Windows Phone Thoughts: Opera Mini Goes Native on Windows Mobile

"Opera Software today launched a native version of Opera Mini 5 beta for Windows Mobile 5- and 6-based handsets. By integrating Opera Mini with the Windows Mobile platform, Opera is able to deliver an optimized version of the popular Opera Mini browser that dramatically improves performance and the overall user experience. While Opera Mini traditionally requires Java, the new Windows Mobile version does not, which means that Opera Mini will work on any Windows Mobile phone. The Opera Mini 5 beta for Windows Mobile includes the same rich feature set as the Java-based version. Renowned features, including tabbed browsing, the password manager, bookmarks and Speed Dial, are built-in to deliver convenience while on-the-go."

If you've found Opera Mobile to be too much for your needs and prefer something a little more lightweight such as Opera Mini, then you'll be happy to know that the latest beta is now native on Windows Mobile. That's right, there's no longer any need for a JVM. It's free, so head over to the Opera web site, download it, and give it a whirl.