New Opera beta 50

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by sgunhouse

Fresh Opera 50.0.2762.4 has been promoted to the beta channel ;-)

The change log, and the announcement.

 
"Opera 50 enters the beta stage, with an offering of Chromecast support, the ability to save web pages as PDF, more functional tab context menu, four cryptocurrencies for the currency converter, improved unit converter, and session protection against crashes.

 
Chromecast support

Chromecast is gaining popularity with Google revealing, that it has sold 55 million units, since releasing the device in July 2013. Today, Opera 50 beta supports Chromecast playback.

 

 
To start casting, go to Settings (Preferences on macOS) > Browser > User interface, and tick “Enable Chromecast support”. Opera 50 can support casting for videos, tabs and your full desktop display. To start casting a YouTube video, for example, click the cast icon found in the video’s player controls, as shown below. Opening the page’s context menu or opening the O-Menu (View on macOS) are alternatives to begin casting.

 

At the moment, Opera’s support for Chromecast is available only in certain markets, while we continue to implement this feature on a larger scale.

 
Save pages as PDF

Storing a page for offline reading, sending it to other devices or safe keeping for future reference can now be done with the "Save Page as PDF" function.

To save it as a PDF file, go to the O-Menu (or File on macOS) and select “Save Page as PDF”. When triggered, it will save the entire web page into a single PDF. A shortcut can be created for this function under Settings (Preferences on macOS) > Browser > Shortcuts > Configure Shortcuts.

The file will take advantage of PDF capabilities, which means it will be smaller than a plain screenshot, stored in PNG format, and you’ll be able to select and copy the text.

 

 
Traditional way to create a PDF has been previously available in Opera. First select to print the current page. In the printing dialog choose “Save as PDF” as your printer. There are multiple options, that control how the PDF will be generated including: layout, headers, margins and so on. This is the best option, if you later intend to print it.

 

 
What are the differences between these two methods?

The new "Save Page as PDF" option will store exactly what you see on your screen. It’s great for offline reading, sharing pages, or keeping them on your system for future reference. The printing method will ask for the page to layout itself in a printer-friendly way. As a result, you may get something different from what you see on screen. You can try both options on this blog post.

Opera’s "Save Page as PDF" option will save what your browser sees. It will not try to load images, that are currently invisible, which might be the case for sites that load images only, after you have scrolled and made them visible.

This option is screen-friendly, which means it’s optimized to save exactly what you see, and to be convenient for offline reading. However, it’s not prepared to be printed. In case you want to print the page, you should use the printing method, and fine tune the details to your needs.

 
Tab’s context menu is more functional

Items in a tab’s context menu were cleaned up and grouped into related sections, while receiving new actions. Reopening closed tabs and windows became easier with “Reopen Last Closed Tab” moved to the bottom. The option can change to “Reopen Last Closed Window” (for Windows and Linux platforms), if a full window was the last thing to be closed. “Reload” and “Reload All Tabs” are two new functions, to quickly refresh your current browsing session. The latter will ask for your confirmation, if you have more than 10 tabs opened.

 

 
Currency converter extended with cryptocurrencies

The list of currencies recognized by our currency converter is extended with four popular cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), 1.00 BTC, Ethereum (ETH), 1.00 ETH, Bitcoin Cash (BTH), 1.00 BCH, and Litecoin (LTC), 1.00 LTC.

 
Improved unit converter

Today, our unit converter is becoming even better, as we’ve added support for millimeters [mm] to be converted into inches [in]. In addition, there’s also support for dimensions. This means you’ll be able to convert the dimensions of a 10 x 10″ picture frame, or a 10 x 50 x 25 mm collectible toy car.

 

 
Protect your session against crashes

Upon a crash loop detection, Opera will not remove your current browsing session. Instead, all pages will be marked for manual reload upon re-activation, except for the current tab, which will detail the encountered problem. This will fix the annoying issue of losing all opened tabs, due to an unrelated problem such as with syncing, for instance.

 
Highlights of other changes, and fixes that are included in this build:

- Snapshot was not working, when displaying PDF.
- [Win]rusradio.ua, andhitfm.ua players didn’t play music.
- [Win] Misplaced submenus in O-Menu, and bookmarks bar folders.
- [Win, HiDPI] Black frame around drown down list.
- [Win, HiDPI] Search-Copy pop-up badly rendered.
- [Win, HiDPI] Title bar didn’t look good in dark mode.
- [Win, HiDPI] Sidebar communicator badly displaced after DPI change.
- [Win, HiDPI] Captured grey area is misplaced.
- [Linux] Opera didn’t start on Debian if package chromium-widevine was installed.
- [Linux] Black border on sidebar communicator striked back on Intel graphic GPU.
- [Mac] Cmd + Shift + M didn’t hide communicator window.
- [Mac] Pinch to zoom was not working.
- [Mac] Private mode updated.
- [Mac, High Sierra] High CPU usage of browser process.
- [Mac, High Sierra] Fix for Netflix’s error message “Whoops, something went wrong…” .
- [Mac touchbar] Mask-icons didn’t work.

