Vivaldi for PC and Vivaldi for Android - Team game with score 3.0

Hello everyone!

The machine-gun release of test builds and release candidates is completed - we are ready to present you a new version of the Vivaldi browser. And not one, but two at once. As the name implies, today we are presenting not only the next, literally literal version of Vivaldi for desktop computers, but we are also ready to announce the release of the first stable version of Vivaldi browser for Android - the very long-awaited mobile browser that users asked about from the first day of life of the desktop version. Paradoxically, today is precisely the case when two are three! More precisely - 3.0, because both browsers, including the mobile version, today come out with this wonderful number. Well, let's watch together what these browsers have and how they will simplify the lives of millions of users around the world.

Talking about two such different browsers in one article is quite problematic, but it's worth a try - because they have a lot in common. And not because they bear the same name. The same heart beats inside them - both the desktop and mobile versions of Vivaldi are based on the Chromium core. We immediately refused to use our own Android code as the basis for the mobile version - in this case, it would be problematic to cut out all the knocking details of this complex software tool. In addition, both the browser, both desktop and mobile, should have the closest possible functionality so that it is easier for users to switch from one device to another in the process. And this can be achieved only by unifying the code as much as possible. Thus, Chromium is our natural choice.

We still have time to talk about the differences, but first we’ll see what they have in common. And most importantly, what should be called and discussed first is the built-in ad blocker and tracking (the so-called trackers). The blocker uses Tracker Radar from DuckDuckGo, which provides simple and effective protection against attempts by some websites to track user activity. By default, in all versions of Vivaldi, this blocker is disabled - users themselves can configure the level of blocking that they themselves want. In both versions, the blocker is accessed through a special icon in the form of a shield placed in the address bar:



Here you can select the blocking level for the current page, as well as go to more detailed blocking settings:



In this settings section, you can set the general blocking level for all pages viewed, as well as create exclusion lists - specify websites for which the blocker settings should be different. So, for example, even with the general blocking disabled, you can put the website on the exclusion list and assign an individual blocking level for it:



You can see the result there, under the shield icon:



Next, in the settings of the desktop version of the browser, you can additionally control blocking lists:



The result will be even better:



It should be said right away that at the moment neither blocking settings nor blocking lists are yet synchronized between the desktop and mobile versions. In the mobile version, access to the blocker and settings looks something like this:



Since we remembered about synchronization - yes, it is in the mobile version. Bookmarks, notes, entered addresses, passwords, form data are synchronized.



Also a convenient feature is access to open tabs on another device. If you worked with some pages on the desktop and then picked up a smartphone with the Vivaldi browser installed, you can go to the same pages using the corresponding function. The reverse is also possible - access to the tabs opened in the mobile browser is possible through the button in the form of a cloud in the upper right, next to the basket of recently closed tabs.

Considering the list of synchronized data, it is easy to notice that the mobile version also has such a tool as notes:



But the non-obvious features of the mobile version include a screenshot - in this case, like in the desktop version, you can shoot either only the visible part, or the whole page.

In the desktop version, everyone is already used to using search engines, changing them on the fly using letter identifiers: for example, just enter “d” in the address bar and enter a search query after a space - the browser will open the search results in DuckDuckGo. The same function is also implemented in the mobile version - letter identifiers can be seen in the settings of search engines.

Separately, I need to say about private tabs. Yes, in the mobile version these are just private tabs, in the desktop, I remind you, it is possible to work only in private windows.

In general, listing browser functions is a thankless task, especially in the case of Vivaldi. There are a lot of these functions. Endless field for research and experimentation. And to make it easier, we tried to make the familiar interface in the mobile version, in which all the popular functions are in the usual places:



There are also familiar tabs (the tab bar is disabled in the settings if desired), and the Express panel with the ability to create your own (hint: try a long tap on the cross to create a new Express panel link), and even the side panel is present under the familiar icon. On this panel, you can work with bookmarks, view the history of entered addresses, edit notes and manage downloaded files. At the same time, almost no new skills are required - everything is familiar and familiar from the desktop version.

As you can see, there are a lot of similarities between the two browsers. What about the differences? There is also something to tell about. For example, in the mobile version, switching the display mode of web pages is available - you can choose the mobile or full version of websites, this option is in the settings. Also, quite naturally, in the mobile version of the browser, you can much more widely use drag and drop and other manipulations on the smartphone screen. For example, you can create folders on the Express panel by simply moving one cell over another. It is also very convenient to close the tabs with a shift to the side - this option is also in the browser settings. Yes, and the tab bar itself can be easily moved to the sides with a single finger slide.

The desktop version has its own unique functions. For example, to today's version, we completely rewrote the spatial navigation code - now it has become even faster and more convenient. Also, only in the desktop version has there recently been such a function as viewing an unfastened video. In the new version of Vivaldi, we added the ability to disable the activation button for this function, and also added the ability to rewind the video forward and backward using the arrow keys.

But perhaps the most noticeable novelty in the desktop version is the built-in clock. They are located in the lower right corner and, when clicked on, they open a control dialog:



Here you can turn on the timer so that it will signal to you after some time, and you can also set the alarm for the exact time. Answering the question why the clock is in the browser, we can say that this clock is only part of the more complex and time-consuming component of the browser, which is still under development.

That's all for now. You can download new versions of browsers from the Vivaldi official website or from the application catalog for the Android platform .

We are waiting for your feedback and suggestions. A complete list of changes in the desktop version can be found at this address .

Thank you all for your help in preparing today's versions of the Vivaldi browser! We have done a good job, and there is still a lot of new ahead.