This week Opera Software has launched Opera Mini 3.0, the latest version of its mobile browser. Opera Mini is available for almost any mobile phone and optimized to reduce the size of data transferred to the phone, which makes browsing fast and cheaper for users that pay per kilobyte transferred.

Opera Mini can now allow users to launch their phone cameras through their browser to instantly publish photos to their e-mail, forum or blog. The integrated RSS feed reader keeps preferred news and content one click away in the browser. Users get the information they want sent directly to their phones.

Main features of Opera Mini:

• User-friendly access to all Web pages from a mobile phone
• Server-side data compression creates faster browsing and lower bills for services charged per kilobyte
• Download images, MP3s, etc. directly to the phone
• Style Opera Mini to your own taste by selecting from several new and bold skins to suit your mood
• Use Opera Mini’s advanced search functionality by selecting additional search engines for your start page

New with version 3.0:

• RSS feeds – Get all RSS news on your phone (now you can subscribe to your favorite RSS news feeds and every time you connect with Opera Mini all updates are just one click away. Sort the articles by feed source or by date)
• Photo blogging (share a picture from anywhere, anytime with your phone using Opera Mini’s photo sharing feature. Upload your photo to a blog or forum, or as an e-mail attachment)
• Content folding (the content folding feature shrinks lengthy menus to save your scrolling thumb. You can easily inspect the block of hidden content by hitting the [+] button next to it)
• Secure connection – safe and sound (secure connections will now let you safely use secured sites, such as your e-mail, bank site, online stores, with no exposure of your personal details)
• Even faster loading (all subsequent requests to a server within a session are now quicker. Opera Mini keeps an open connection between server and client reducing overhead TCP set-up times)

Just go to the Operamini site and download. You won’t regret it!

Here’s one more web based service that’ll help you to resize your pictures online – QuickThumbnail. You simply upload an image, than choose an option how to resize it and then download the resulting file. Once again it’s easy it can be!

The fastest way to resize your pictures and images. Choose an image file, select some resize options, and hit Resize it. Your image will be uploaded to the server and resized, and then any or all of the resized images will be provided in a single convenient view. Not only can you get simultaneous generation of different sizes but you can enlarge your images too.

It takes you just a few seconds and the quality of the newly-made picture… well, it’s really good! You just have to check it up for yourself. It also can make two or three different types of resized pictures simultaneously!

Just note, that uploaded photos and their resulting copies are kept on the site’s server for only 10 minutes as a security precaution.

Software maker Adobe may sue Microsoft if it is not satisfied with the European Union’s steps to ensure Microsoft’s new operating system does not shut out rivals, Adobe’s chief executive said.

Bruce Chizen told Germany’s Euro am Sonntag newspaper there were two options: to sue Microsoft directly or to work with the authorities and provide them with the necessary information.

“We’re doing the latter. Then we’ll see,” Chizen said in an interview released on Saturday ahead of publication on Sunday.

Microsoft’s new Vista software, due to be released early next year, contains a version of fixed document formats which would compete with Adobe’s PDF format. Microsoft has pledged to make changes to its version.

Chizen added that Adobe, known for its popular Acrobat document reader, was considering offering some of its more sophisticated software for photo and video editing over the Internet, financed by advertising.

“It would be a shame if we could not fit this into our business model,” Chizen said.

via Reuters

Microsoft being so generous lately. What do I mean? Well, guys at Neowin.net got an info that everyone who took part in the Windows Vista beta test (and that’s about 20,000) company have provided a complimentary copy of Windows Vista Business or Ultimate. But there’s a little catch – really not all of 20,000 testers got new & hot software but only those who submitted at least 1 bug report.

Microsoft sent out a mail to those testers just a few minutes ago which specified that it is being offered as a download only. No media will be mailed, and only currently active, invited members of the Windows Vista technical beta program who filed at least one bug are receiving this offer.

Well, can you say now Long Live Micrisoft or still not?

via Neowin

Google has refreshed the design of the recent 4.5 release of Google Desktop. To my mind now it’s better, faster and more personalized. In later versions of Google Desktop gadgets are floating on the desktop and the Sidebar has a definitely new look.

