Announcing Opera Next and Speed Dial extensions

May 2, 2011 · by Andreas Bovens

This morning, we've released an alpha of Opera 11.50, which introduces Speed Dial extensions, and is the first build of what we call the Opera Next release cycle.

Opera Next

Opera Next is an easy way for Opera fans, early adopters and developers to opt in to Opera snapshot builds, alphas, betas, RCs and even final builds without overwriting their main Opera installation. Unlike the regular download of Opera, which auto-updates only to final releases, Opera Next will auto-update every time there is a new build available on the Desktop team blog.

Opera Next has its own silver icon (shiny, isn't it?), and is a completely separate installation with its own profile, so you can tinker around to your heart's content, while resting assured it won't affect your main Opera install. For more details and a visual explanation of how the normal and Opera Next release cycles differ, have a look at the Opera Next Knowledge Base article.

Speed Dial extensions

For the Opera 11.10 release, we improved the visual display and interaction of Speed Dial and added hooks for developers to make their site shine when shown in a Speed Dial cell.

In Opera 11.50, we're taking this a step further with Speed Dial extensions. Instead of being limited to web page or icon screenshots, Opera 11.50's Speed Dial cells now can render live extension content — example use cases are a weather Speed Dial extension with up-to-the-minute weather conditions, a webmail message counter, a news ticker with live sports scores, and so on.

As usual, we have prepared Dev.Opera tutorial article for you, as well as API documentation. We're looking forward to your submissions to the Opera Extensions catalog!

Note: our earlier HTML5 parser Labs build as well as an experimental build with hardware acceleration and WebGL had a UA string referencing "Opera 11.50". However, these features are not ready yet, and thus are not included in this alpha nor will they be in the 11.50 final release — expect them to pop up in post-11.50 builds though.

Readers' comments 25

Left under the original article, as archived.

Martin RauscherTuesday, May 3, 2011 8:29:32 AM
Neither HTML5 parser nor HW/accel in 11.5?! Really?
I thought that was the plan...

11.51 maybe then...
Martin KadlecTuesday, May 3, 2011 9:07:50 AM
there is definitely no chance for ragnarok in final?
Krio LythTuesday, May 3, 2011 9:29:32 AM
Welcome, Opera Next
I expect it to be much more convenient to keep track of snapshots - and you should be getting fewer bug reports for fixed bugs =)
HenryTuesday, May 3, 2011 10:10:37 AM
Opera Next
Charles SchlossTuesday, May 3, 2011 1:45:07 PM
Mağruf ÇolakoğluTuesday, May 3, 2011 2:01:14 PM
sirnh1Tuesday, May 3, 2011 3:18:22 PM
an experimental build with hardware acceleration and WebGL had a UA string referencing "Opera 11.50". However, these features are not ready yet, and thus are not included in this alpha nor will they be in the 11.50 final release

Although I was hoping for it to be in opera 11.50, I always suspected it to be in opera 12 with some marketing slogan as: 'Opera delivers full hardware acceleration on OS where microsoft says that it isn't possible'...
ouzowtfTuesday, May 3, 2011 9:01:56 PM
Originally posted by opera:

However, these features are not ready yet, and thus are not included in this alpha nor will they be in the 11.50 final release — expect them to pop up in post-11.50 builds though.
Daniel HendrycksTuesday, May 3, 2011 11:11:53 PM
Originally posted by ODIN:

Opera Next will auto-update every time there is a new build available
Does it download when Opera isn't open, like how Chrome has an updater that updates Chrome when Chrome isn't open?

Originally posted by ODIN:

Note: our earlier HTML5 parser Labs build as well as an experimental build with hardware acceleration and WebGL had a UA string referencing "Opera 11.50".

I guess this is because Opera is releasing versions faster and faster.
PengeTuesday, May 3, 2011 11:46:14 PM
Originally posted by DanielHendrycks:

Does it download when Opera isn't open, like how Chrome has an updater that updates Chrome when Chrome isn't open?

