Opera Software is shipping a new version of its web browser for desktops and devices. Opera 8 supports Linux and other OSes, and features a kiosk mode for public PC applications, support for SVG (scalable vector graphics), tabbed browsing, a “security bar,” and a host of other new features.

The browser is popular in a variety of embedded systems, including kiosks, PDAs, set-top boxes, and smartphones from Motorola, Nokia, and others. The previous Opera release, 7.60, added a feature to eliminate horizontal scrolling, regardless of screen size, while the 7.50 release added an IRC chat client. Opera 8 has been beta testing since January.

Of particular interest to embedded developers might be support for SVG; a mature but relatively obscure web standard that could be on the brink of proliferation, according to Publish magazine. Publish says SVG support is “increasingly mandated” in 3G phones, and that forthcoming 1.1 version of Firefox will support SVG. Additionally, SVG may be useful to embedded developers building device interfaces using web technology, an area being investigated by Opera and others.

Further details about the new version of Opera can be found at DesktopLinux.com, eWEEK, and at the Opera Software Website.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.