Opera Mini 5 beta launches for Android smartphones

Opera announced the launch the Opera Mini 5 beta web browser for Google Android smartphones today, now available from Android Market or by pointing your smartphone browser to m.opera.com/next.

Although the Opera MIni 5 web browser was originally launched last year and is already available on BlackBerry phones this is a first for Google Android.

Opera also demonstrated a version of the browser for the iPhone at Mobile World Congress in February although official details of this launch haven't been confirmed yet and neither has the date for the final version of Opera Mini 5.

Designed specifically for mobile phones with traditional keypads as well as smartphones with touchscreens key features of Opera Mini 5's beta browser include tabbed browsing and a speed dial option (which sounds very much like thumbnailed bookmarks). The browser's password manager also gives the option to store passwords for email, social networking sites and online banking.

Opera Mini is currently the world's most popular browser on mobile phones ahead of Apple's iPhone browser.

Are you wondering what all the hype is about? Broadband Genie editor, Chris Marling sheds some light on the topic of smartphones and discusses whether or not Android and iPhone will replace the trusty Mac and PC in his blog article, here.