I guess not because
- No always running hidden process
- No entry in Task Scheduler
- No entry in Registry /Run
- No entry in Startup
Daniel HendrycksTuesday, May 3, 2011 11:58:21 PM
Originally posted by Penge:

I guess not because

Thanks, I guess I'll wait to see just what the update behavior is, then.
Kostia RomanovWednesday, May 4, 2011 2:03:59 AM
So, why is it called 11.5? Call it as 11.2, that would be fair.
Cutting SpoonWednesday, May 4, 2011 3:31:54 AM
I think this update methodology tweaks the frequency of the update check, and uses "download all snapshots"; making it official had to wait until something got ironed out in the backend.

Not really surprised that HA and the new parser aren't on the block for this release cycle, but it would be nice if Labs released frankenbuilds for them again within the next couple of months.
Andreas BovensWednesday, May 4, 2011 12:27:36 PM
Keep it in English, folks :-)
Rafael LuikWednesday, May 4, 2011 7:57:04 PM
Originally posted by DanielHendrycks:

Thanks, I guess I'll wait to see just what the update behavior is, then.
It might be just as before... What's a good thing in my opinion.
seamus2612Wednesday, May 4, 2011 9:01:08 PM
Originally posted by rafaelluik:

It might be just as before... What's a good thing in my opinion.

Everythng in this release is just as before, cause there are no real changes.
Barracuda was sacrificed for nothing, and now swordfish stands in line ...
Rafael LuikWednesday, May 4, 2011 9:25:15 PM
Originally posted by seamus2612:

cause there are no real changes
Password synchronization
Speed Dial extensions
More: http://my.opera.com/desktopteam/blog/swordfish-and-opera-next
seamus2612Wednesday, May 4, 2011 10:26:41 PM
Password synchronization:
I don't use this feature, a password is a password and it's good, that I must type it every time.
But I know, that most of the people don't like this. O.k., but no improvement for me.

Speed Dial extensions:
This feature isn't really bad, but all in all these are widgets, that can be pinned in a SpeedDial Item.
Nice, but what to do with all these extensions?
You must order it. But in 11.xx you don't have any chance to order SpeedDial as you want (as before).

Two powerfull fishes sacrificed for a Kopfgeburt (A german word, but there's no english word, I think, that means the same).
Kopfgeburt is a mere mind game, devoid of practical use.

Opera XX.50 always included big features ... but not nowadays.
Cutting SpoonThursday, May 5, 2011 4:04:06 AM
Hint: Previews are feature-incomplete. You won't know what is included until 11.50 reaches beta status.

Also, searching the Opera Knowledge Base for "Opera Next" did not find the article. I had to recover this news post to find a working link to that FAQ.
XYZThursday, May 5, 2011 6:06:00 PM
Rafael LuikThursday, May 5, 2011 7:09:02 PM
Originally posted by seamus2612:

Opera XX.50 always included big features ... but not nowadays.
You're calling features you won't use of nothing...
But OK, the fish isn't being sacrificed. Opera 11.50 will come with Hardware Acceleration don't you know? It's a huge improvement.
Cutting SpoonThursday, May 5, 2011 9:52:50 PM
To my knowledge HA will slip to 12. Waiting on more/better info but I think they mentioned it on desktopteam blog.
blackcaeserFriday, May 6, 2011 7:08:32 AM
Originally posted by rafaelluik:

But OK, the fish isn't being sacrificed. Opera 11.50 will come with Hardware Acceleration don't you know? It's a huge improvement.

Did you even *read* the blog post?
Note: our earlier HTML5 parser Labs build as well as an experimental build with hardware acceleration and WebGL had a UA string referencing "Opera 11.50". However, these features are not ready yet, and thus are not included in this alpha nor will they be in the 11.50 final release — expect them to pop up in post-11.50 builds though.

Originally posted by seamus2612:

Opera XX.50 always included big features ... but not nowadays.

Agreed. Password sync and the speed dial stuff may be nice but they are far from being "major" improvements. 11.20 would fit perfectly though.

//edit: It seems as if Opera's marketing picked up on Chrome's version race notwithstanding their claim to stay out of it.
Rafael LuikSaturday, May 7, 2011 2:15:03 AM
毕涛Sunday, May 8, 2011 2:19:29 AM