Known issue: casting tabs doesn’t work."

The Chromium has been updated to version 63.0.3239.9.

     

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by A Former User

New build 50.0.2762.9

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by l33t4opera

New update - Opera beta 50.0.2762.9 ;-)

The change log, and the announcement.

 
"With this update we want to make sure, that macOS 10.9 users are free from crashes.

Also, Chromium was updated to version 63.0.3239.40.

The most important fixes are listed below:

- DNA-65509 [Mac 10.9] Crash at libAVFAudio.dylib@0x6d19.
- DNA-64927 VR button shown on video, when VR disabled in settings.
- DNA-64933 [Mac] Non-title-case string in bookmarks bar context menu options.
- DNA-65083 [Accessibility] Make Bookmarks bar a separate element.
- DNA-65089 Speed dial freezes after dragging SD to bookmarks bar.
- DNA-65115 [Mac] No context menu for bookmarks bar.
- DNA-65118 Suggestions are not displayed.
- DNA-65161 Dragging bookmark from bookmarks bar to speed dial folder opens the page.
- DNA-65208 Expose partner id, and guid via bookmarks private API.
- DNA-65220 Optimize Speed Dial loading time.
- DNA-65261 Improve Speed Dial performance".

   

[amm-opera]

amm-opera @l33t4opera last edited by

Beta 50.0.2762.9 (PGO) on Windows 10 and after a short while the LastPass extension gets "corrupted". Repair deletes the extension and you have to reinstall it. I saw another post that this is also happening on the Developer build.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @amm-opera last edited by

@amm-opera It's been a while since LastPass extension was updated. Not saying that it's the cause of the issue but there's a chance.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by

Could we get a summary of the new flags in ver 48, 49, 50 and 51? Here or in appropriate thread?

[amm-opera]

amm-opera @leocg last edited by

@leocg Yep it's been since July I think since they updated it. I decided to downgrade Opera to the last Beta so that it wouldn't drive me crazy having to keep reinstalling Lastpass.

[bag2retire]

bag2retire @leocg last edited by

@leocg LastPass extension gets "corrupted" msg for Mac users also on the latest Beta 50 MacOS 10.13. Did not happen on the previous beta.

[bag2retire]

bag2retire last edited by

So no problem downgrading to a previous beta, but how do I prevent the auto upgrade to the broken version (.9).

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @bag2retire last edited by

@bag2retire Rename the auto update executable.

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by A Former User

Updated to 50.0.2762.14

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by

New update - Opera beta 50.0.2762.14 ;-)

The change log, and the announcement.

 
"Today’s beta update comes with a bunch of fixes, especially for the Speed Dial. We have also repaired two other bugs:

- DNA-63819 [HiDPI] Tooltips are misplaced after DPI change.
- DNA-65298 Suggestions are not removed, when user deletes history."

   

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by

New update - Opera beta 50.0.2762.18 ;-)

The change log, and the announcement.

 
"Today we have prepared beta update for you, with some fixes for the Speed Dial and bookmarks bar. We also repaired possible crash on Linux start up with a clean profile.

David Ma, Виталик, Pro_info, and Nashuim – we fixed the bug corrupting extensions after restart."

The Chromium has been updated to version 63.0.3239.52.

   

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by

New update - Opera beta 50.0.2762.28 ;-)

The change log, and the announcement.

 
"Yet another Christmas is coming, and we are getting closer to the farewell of 2017, a year which Opera was Reborn, and many unique features reached our users. As the year ends, it’s also time for a very special release for us at Opera, the 50th edition of our browser.

 
Renewed, faster, and better browser VPN

In September 2016, we introduced the free, built-in, no-log browser VPN service. Opera remains the only major browser providing such a unique service. Now, we are introducing our first major upgrade to the browser VPN service.

 
Moving to Opera data centers

Previously, the VPN service was hosted, and operated by SurfEasy LLC, the company recently acquired by Symantec. We have investigated the best options for hosting the service, and concluded, that the browser VPN service will be moved to our own data centers. Opera’s current server infrastructure, one of the highest capacity super-computer clusters in the world, is already hosting services such as the compressing engine for Opera Mini.

The colocation of the browser VPN service to our data centers is expected to give increased performance, scalability and balancing capabilities, while keeping it a free and no-log service.

 
From countries to regions

As we move the service to the Opera data centers, we are also changing from listing locations based on countries to regions. For the updated browser VPN, we will provide these options: Optimal location (default), the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Locations will be rolled out gradually, starting with Europe today, and the Americas, and Asia coming soon.

