On launch day Thursday, Opera 11 was downloaded 6.7 million times compared to 1.7 million a year ago with Opera 10.10. While these numbers are strong for the company that has put much of its focus on its mobile browser, one aspect of the numbers may catch many by surprise. 53% of the new downloads admitted to switching from Firefox while 43% were switching from Internet Explorer. Part of the success of the launch can be attributed to Opera’s appeal to the Reddit audience. The social news site is quickly becoming a force that drives tremendous traffic and holds a certain level of “intellectual superiority”…

Internet Explorer is a distant memory for anyone who knows what the word “browser” means. Firefox is hanging on by a thread amongst the tech savvy mostly due to its assortment of addons and plugins, but Chrome is climbing fast and will likely eclipse it on most fronts. Is there any room left for Opera? Many who have tried Opera 11 would say, “Yes”. It may just be that good. What’s New? There are several new features added to the newest version. Added safety, integration with search and mail, and visual mouse gestures are nice additions, but it’s in the other two that we see a potential for Opera to distinguish…