Opera Mini browser finally makes it onto BlackBerry App World

Rating: Will it work if BlackBerry crashes again we wonder?

Although it has actually been compatible with the BlackBerry OS for some years, the Opera Mini browser has finally made it onto the BlackBerry App World app store. Savvy BlackBerry users have been saving money on their data plans by downloading it manually from http:/m.opera.com. Having it made easily accessible on the official BlackBerry App World should ensure much wider usage if nothing else than the fact that consumers trust the official download sites for their brand of mobile OS. You have to wonder why it has taken so long to happen? Perhaps RIM is waking up to harsh commercial realities?Why would you want to use the Opera Mini browser instead of the regular BlackBerry browser?

The answer is that thanks to Opera’s technology, the handset only needs to transport around ten per cent of the data to the smartphone compared to standard operation.

Secondly, the Opera browser displays the pages to look more like they do in a standard desktop browser.

What also makes the Opera browser more enticing is the use of hot keys that make page-up and page-down viewing much faster.

Opera Mini’s zoom helps users dive into the content for easier reading and interaction plus it offers social sharing capabilities.

Another motivation for downloading the Opera browser is that it can enable a BlackBerry user to view sites which are simply unreadable using a standard BlackBerry browser.

Lars Boilesen, Opera Software’s CEO says, “By adding another destination to Opera Mini’s passport, we are extending our reach.

As the world’s most popular browser, we want to take every opportunity for people to have access to our browsers, regardless of the device.”

What he doesn’t mention is that – unlike RIM’s – Opera’s servers have never spectacularly crashed. GoMo News can’t be 100 per cent sure but if RIM’s did crash again, the Opera browser should still work.

Opera must be doing something right because more than 160 million people worldwide are using its product.

The other good news is that the BlackBerry App World is available in more than 100 countries globally.

If you can’t find it in the App World you many need to update the actual App World app itself.

If that fails then try using this link http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/43001/