It was only a matter of time. Google Chrome, the internet browser they introduced in 2008, has been growing like crazy, passing Firefox to become the 2nd-most popular browser worldwide in the last quarter of 2011. Last week, it took the top spot from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, which has held that position for what seems like decades. Global traffic analytics company StatCounter has been tracking the data for years. Following Firefox are Safari at #4 and Opera at #5. One asterisk on the numbers: Firefox allows users to block their usage data making it invisible to StatCounter. With some estimating…

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…

Opera, the smallest big browser that is widely acknowledged, has had two impressive feats accomplished recently. It was accepted into the App Store, after numerous failures to get in because of Apple’s restrictive policies, and earned the number-one spot on the top free applications across the boards on the App Store. In 22 App Stores in 22 countries, there stood one app above the rest (now 19 of 22 as of the time of this article being published) in the free category: Opera Mini. It isn’t clear as to whether or not this popularity is do to Opera just being that popular or if the media coverage about the…

In a big surprise for iPhone users in search of choice, Apple has approved the third-party Opera Mini app for the iPhone. This version of Opera Mini has been developed specifically for the iPhone and is impressively fast. This is because it compresses data by up to 90 percent before fetching that data to the device, which has the effect of greatly accelerating page load speed (that’s particularly good if you’re on a slower EDGE network). It took Apple – known to reject apps which emulate those it provides – just three weeks to approve Opera Mini for the iPhone. The free Safari replacement is now available…

Technology is, in general, a great thing. It empowers us with information, entertains us with social activity, and allows us to explore our creativity. The mobile web plays its part in that equation, but it is something that many of us take for granted. Yet it is far more disappointing to realize that many emerging countries don’t have access to these services because of the immense data requirements and poor infrastructure. However, Vodafone and Opera are taking small steps that will have huge impacts, and it starts by leveraging what these companies already have. What these two intend to do…

There’s an iPhone browser break out beginning, with Opera Software submitting its Opera Mini 5 browser/app for the iPhone to the App Store. All that’s left is to wait and see if Apple will approve the Safari-competing browser….