Opera Turbo Compression in Opera 10 Alpha

Article by George Norman (Cybersecurity Editor)

on 16 Mar 2009

Following the release of Opera 10 Alpha Build 1345 just a few days ago, we have more good news for Opera fans and testers: Opera Software announced the availability of Opera Turbo, a server-side technology that is meant to compress data before it is sent to your machine. What does that mean for the user? It means you will be able to browser at even faster speeds, but this is not the only functionality the technology provides.

“At Opera, we love speed. We work hard to make our browser faster with features that speeds you up, but your connection also plays a big role on how fast you can go. Some people have fast connections, a lot have slow connections. Many are always on the run from one place to another — making it hard to find regular fast connection points. Even if you do, it might be that too many people are on the Wi-Fi in the cafe or that you are browsing through your mobile phone when commuting on the train,” Product Manager with Opera Software, Roberto Mateu comments.

Thanks to Opera Turbo, network traffic is compressed, thus allowing for enhanced browsing speeds over limited bandwidth connections. If you have a pay per usage Internet plan, the developers behind Opera Turbo expect this technology to positively impact your bill. Since network traffic is compressed, it only makes sense that you will pay less when accessing the web.

Note that not all traffic will be compressed. GIF files, Flash content and SSL-protected content will not be subjected to Opera Turbo compression. Flash content will not be loaded at all when Opera Turbo is enabled. You will get a notification box informing you that Flash content has not been displayed; you need to confirm the fact that you want to download said content by clicking the notification box.

“Opera Turbo will work with any type of connection, but to get the most out of it you should be on a situation with limited bandwidth, explained Roberto Mateu. “In case you can’t attend a crowded conference today or aren’t on a bus connected through your phone, you can simulate a slower connection speed with: NetLimiter 2 Pro on Windows and the pipe command on the Mac. We recommend limiting your bandwidth to 100Kbps.”

If you would like to get Opera Turbo, a download location is available here.


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