Opera's Overhauled Android Browser Now in Beta

The first results of Opera's WebKit brain transplant are now available for people to try: a beta version of Opera for Android. The new version uses Android-native user-interface elements but preserves many Opera features such as Speed Dial. It gets some new features, too, such as Off-road Mode to enable a proxy-browsing technology designed for slow network connections and the Discovery tool for people who want to browse content tailored to their interests.

The new browser also offers a per-tab private-browsing mode, a new interface for switching among tabs, and the ability to group multiple items into Speed Dial "folders." And you can save pages for offline reading later. Speed Dial, a customizable array of bookmarks, has been a source of revenue because partners could pay to have their Web sites promoted there, as long as Opera deemed them worthy of the placement.