Oslo, Norway and Taipei, Taiwan – February 13, 2007
Opera Software today announced that the Opera browser for mobile phones has been selected by ASUSTeK Computer Inc., a leading provider of 3C (computers, communications and consumer electronics) total solutions, to bring the Web to the company’s Vodafone deliveries. Opera 8.65 for Mobile will be initially integrated on the V1210 for Vodafone International or the VDA IV for Vodafone Germany.
The Windows Mobile-based V1210 will allow users to access news sites, perform a search or check Webmail from the convenience of the small screen. Opera’s unique Small Screen Rendering (SSR) technology adapts the Web to suit the screen size, making content easier to read and navigate. ASUS has designed this smartphone to be cost-effective and meet the needs of the average businessperson.
“Our strategy is to deliver a phone that has basic functionality without cumbersome accessories, and yet have the power to simultaneously bring the full Web to the user,” says H. C. Hung, Head of ASUSTeK’s Handheld Business Unit. “Opera completes our strategy by bringing a superior Web experience to the V1210, allowing customers to get the information they want, when they want it, from the convenience of their simple, business-minded mobile phones.”
The Vodafone V1210 is a tri-band phone based on Windows Mobile 5.0. As the phone does not feature a camera, its 3G capabilities are purely for Web browsing rather than video calling.
“Web browsing is a key feature on the V1210 and Opera shines on this phone,” says Timo Bruns, executive vice president for Business Development at Opera Software. “This is our first deployment with ASUS, but part of a longer term strategy to deliver the Web to future ASUS-manufactured phones for their operator deliveries. Our partnership means that customers will benefit from high-quality, cost effective phones that allow them to get what they want out of the Web, without limitations.”