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10+ handy Opera 11 extensions
You'll need Opera 11 installed to use these, of course. Grab a current snapshot build, as a number of extension-related issues have been fixed since the initial Opera 11 preview.
Now without further ado, let's jump in!
LastPass (new addition!)
I've been using LastPass to securely store and access my Web credentials since it first arrived. I've got it installed in Chrome, Firefox, Mobile Safari, and on my Droid Incredible. Now, I've even got it installed in Opera 11 -- it's a much more complete experience than the bookmarklet.
Translate (pictured)
A good number of extensions aim to add functionality from other browsers -- like Google Chrome's auto-translate feature. Translate (unsurprisingly) brings that functionality to Opera 11. Visit a page in a language other than your default (which you can set via a drop-down) and a toolbar offering to translate it appears.Documents Preview
Want to open supported files using Google's Web-based viewer instead of downloading them to your machine? Install Documents Preview, and .DOC, .PDF, and .PPT files will open right inside Opera 11.
Image Preview
Regardless of which browser I'm using, I like to have an extension installed that displays larger versions of image thumbnails when I hover over them. For Opera 11, image preview is the way to go.
Weather Forecast
In keeping with the easy-to-understand naming employed by the previous three extensions, Weather Forecast brings you up-to-the-minute info right in your toolbar. The drop-down provides the short-range forecast, shows sunrise and sunset times, and allows you to switch between multiple cities.
Snap Links
A favorite extension for Firefox, Snap Links for Opera offers the same functionality: click and drag a selection box around a group of links, and Opera will open them all in background tabs.
NoAds
It seems like whenever we write up some Opera news, there's always one commenter saying "until there's AdBlock for Opera, I'd never consider switching." In truth, Opera has a pretty excellent way to block ads out-of-the-box, but now there's an actual extension for those who want it.
NotScripts
The second part of the powerfully geeky one-two browser extension punch, NotScripts brings (you guessed it!) NoScript's functionality to Opera 11. This one's also available as a Chrome extension from the same developer, which we've got to think means it's a fairly trivial task to port an extension from Chrome to Opera.
To-Read Sites
Services like Read it Later are a popular way to maintain a queue of items you just don't have time to dive into right now. To-Read Sites is an in-browser option -- no registration or log-in required.
Opera-to-Phone
Push-to-device extensions are all the rage -- Android users who browse with Opera on their desktop will want to pick up OTP. Unless, of course, you're already rocking the Opera Mobile for Android beta and using Link (sync).
Mini Wolfram Alpha
All the geeky computational goodness of Wolfram Alpha without having to leave your current tab.
Taskboard
This extension loads the extremely slick, HTML5-powered 10K Apart app in a handy drop-down menu. It's a great way to keep a list of things you need to do close at hand.
Redirect to HTTPS
Blah blah Firesheep blah blah SSL. But seriously... It's a good idea to browse certain sites like Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, and the like via HTTPS whenever possible. Adding this extension to Opera 11 will redirect you on supported sites -- hopefully the developer will allow us to add our own sites in a future release.
Stumbleupon
For those who enjoy random discoveries, StumbleUpon has already released an official extension for Opera 11. It's the same great Web-based meandering experience it's always been on other browsers.
Got a favorite Opera 11 extension already? Share it in the comments!
Comments
26
Subscribe to commentskojo87Nov 9th 2010 10:54PM
is there anything to fix the crappy image rendering? i just installed Opera 11 and ever single image is blurry and frankly, a headache to look at. (Opera 10 works just fine though) its blazingly fast but the bad images basically make the internet unusable. it is still in alpha so i won't complain too much but between that and lack of Ad-Block, Opera 11 will see less use than IE8 on my system.
oh and whats up with that arrow button next to refresh? here on the Download Squad homepage the arrow sends me to the next page of posts (makes sense. pretty useful actually) but on Engadget it sends me to a random article from December 2009 every single time. bizarre.
hectormaciasa79Nov 10th 2010 12:06AM
About blurry images, well, just disable Turbo.
And what about an arrow next to refresh?
When you are on a site that you have previously saved your password, it becomes a key so you can fill username and password, but on other webs it will take you to the next page, altought it doesnt work well in all websites.
HylicNov 10th 2010 12:10AM
Opera has content blocking build in, just right click on a page and from the context menu click 'Block Content'.
As for the arrow I think it tries to guess which link will bring up the next page of results so on Google or Bing for example it will bring up the next page of results (similar to the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl x and Ctrl z), but it doesn't always get it right.
RafaelNov 10th 2010 11:00AM
LOL, disable Opera Turbo. #tip
Pallab DeNov 11th 2010 2:11AM
Have you enabled Turbo? That would cause image quality degradation.
kojo87Nov 14th 2010 8:41PM
yeah that did it. for some reason it was enabled by default. thanks
Dwight StegallNov 10th 2010 1:33AM
I haven't seen one single Opera Extension that was worth installing. The are as worthless as Chrome Extensions.
As if that wasn't bad enough then there is the fact that Opera and Safari do not allow you to block Adware Tracking Cookies like most other browsers do.
Because of this both browsers are completely useless.
