T-Mobile Prefers Opera Mobile for Smartphone Over Internet Explorer Mobile

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=2622' target='_blank'>http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=2622</a><br /><br /></div><i>"As T-Mobile announced earlier this year, the carrier plans to equip the "web'n'walk" ready devices with special "optimized Internet browsers" and now it seems we know what T-Mobile means. It looks T-Mobile will use Opera Mobile - at least for the Windows Mobile Smartphones as we can read now on T-Mobile's updated <a href="http://www.t-mobile.de/business/hersteller/1,4516,6253-_3681-761-2,00.html">SDA II specification</a> page: "Includes 64MB Mini-SD card with preinstalled Opera-Browser, SD card adapter to use the Mini-SD card with a card reader". So T-Mobile will definitively prefer the Opera Mobile Browser for Windows Smartphone over the original Internet Explorer Mobile (with Windows Mobile 5.0, Microsoft renamed the previously known Pocket Internet Explorer) which comes preinstalled with every Windows Mobile (5.0) device."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Kris-Sept05-TMobileOpera.JPG" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />Our friend Arne Hess over at the::unwired is reporting that T-Mobile prefers <a href="http://www.opera.com/winmobile/">Opera browser</a> for its Windows Mobile devices. I like Opera but not sure if it has a really big edge over the Internet Explorer Mobile. What I am looking for in a mobile browser is support multiple browser sessions or tabs. ;-)

[Mike Temporale]

8O Very cool. While I liked using Opera, I think it's a little overpriced for what it offers me. I've been able to get by without it. However, I wouldn't mind getting a free version baked into my device! :mrgreen:

[mbranscum]

On my SMT5600, Opera performs MUCH better than IE. I wouldn't go back for anytyhing. The price is a little high, but if you do much surfing, it's worth it.

[JuhaN]

I don't have a WM Smartphone yet but I love Opera on my Symbian Series 60 phone! I'm planning to get Qtek 8310 when it's available...

What are the pros and cons of IE and Opera on Windows Mobile Smartphone?!

[Mike Temporale]

I don't have a WM Smartphone yet but I love Opera on my Symbian Series 60 phone! I'm planning to get Qtek 8310 when it's available...

What are the pros and cons of IE and Opera on Windows Mobile Smartphone?!

As mbranscum said, it preforms much better. Better rendering, faster, longer load time, better scrolling, progress bar (IE in WM5 has a scroll bar), etc...

However, unless you do a lot of surfin' the $30 price tag is a little high. While I do some surfing (1-2 sites a day or so) on my phone, I don't find IE that bad that I want to pay $30 for something else. If the price was a little less....

[Mark Larson]

I do a lot of surfing on my SMT-5600, but there's no way I'm paying $30 for a browser.

[Mike Temporale]

Here (http://www.opera.com/pressreleases/en/2005/09/02/) is the Opera press release. Guess that makes it official. :)

[me]

As mbranscum said, it preforms much better. Better rendering, faster, longer load time, better scrolling, progress bar (IE in WM5 has a scroll bar), etc...

However, unless you do a lot of surfin' the $30 price tag is a little high. While I do some surfing (1-2 sites a day or so) on my phone, I don't find IE that bad that I want to pay $30 for something else. If the price was a little less....

However, no way to import bookmarks, no auto-complete, etc. And while one would have expected it to incorporate tabbed browsing, it doesn't.

The increased speed is probaby due to the web pages going through their proxy server, which compresses them, etc. Is there a monthly charge for that service? If so, what you end up paying is much more than $30!