The new Sidebar is transparent, so it fits seamlessly with your desktop environment. Gadgets that fought for attention now look right at home, and content-heavy gadgets get new frames and icons that make it easier to tell them apart. All of this leads to a better place to find your email, news, feeds, stock prices, weather and other essential information. And this version is compatible with all of the latest software including Microsoft Vista, Office 2007 and Mozilla Firefox 2.0.

via googledesktop

You can download and try the new Sidebar in Google Desktop now right from here.

At the end of last week my Skype-client have told me that there’s a new BETA version (for Windows users) available… I was too busy that time to download and look at it but now time have come! So, what’s inside Skype 3.0 (Beta version)? First of all there are lots on new and very interesting functions (like skypecasts (which were available in the 2.6 Beta already), public chats etc.).

So, lets start with those skypecasts:

In Skype 3.0, you can browse the current Skypecasts straight in Skype on the Live tab. When you decide to join or host one, the Skypecast itself will run within a separate tab where you have all the host or participant controls to ask for mike, see who’s the host and do all those other things you need to do in a Skypecast. So there won’t be no more of those clunky pop-up browser windows. To join Skypecast just click the link and talk (or just listen to the conversation). Every Skypecast have all ‘statistic’ you need to know (subject, who’s hosting it, number of participants right now). One more thing about the host: one who organized the whole talk have more rights and can vary a few things, for ex. They can cut somebody short so you won’t be able to talk, just listening to the conversation. Also he can set a chat time (how long the conversation will take place). There’s a 5 hours limit (maximum). For that time chat will be available even if there’s no one is talking. After that chat will be deleted (only if there’s no one inside, if there’s at least one person it still will ‘live’). (more…)

It finally happens! Sun Microsystems Inc. said on Monday that it will make its Java software available for free by giving it to the open-source community. Though company will continue to sell and support standardized versions of the product.

The main cause of that action is to make that ‘sunny’ software more widely available (company still is striving to return to consistent profitability). Several key components of Java are already available for free download and the rest will be released in 2007. ‘Altogether it will put some 6 million lines of Java code into the public domain, making it one of the largest such grants to date’. That what Reuters have told us : )

As you’re all know Java software lets developers write one set of code for programs that work on different types of computers and operating systems. (more…)

You like or need to share files online and you’re not a big fan of Rapidshare? Well, as they say there’s always a choice!

For example try Files-Upload. This web based service will let you upload up to a 1GB file unlimited times and unlimited storage. Sounds good? Okay, but there’s a catch (and really not just one). First of all (and that’s the worst thing of this one) your files will only be retained for 6 months since the last download of that file so if you want them to stay online for longer period you’ll have to upload ‘em every 6 month or they just disappear. Next one is that you can upload files up to 1 GB storage only by Ftp client (http upload is only up to 300 MB, but it is still better then free Rapidshare). Good points are: support for resuming downloads, there’s no downloading and uploading limit, splitted archives also allowed. Guys from Files-Upload also offer a free subdomain “myname.files-upload.com” for easy access to those files. And it’s all totally free (at least for now) so what are you waiting for – just register and GO : )

You need a handy tool to make some simple moves with your photos, but you don’t want to install any software (even if it’s totally free)? Well, as I always say there’s a choice! Try for example Pixer.

It’s an online ajax-powered photo editors, with really simple controls. But once again there’s a catch. The worst thing (maybe that’s just for me, eh?) is that you can’t preview changes you make on your own picture (you upload it, but as soon as you make any change you’ll see the standard picture of that service with two pretty ladies on it). Don’t worry as soon as you done with editing just save the result on your hard drive and you see that this service really works. (more…)

How many ways of using maps do you know? And online based, like Google Maps? Well, you can add one more to ’em, cause that’s what Dropspots is all about!

Of course you’ve heard about popular in our days social games? So that’s one of them: firstly, you have to hide a gift (well, nearly anything will work, that’s not the point) in some real place, than map it on site (which is powered by Google Maps) for someone to find. Well, it also works another way: you can find an interesting to your mind drop spot on the map, try your luck – go and pick it up!

It’s simple, fun with a bit of social interactive activity. So, why don’t you give it a shot?