Opera Mini 4.0 now out

The favoured browser for mobile phones, now has a new version out. Opera Mini, the “cut-down” version of the popular web browser for desktops (Opera), has just been revamped with version 4.0, which improves the user interface, and adds a host of new features.

Some of the new features in Opera Mini 4 are the virtual mouse, the ability for the program to load full-sized web pages (and quite quickly at that) as well as landscape view, which sort of turns your mobile into a “mini PC”.

I’ve been running Opera Mini 3, and it was giving me quite a few problems. I see that this new version has addressed them, and, what I like about it the most, I think, is its ability to load pages far quicker that my old version 3.

Yesterday (Sunday) I received a message at the top of Opera Mini 3 to let me know that the new version is available. I clicked “upgrade” and was pleasantly surprised at the ease of the installation.

I’ve been using the beta version of 4.0 for a while, but I didn’t seem to like it that much (hence me reverting to the then stable version 3). But I see that Opera Software has significantly sorted out many of the issues of the beta version in the stable release of version 4.0.

I use a Nokia N73 mobile, and so I’m able to take advantage of the new “landscape” mode which makes web pages look like they would be on my desktop PC. However, I don’t always use this feature, as I’m quite used to the regular “Mobile view” (shows you how long I’ve been a Mini fan for, eh!?)

Another cool feature is the context menu that opens up when you press “1″ on your mobile’s keypad. This opens a context menu similar to the one you get when you right-click somewhere on a webpage on a desktop PC.

Overall, I think that this new version of Opera Mini rocks! It creates seemless integration between browsing on your desktop to browsing on your phone, and is certainly an excellent product to use if you, like me, are addicted to the Internet and it’s awesome services (i.e. Facebook!)

You can download Opera Mini by pointing your mobile phone’s wap-browser to mini.opera.com. To learn more about Opera Mini, visit the official website at: www.operamini.com.

When you do download Opera Mini 4, then why not bookmark TechZone, and set it to your speed dial? To do this, click on “Bookmarks” from the Start Page, and then click on “Speed-dial”. Select a position to place the T|Z bookmark, and enter the following into the “Address” field: http://www.tech-zone.co.nr/ Once done, click on the link below that says “Fetch title and icon…”, wait for a few seconds, click save and voila!

Here’s some screenshots of Opera Mini 4.0:

Android: An awesome platform, IMHO

Ok folks, there’s no gPhone. That’s what Sergey Brin says. Instead, there’s what Google calls Android, an open-source platform for developing applications for mobile phones. Since it’s open-source, it will defiantly be free! So, watch the video from Google headquarters by Sergey Brin (founder of Google) and Steve Horowitz, about this cool new platform and SDK (software development kit).

Why get a PC when you can get a Mac?

This is the second part to my “” posts. In this part, I will discuss why we should embrace the “Mac evolution”, and sacrifice paying just a little more for a better experience.

Overview:

• The whole Mac thing
• Expensive, but good
• Compatibility with Windows

First off, I’d like to say that I’m a huge Apple fan. Unfortunately, I don’t own a Mac, since I’m still in high school and Windows is just fine for me right now. I do plan on getting one in the future, possibly when I leave school in Grade 12.

• The whole Mac thing

Ok, you’ve probably heard of Macs, and maybe even had the opportunity to try one out (if you haven’t, then check out the iStore in Gateway, Durban). Immediately, you’ll notice something… something different. Where’s the Start menu? Why the heck is the cursor black? Well, that’s because Macs run on OS X, a different operation system to Microsoft Windows. Apple states on its website that OS X is the “most advanced operating system in the world”. And they are perfectly right about that. Because on Apple’s OS X, there’s no “cryptic error messages”, or messages asking you if you really want to open the application you just clicked (yes, Vista actually does this).

No, OS X does just what an OS should do, and that is to stay “transparent”. It works quietly in the background and doesn’t bother you, so that you can get on and do the work you need to acomplish.

But, Macs don’t come cheap… and that leads me to my next point…

• Expensive, but good

Macs are extremely expensive. I mean, the base laptop, the simplest MacBook configuration, costs nothing under R9000. But, just think about this: if you buy a new PC, for, let’s say R5000, that comes with a flavour of Vista. You’re still going to need to buy extra applications in order to get some work done with your PC. Buying all these applications will most probably result in you spending more than what you actually spent on your PC!

So, isn’t it worthwhile to get a Mac instead? Yes. Here’s why: Macs come with everything you need to begin working. They come with iLife, a set of applications for Mac that lets you create and edit your own movies “like a pro” in iMovie, make your own music in GarageBand and edit photos in PhotoBooth. These are award-winning applications are simple, intuitive and amazing!

• Compatibility with Windows

You may be wondering if Macs can run Windows apps. Well, no, not really. But that’s where software like Paralells and BootCamp come in. Paralells allows you to actually run Windows XP (or Vista, if you’re a brave soul) in a window within your Mac. Amazing. But, it costs R700. So that’s where BootCamp comes in. With this utility, you can install Windows on a partition (section) of your hard drive, and the next time you start-up your Mac, it’ll ask you whether you want to run Windows or OS X.

So, the choice is yours: do you want to join the 90% of users in the Windows market who just use Windows to get by with their life, or the 10% in the Mac market, who use their computers to enjoy living their life.

One Laptop Per Child: innovative, isn’t it?

Introducing the XO laptop – you can browse the web using Firefox, engage in online chat, play educational games and even play music. For only $100.

What?!

Yes, you read right. For only $100 (that’s around R1000). This is the OLPC – the One Laptop Per Child initiative that aims to let children in undeveloped countries, such as in Africa and the Americas, the chance to experience technology. The project is due to release later this month.

But the laptop will not be used for children only. OLPC has introduced a system where you can choose to buy two laptops – one for yourself, and the other to be donated to an underprivileged child.

The XO laptop also features an innovative power method. If, say, the laptop is in use where there is no power supply, the child is able to use a wind-up power system to power the laptop. This is just one of three ways to power this marvel of a computer.

You can read more about the OLPC by visiting the official website – http://laptop.org.

VISTA SUCKS: Damn right it does!

I found this video from a link over at Vista Sucks.WordPress.Com (www.vistasucks.wordpress.com) that was from blip.tv. It’s yet another HILARIOUS video chronicling the disaster that is Microsoft’s Windows Vista.

Click here to watch it.

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