Opera has released a major update for Mac, Windows, and Linux today with the launch of its new R5 browser. Headlining features include shareable Pinboards, a new popout UI for more flexibility with video calls, integration of four more streaming music services, and more.
Opera announced the launch and detailed the new R5 browser update in a blog post today:
Over the past year and a half, we’ve all seen how use of the web is changing, and how much more we’ve come to rely on our browsers. According to a study we conducted, 65 percent of people have been spending more time online during the last year and a half. Two thirds have also been spending more time online during their free time. Our newest major release addresses changing patterns in how we use the internet with a set of features that support your key online activities: from video conferencing through entertainment to sharing ideas with others and getting feedback on them.
To put it simply: We are providing smart ways to improve your online lives.
Taking a page from Pinterest, Opera R5 (version 77) has gained Pinboards to save, organize, and share (the entire thing) with others. You can save websites, images, links, and notes to the new Pinboards. And when sharing a link to an Opera pinboard with others, they can access it from any device.
Sharing a pinboard involves simply sharing a link, and those who it’s shared with can view everything the pinboard owner posts, as well as react with emojis.
The other big feature wit Opera R5 is a floating popout window for video calls.
Those who spend many an hour on calls are all too familiar with video conferences hijacking their entire screen. And we also struggle with finding the tab with the meeting after looking something up in another tab or simply getting distracted.
The new video call popout feature works with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft teams. Here’s how it works:
Video conferencing popout pops the video out of the tab and keeps it on top of other tabs. This happens automatically when you switch to another tab, and the video pops right back in when you return to the call’s original tab. The behavior can be adjusted in settings. This makes multitasking easier, so you can stop juggling tabs during calls. There’s also a clever option to make the floating window transparent, giving you both more screen and constant contact with the people on the call.
Apple Music and Spotify integration have been available in Opera but with R5, that’s expanding to including Deezer, Soundcloud, Tidal, and Gaana.
Other new features include new wallpapers that are designed to work well with dark and light modes. Check out a closer look at Opera R5 in the video below. The new update is available for Mac and more for free on Opera’s website here.
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