Opera's Browser Tapped for Archos Tablets

Opera Software (News - Alert) has announced that Archos, a consumer electronics manufacturer, has selected the Opera browser for devices to complete its new line of Internet Media Tablets, the Archos 5, 5g and 7.

 

The Opera 9 browser is available free of charge to Archos customers and will automatically be activated upon device registration. Opera has long been a feature on the Archos line of portable video players, including the Archos 604 WiFi (News - Alert), 605 WiFi and 705 WiFi.

 

When surfing on the Archos 5, 5g and 7, users will have to option to connect via WiFi or over their cellular 3G network if they have a subscription. Opera also comes bundled with Flash 9.0 in this delivery.

 

Users of the Archos Internet Media Tablets will get the newly-included ARM (News - Alert) processor, as well as the ability to download and use Widgets. Widgets for Archos include instant access to services such as weather forecast, news, currency and unit converters and a calculator.

 

Archos 7, with a seven-inch screen, will be available in October, and Archos 5g, a 30 GB hard drive with a high-resolution 5-inch screen, later this year.

 

In early August Opera Software announced that its Opera Mini browser will now be installed and available to "a significant number" of cell phone users in Germany through service provider O2's "Internet-to-Go" initiative.

 

The service provider's customers will have access to "the full Internet experience," Opera officials say, "from the convenience of their mobile phone, allowing them to view news, weather, e-commerce, and social networking Web sites."

 

O2's "Internet-to-Go" will be available on several models with both installed or over-the-air versions of the Opera Mini browser. The Samsung (News - Alert) U900 Soul will launch mid-summer with the installed version and as early as late July with the OTA version. Opera Mini will be O2-branded featuring a customized skin and pre-set bookmarks.

 

Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software, said the company hopes "to build on our relationship with O2 in the future and use this to continue" expanding in Europe.

 

In July Opera Software's State of the Mobile Web report found that six out of the most popular phones models for Web browsing with Opera Mini are from Nokia, two are from Sony Ericsson, one is from BlackBerry (News - Alert), and one is from Samsung.

 

In the United States, nine of the top 10 phones for Opera Mini are BlackBerries. The report can be viewed in its entirety from http://www.opera.com/mobile_report/.

 

"People want the Web on their phone regardless of the type of phone they have," said Tetzchner. "Our list of top phones shows both smartphones and feature phones. It proves that given the right experience, many more people will use the Web on their phone. Accessing the Web on your phone is not a luxury limited to who has the most expensive phone model."