King AntoniusNov 10th 2010 2:31AM
Lemme guess... Firefox Fanboy? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be insulting really. It's just that Chrome and Opera perform faster than Firefox and have a lighter memory footprint. They also have over a hundred extensions. Yes, Firefox has thousands, but 98% of them are garbage, and the useful ones are on chrome and/or opera in some variant. As far as cookies, if you would use something like keepass, then cookies wouldn't really be an issue as you could just have it clear em every time you closed the browser. Also, trying to block the adware cookies using the browser itself has always been a wasted effort. If you just run your antivirus program of choice regularly then there's not really anything to worry about.
hectormaciasa79Nov 10th 2010 12:15AM
I cant believe you guys didnt notice instant classics like:
FastestTube
Buscomple (which performs autocomplete, a very old requested feature)
Searchengine preview (same as google instant preview but faster and no log in required)
And Mini google Maps, A real useful one.
Unfortunately DS doesnt allow me to provide all of the urls, so heres the main: https://addons.labs.opera.com/addons/extensions/
MxxConNov 10th 2010 12:56AM
Lee, there's a combo plugin https://addons.labs.opera.com/addons/extensions/details/noads
it includes both NoScript and AdBlock
MxxConNov 10th 2010 12:59AM
also the ever useful BugMeNot plugin https://addons.labs.opera.com/addons/extensions/details/bugmenot
minibarNov 10th 2010 3:38AM
chrome has available only about 2 equivalent addons out of my 10 firefox, and opera has fewer still. simply put, firefox addons take the prize hands down. i'm using chrome right now b/c it's faster, but that could change after firefox 4 is released.
opera has some innovative features, but development is stifled by small user base, at one time was not free, and with the alternatives now available i find less compelling than ever. i see opera addons as yet another late addition that will further prolong the agony of it's ultimate departure.
incense_77Nov 10th 2010 6:27AM
Hehehe...sorry, but most of your remarks lack substance. Opera have always been supported by a small user base, but that was never an obstacle in order to offer innovations and remarkable performance. Even though it had to compete against giants, it managed to be in the peak of development in the fields where it most counts: stability, speed, efficiency. Hell...it's even head to head against Google's best programmers at the moment and that's truly an achievement.
And why the heck should be important if years ago was not free?! I really don't get it. "And with the alternatives now available i find less compelling than ever"...omg...it's now that Opera shines more than ever. A splendid javascript engine and optimized code, along with original ideas and a steady feeling make it at least worthwhile to be around. Competition leads to progress and Opera has offered a lot to the scene of browsers for years now. Firefox 4 doesn't seem that speedy according to the tests and the typical excuse of lack of extensions is no more. Every day that passes by, more and more useful extensions appear that turn it into an even more attractive choice.
"further prolong the agony of it's ultimate departure"?! Har har har. You are a funny guy! :D
MariachiNov 12th 2010 4:07PM
@incense_77
"opera has always competed against giants"
Yes, maybe Google and Microsoft are giants, but i fail to see the resemblance with firefox and mozilla.
"typical excuse of lack of extensions is no more"
This is not an excuse. Even browsers as proprietary as Chrome and Safari have seen the need of user customization. The three altogether still remain in the 'not customizable, but have add-ons' category. Opera developers finally saw this and offered to join the ride. Which is nice.
And don't guess, i use all browsers (Firefox to relax and browse for a long time, Chrome to do a quick check-up or search, and Opera for checking mails and work-related things. I use all that is best from all of them, and i have to say AdBlock for Firefox is still (and it will remain the) best, that is until Google changes it's politics, which will not happen in the near future. And yes, i am well aware that ads bring money to sites, but i would like to have the choice whether i want to sponsor that site by downloading a load of crap from it, or not, Downloadsquad is one my white-list for example. Firefox is the only browser which can be modeled to adapt to the user, not the other way around.
JacobNov 10th 2010 4:00AM
Popular Easy Youtube Video Downloader For Opera :
https://addons.labs.opera.com/addons/extensions/details/easy-youtube-video-downloader-for-opera/1.0/?display=en
SlashZakuNov 10th 2010 4:35AM
Is there anything similar to Firefox's 'Brief'? I hate Opera's current RSS setup and generally, the 'biggie' keeping me from switching browsers is Brief/Update Scanner. Chrome runs sluggish on this Dimension 2300 but I'm sure Opera performs better than FF so if it had these kinds of extensions, then I'd be willing to make a transition.
JokerNov 10th 2010 6:54AM
You are ignorant.
Opera has Adblock since years. Ever heard of "built-in" features?
chrisNov 10th 2010 10:41AM
My favorite & ultimate share extension in Opera is AddThis
https://addons.labs.opera.com/addons/extensions/details/addthis/?display=en
excellatronNov 10th 2010 11:05AM
my favourite opera 11 extension is Facebook Purity, it lets me strip all the crap (application spam and other annoying message types) from the Facebook homepage / newsfeeds, and also lets me resize the damn tiny new font size
You can get the FB Purity Opera 11 extension here: http://www.fbpurity.com
BugMeNotNov 10th 2010 2:13PM
@Joker
See the BIG difference of the built-in feature content blocking of Opera vs the NoAds extension in Opera, please look.
Block Content native of Opera: http://files.myopera.com/IKoke/files/Block1.png
NoAds: http://files.myopera.com/IKoke/files/Block2.png