Finalized Opera 9.5 Browser Ready for Download

Opera Software released the latest version of its eponymous Web browser Thursday, adopting a modernized look and feel while strengthening anti-phishing and -malware features.

As reported earlier this week, the now-completed Opera 9.5 added malware blocking capabilities to its Fraud Protection features. Previously, Opera had just offered anti-phishing tools. But the enhanced service now warns you if you're about to go a site that's a known malware host. The list of malicious software sites is kept by Haute Secure.

Opera 9.5 also features a more modernized look with a new skin and clear icons. Opera's developers moved the New Tab button to the right of the last tab to make the process of opening tabs more intuitive.

Opera says the updated browser offers dramatic speed improvements. Opera 9.5 also adds an Opera Link feature for synchronizing bookmarks and other customized features between the desktop browser and Opera Mini, Opera's mobile phone offering.

Users can download the free 9.5 update from Opera's Web site. The browser runs on Mac OS X 10.2 and higher.