me to read at all. but that is just me
More screenshots available here:
http://www.win-vista.net/modules.php?set_albumName=album10&op=modlo…
I made those today. Really, this is a GREAT peace of software. it will change the way i do browsing on my x50v. Works great in true VGA mode.