Opera Widgets

What are Opera Widgets?

Opera Widgets are small and often single-purpose applications built using open Web technologies. A widget-based application can be installed on a wide range of devices running the acclaimed Opera browser. The application can be as simple as a normal Web page, or it can be an advanced AJAX application like Google Maps. The Opera browser is the leader in supporting advanced Web standards and offers a wide range of well known Web technologies. Examples of Web standards support include XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, SVG and DOM. See www.opera.com/docs/specs/ for a complete specification of supported Web standards.

Simple application development

The Web is the most flexible and most widely used development platform ever created. One reason is that coding for the Web is significantly easier and more cost-efficient than using proprietary, platform-specific technologies. Any Web developer can quickly and affordably create advanced new applications, with a remarkably short time-to-market. Based on open Web technologies and standards, Opera Widgets are platform- and device-independent.

Applications for convergent devices

Because the acclaimed and powerful Opera browser runs on a wide range of devices and operating systems, Opera Widgets can run on virtually any device, ranging from PCs to mobile phones and other embedded devices. End-users can create a widget on their PC, run it on their phone while riding the bus, or at home on their favorite game console. Widgets enable easy adaptation of existing Web applications to fit mobile phones, TVs and other Web-connected devices.

From applications to services

Traditionally, development of applications for embedded devices like mobile phones has been long and cumbersome. This often leads to a technology-driven development process. As market needs evolve at an ever-faster pace, the Web provides a cost effective means for businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors and being responsive to market changes and end user behaviors. Opera Widgets provide a platform for rapid and easy deployment of new revenue-generating services that improve customer retention and loyalty.

Enable user-generated content

User-generated content is changing the traditional relationship between media and consumers. Popular new services are springing up faster than most companies can follow. Opera Widgets are built by a worldwide community of Web developers and allow developers to rapidly create and deploy applications that leverage the most popular Web services, whether local or global in scope.

The Opera Widget Community has by January 2007 created more than 1000 widgets running on Windows, Linux and Mac. The large variety of widgets empowers users to choose the applications they want to have, and to bring the same experience to any device they use. Opera Widgets provides instant access to Internet services ranging from weather forecasts, traffic information and news, to more specialized services such as results from the local high school soccer league, or the booking of meeting rooms at the workplace. Opera Widgets make it simple to create what you want.