Opera Mini and Mobile update – but which do you need?

Opera has just announced that it has updated Opera Mobile to 11 and Opera Mini to 6. James has already shown us that it’s his browser of choice on Android, and a hot favorite on Symbian, so it’s clear that Opera is an app to be reckoned with. With this double dose of innovation, however, it’s even harder to know which to pick – is Mobile or Mini the best browser for you?

As you might have guessed from the name, Opera Mobile is the version of the browser optimized for use on mobile devices and tablets. It’s got everything that you would expect from a regular browser, even using the same engine as the desktop version. In other words, Opera Mobile is as close as you can get to standard desktop browsing on a mobile device.

Opera Mini is the version Opera has released to make mobile browsing the fastest, lightest experience possible, saving you money in the process, especially if you pay for your mobile internet as you go. It does this by shrinking webpages down to a tenth of their size before sending them, which obviously makes for a much smaller, quicker experience.

[Image courtesy of Opera]

Although Opera Mobile and Mini are on very different version numbers, this update has brought the same changes to both. Both include improvements to make scrolling and zooming much smoother, something that really enhances mobile browsing. Added to this is new pinch-to-zoom functionality, something that users of other browsers missed when using Opera.

Also added is a Twitter, Facebook and blogging share button, which is pretty essential for anyone with even a passing interest in social browsing. Finally, for all you lucky tablet users, Opera Mini and Mobile have also been optimized for tablet use. Opera isn’t shy when it comes to mobile platforms, so there are quite a few to choose from. Have a look here to make sure you get the perfect one for you.