 

 
Better search quality

As the usage of the free browser VPN service keeps growing, we have also noticed people complaining about the quality of the search results, when having the VPN service enabled. When massive traffic goes through certain IP ranges, search engines tend to classify it to a certain area. As a result, you might get all your search results for example in Ukrainian or Dutch, and languages can again change unexpectedly.

Until now, this has been a problem for most VPN services. Since search quality is such an integral part of the browsing experience, we have decided to resolve it through the “local search” feature.

 

 
By default, Opera will now bypass the browser VPN, when you use your native search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yandex. These connections will still be secure over Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), but your local IP will be made visible to the search engines. When you click on links, to navigate away from the search engines, the service will automatically be re-enabled. We believe it’s a smart balance between absolute privacy, and user comfort.

People can also browse with the “local search” feature turned off, by simply using a private browsing window, and then, the browser VPN connection will be enforced for any website, including your search engines."

You can also disable it in Settings > Privacy & Security > VPN > Bypass VPN for default search engines.

The Chromium has been updated to version 63.0.3239.59.

   

[A Former User]

A Former User last edited by A Former User

Updated to 50.0.2762.35

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by

New update - Opera beta 50.0.2762.35 ;-)

The change log, and the announcement.

 

VR Player Enhancements

 

 
We are delighted to present to you a bunch of changes, that allow you to enjoy VR content on the web even more.

 
Oculus SDK is on board!

We started working on VR Player for Opera, to make sure that the immersive, 360-degree virtual world would be available to our users with just one click. We started with OpenVR support, but now, after collaboration with our friends at Oculus, we can announce, that Oculus SDK support will be shipped with Opera 50. Oculus Rift has been an incredible milestone in the virtual reality world, and it’s our pleasure to announce that Oculus users can now enjoy Opera VR Player directly.

 
Software decoding

In our initial VR Player release, we listed some tips and tricks users might need to deal with in some VR-related scenarios, such as using VR Player, when their GPU does not support YouTube’s VP8, or VP9 formats.

We have implemented software decoding path support in our code, so that you don’t need to install any extensions to do it for you. It’s a very significant change, that will allow more users to enjoy VR online.

 
Automatic format detection

VR is very young, and still very undefined territory. A consequence of this, is that there is no support in video containers to carry VR video metadata, such as format, or stereoscopy mode. There are currently quite a few combinations of metadata available.

That’s why we are adding JavaScript-based detection for a selection of popular web sites, such as YouTube, Facebook, or Vimeo, to help out with automatic format detection for the proper playback mode.

It will not always be right, as pages also tend to change, but it will make watching VR videos easier to start with. Of course, you can later adjust this manually via our player controls.

 

 
Exit button

We share the passion for VR, and know it’s sometimes hard to stop. Still, we have realized, that dedicated "Exit VR" button is needed, since users are removed from the browser interface, and it might be unclear how to properly stop VR playback.

By clicking the “Turn off” button in the Opera VR Player, your device will return to its native home screen.

The Chromium has been updated to version 63.0.3239.70.

  :spock-hand:  

[l33t4opera]

l33t4opera last edited by l33t4opera

New update - Opera beta 50.0.2762.42, and the change log ;-)

The announcement: Opera 50 beta RC with Cryptocurrency Mining Protection.

 
"Opera’s big number 50 release is edging closer to its stable release. Today, we are delivering the release candidate, which includes an innovative anti-Bitcoin mining feature, extended VR360 support for Oculus, and Chromecast.

So please check Opera 50 beta RC out, and let us know how it works!

 
NoCoin – Cryptocurrency Mining Protection

Bitcoins are really hot right now, but did you know that they might actually be making your computer hotter? Your CPU suddenly working at 100 percent capacity, the fan is going crazy for seemingly no reason, and your battery quickly depleting might all be signs, that someone is using your computer to mine for cryptocurrency.

This cryptocurrency mining can sometimes continue, after you have first visited the site. But we, as the only major browser with an integrated ad blocker, have a built-in solution to keep miners from trespassing onto your machine.

After we recently updated the rules for our built-in ad blocker mechanism, we eliminated cryptocurrency mining scripts, that overuse your device’s computing ability. Simply enable Opera’s ad blocker to prevent cryptocurrency mining sites from doing their dirty work on your computer.

You can find, and change "NoCoin" in Settings (Preferences on macOS) > Basic > Block ads, and under the Recommended lists of ad filters.

 

 
With "NoCoin" turned on, webpages, that have embedded cryptocurrency mining scripts, will be blocked in a similar way in which our mechanism blocks ads.

 

Have fun testing, and Happy Holidays!"
 
The Chromium is updated to version 63.0.3239.84.

      :spock-hand: