Browser: Opera version 12

Version 12 of the Opera web browser has now been released, with this bringing numerous new functions and themes, plug-in’s, speed, security and Web standards support.

Anticipated for a long time, the final version of Opera 12 is finally available. The Norwegian editor has used the occasion to clean up the browser and add new functions. Widgets are now gone, with these now obsolete and replaced by extensions while Voice has been added (voice recognition to control the browser). Unite is also gone, with this allowing you to transform your browser into a share server.

Opera 12 brings with it 64 bit support for Windows and OS X which should improve the performance of certain functions while improving memory allocation. The choice of the 64 bit architecture for Windows is one of the options that can be downloaded for the browser (from this page).

Opera 12 offers more customisation option via the new themes system which can be applied without restarting the program, with this making it simple to change the browsers appearance.

In the address bar, Web sites privacy and security settings are easily identifiable via colour badges. This is something that we are finding with more browsers.

For plugins like Flash Player, Opera 12 has called on a separate process which provides greater stability when the plugin lock’s up. The browser will still be usable in this case.

Opera Software ha announced faster page loads, better integration of Web standards like dragging and dropping HTML5, Animations and CSS3 Transitions, CSS Generated Content for Paged Media.

Opera 12 also handles WebRTC, HTML5’s getUserMedia API which calls on sites to interact with a webcam (numerous examples can be tested: Photo Booth, Polaroid, Facekat). The Do Not Track protection against web sites can also be activated in the security options (select sites aren’t allowed to track).

WebGL hardware acceleration is also present, but only in an experimental phase (not active by default – but if you want to activate it enter about:config in the address bar).

Download Opera 12 (Windows, OS X, Linux)