Opera Software today released the beta 1 of version 7.50, redesigned from the bottom up for Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris. Today's release marks the first time that upgrades for all desktop platforms have been released simultaneously, with Opera now bringing its Mac browser up to par. Opera 7.50 offers users a significantly improved user experience, with added Internet functions and an entirely new user interface.

With 7.50, Opera becomes more than a Web browser. Along with browsing, Opera users get an enhanced built-in e-mail client, Opera Mail, and a new IRC-compatible chat feature. Opera Mail offers intelligent e-mailing with support for instant content search, a contact database, a newsgroup reader, automatic filtering, and now features spellchecker and RSS newsfeeds. Spam filtering is taken a step further in this release by allowing users to teach filters to recognize a class of messages. Classified e-mails are then automatically directed to a designated work, personal, or special interest folder to tailor e-mail management.

Upon opening the browser, Opera users will immediately recognize a completely remodelled interface with a fresh, light appearance, smaller buttons, and quicker access to key browsing features in the panel selector. The panel selector is optimized for speed and productivity and includes features such as bookmarks, notes and is home to Opera Mail and the debuting chat feature that supports private and group discussions.

"Opera's superior Internet experience is further enhanced with Opera 7.50," says Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera Software. "Opera now delivers all mainstream Internet applications in a single, seamless product across platforms. In our features power pack, fans will notice significant speed boosting in everything from start-up loading time, page rendering, e-mail search, UI tweaks, to even exiting the application."

7.50 continues to push Opera in speed and improves standards support while maintaining its status as the smallest full-featured browser available.

For more information, please refer to the changelog: www.opera.com/windows/changelogs/750b1/

Availability

The browser is available free of charge with a sponsored advertising banner in the top-right corner of the user interface. Users can register their version to omit the advertising banner, receive access to support and receive 6 months free use of Opera Web Mail Premium for only USD 29 during Opera´s special Happy Hour campaign, running for a limited time only. Various discounts apply.

About Opera Software ASA
Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web browser technology, targeting the desktop, smartphone, PDA, iTV and vertical markets. Partners include companies such as IBM, Nokia, Sony, Motorola, Adobe, Macromedia, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies, Sony Ericsson, Kyocera, Sharp, Motorola Metroworks, MontaVista Software, BenQ, Sendo and AMD. The Opera browser has received international recognition from users, industry experts and media for being faster, smaller and more standards-compliant than other browsers.

Opera's browser technology is cross-platform and modular, and currently available on the following operating systems: Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Symbian OS, QNX, TRON, FreeBSD, Solaris and Mediahighway.