Vivaldi Beta 1.0 browser release

Hello!

Nine months ago, we presented the first technical assembly of the new Vivaldi browser. In fact, it was an unprocessed blank, which only outlined our future plans. To date, we have done a great job. The browser gradually acquired new features, while existing capabilities improved, while naturally you found many errors and shortcomings, reported this to us, and we tried to fix them as quickly as possible. So the phrase “we have done a great job” refers not only to browser developers, but also to you, our users. And today we are ready to present the first public beta version of Vivaldi to your judgment - our joint brainchild with you.

A little more than three months ago, we showed the technical assembly TP4, which functionally was already significantly different from the first, January. However, when children grow up under your daily vigilant attention, it is not always possible to notice the changes occurring with them. So in the development and daily testing of the browser is difficult to determine the difference between what was and what became. And sometimes it's very interesting to remember:

But we wrote about all the preliminary assemblies in sufficient detail, so I will not dwell on all the functions that have appeared since the beginning of the year, but will only tell you what new we have added to the beta version compared to TP4. So let's start with noticeable changes.

Interface without interface

This function (activated in the browser settings, the “Appearance” section) represents something between a normal browser view and full screen mode. When you enable this option, you will get a browser window in which all controls are disabled, but all the usual attributes of the application window remain available:



This mode of operation in the browser will appeal to those who are used to working from the keyboard, using a combination of hot keys and mouse gestures. At the same time, the browser window can be moved around the monitor screen, placing it in a convenient place (it looks especially good on large screens).

Visual tab switching

This feature is very harmoniously combined with the previous one. If you are working with a disabled interface, it will be convenient to navigate between the many open tabs using a visual switch (also activated in the browser settings, section “Tabs”). To do this, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Tab :



If there are a lot of tabs, then thumbnails of sites will be moved from left to right, as when viewing a film. In the future, the function, of course, will be further improved.

Extension support

This feature was one of the most requested by users and we could not disregard it. Moreover, all popular browsers support working with extensions, so this, as they say, is the norm, not the exception. The installation process is simple: open the menu item Tools -> Show Extensions , and click the link on the opened page to go to the extensions directory, from where you install what you need:



At the moment, you can install only extensions from the Chrome Web Store, but in the future we plan to open our own extension catalog. You should also be warned that not all extensions work stably, but we are working on this problem.

Web panels

Another interesting novelty, slightly resembling extensions. By clicking on the button with a plus sign in the sidebar, you can set any web page as one of the tabs of this panel by specifying its address or by assigning the one that is open in the active tab:



For the convenience of displaying content in this format, the browser will try to display in the panel the mobile version of the website, if any. In general - try it, you will surely like it.

The following innovations have one common feature - they are “tied” to the address bar, expanding its functionality. And above all, it is necessary to note the implementation of another long awaited function:

Indication of the page loading process

The function is inconspicuous, but very useful, as it provides important information about the page loading process, which, given the current appetites of web developers, allows you to save nerves and see if it will take a long time to wait for the process to finish:



Geolocation support

There, in the address bar, when you visit some sites, you will see an inconspicuous icon, vaguely reminiscent of a compass needle. The appearance of this icon will signal to you that this page really wants to know where you are at the moment. True, at the same time she will offer you and decide whether to report this data about yourself or not:



There are also many ideas for improvement here, so there are many interesting things ahead of you and us.

History of entered addresses

And again, a popular feature located in the address bar. It is also hidden under the arrow, when clicked, a list of all entered addresses will open:


This decision is also not final and is waiting for its improvements.

Private window

And again, a popular feature, long awaited by users, and again indirectly related to the address bar. A private window opens through the main menu, while the address bar will constantly remind you that you are currently in non-standard mode:


After working in private mode, the browser will not save any information about what you did and what web resources you viewed, and the data usually stored by web pages in users' browsers will not be saved either. And - yes, we remember that in addition to a private window, a private tab is also needed, but this is a reserve for the next versions.

Support for proprietary media formats

This has been talked about for a long time, and we have not less long thought about how to implement it. Finally, the output was found and now Vivaldi by default supports playback of media content, for viewing or listening of which proprietary codecs like H.264 or Mp3 are required. True, only in Windows and Mac. Linux is a bit more complicated. Ubuntu users should receive notification of the need to install an additional package, but for owners of other distributions, such an offer will not happen - they will need to install the required package themselves. For users of other distributions we have prepared small instructions , following which you will be able to use the new features of Vivaldi.

Of course, these are not all changes, but only the most noticeable. In fact, the work was done really gigantic, about which you can tell you in more detail the detailed list of changes posted at the end of the article. And I just need to recall another important information.

Meeting with Vivaldi in Moscow

Yes, that's right: anyone can personally ask questions not just to the representative of Vivaldi Software, but directly to its director and creator of the Vivaldi browser, Jon von Tachner. On November 8 of this year, he comes to Moscow and he will be very happy to meet with users (current or future) of the new browser. You can learn more about this meeting and check in at the announcement page . Let me remind you that with us beer and snacks, and with you - interesting questions and suggestions for improving the browser.

Well, perhaps that's all for today. Welcome to the download page:


Important note
Considering that many of you constantly tested weekly assemblies that were not very stable, I want to give advice: please install the beta version completely, with a new profile, and not on top of previous versions. So you save yourself from possible unpredictable surprises in the browser. Well, in addition to the quite predictable, of course - after all, do not forget that this is a beta version :-)

You can report any errors found at the same address .

Full list of changes since the release of TP4