Fat lady sings: pre-installed Opera on some WinMo 6 devices

Let's call this Act 1 since it's preliminary information from InfoWorld at the moment. Actually, do operas even have "acts"? I need to get out more. Turns out that the CEO of Opera announced that some Windows Mobile 6 handsets will have the Opera browser pre-installed. Which devices have the powerful, small-screen savvy browser? Opera says "Motorola Inc.'s Q as well as phones from High Tech Computer Corp., Asus and Toshiba Corp".

OK, that doesn't tell us exactly which models (other than the Q) will have Opera included, but that's for Act 2. My questions / thoughts:

• Wouldn't it be nice if IE could be uninstalled in a case like this? Why take memory for two similar apps?
• Can Opera be set as the default browser? Currently, if you click a link in e-mail on a Windows Mobile device, you get the joy of IE, even if you have alternative browsers installed.

Comments

[Paul O'Brien]

The first time you run Opera on PPC, it asks you if you want to make it default.

P

[Northern_Rebel]

I downloaded Opera and it installed ok on my MotoQ, but it looks like its touchscreen only now. I couldn't find anyway to activate items on the top line. All references refer to click the address bar, etc. Did I miss something? I like the look much better than IE and would love to use it but can't as is. Is there a newer beta I missed?

[Northern_Rebel]

I found a different version that I can navigate with but the page rendering is not as good as the version I tryed first, more like IE. Guess I'll be waiting awhile to use Opera.

[Warner Crocker]

Yes, Kevin, Opera does have acts, and occasionally extended intermissions.

[Lily]

Which version did you download for Windows Mobile for smartphone? since they have not released that version yet? I have the Blackjack which should work with the one that runs on the Q.

[Northern_Rebel]

I first downloaded Opera8 for mobile PCs (I think), old Treo user. I then followed through the website links on my PC and got the version listed for the MotoQ. It works, but this version looks my like IE. The first version I installed displayed the web pages more like what I see on my PC but miniaturized. It was much easier to find what I wanted on a web page. Guess I have to wait till the new smartphone version is ready.

[Northern_Rebel]

I first downloaded Opera8 for mobile PCs (I think), old Treo user. I then followed through the website links on my PC and got the version listed for the MotoQ. It works, but this version looks my like IE. The first version I installed displayed the web pages more like what I see on my PC but miniaturized. It was much easier to find what I wanted on a web page. Guess I have to wait till the new smartphone version is ready.