Webfusion

Decades after Maria Callas brought down the house at the Met, Opera Software has released its new 10.5 browser version out to critical acclaim. While Google is actively working to shift the browser into an OS, Opera has released a new browser that outpaced Safari, Chrome and Firefox without breaking a sweat.

While the browser wars have drawn interest from some of the largest software firms, Opera continues to focus on user experience and innovation stemming from its 1994 origins as a side research project. Recent benchmarks from Computer World demonstrate the Windows version of Opera 10.5 Beta is 15% faster than Safari, which has long been the leader in load times.

The major improvement in the browser is due to Carakan, an improved Javascript engine which uses less memory and executes scripts seamlessly. Opera, which has long been a leader in mobile browsing with its Mini product, must also contend with new engines such as Google Chrome’s V8 and Apple’s Squirrelfish Webkit (Doctor Seuss goes to Cupertino.) With fully integration with Windows 7, native HTML 5 and CSS 3support and improved security, the Opera 10.5 Beta is seeking alpha.