Opera 10 has come out with a bang. They have released a service called Opera Unite which adds the functionality of a web server, remote media player, chat room, and photo and file sharing right in the browser window. Each “service” can be enabled separately, with the prospect of new services being offered soon.
How it works: Download and install Opera 10 beta. Open the browser and click the little fan icon in the bottom-left corner. Click Enable Opera Unite and follow the instructions.
You can set more than one computer up with Opera Unite. Each computer will have a unique home. Example: unite://work.williamroth.operaunite.com/ – my work computer. I can also set up – unite://home.williamroth.operaunite.com/ for my desktop machine at home.
Opera is taking aim at our current conventional ways saying we are, “at the mercy of middle men who control the servers of the world. We want our computers to be first class citizens of the web.” With the release of Opera Unite, Google Wave, and the Pirate Party in Sweden shaking things up, it should be an interesting year.
