Opera this week announced plans to integrate BitTorrent into the next version of its browser, Opera 9. A BitTorrent search engine will be available from the browser’s user interface in a development Opera said will allow for faster and more efficient downloads of large files.

Once a file has been selected, Opera's Transfer Manager feature will handle the download. Opera first incorporated the BitTorrent peer-to-peer protocol in July 2005 with Opera 8.02. BitTorrent’s agreement with Opera is the first under a recently announced scheme to license the BitTorrent trademark.

Opera 9, currently in beta testing, introduces widgets, small AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML) applications that provide specific functionality such as news tickers or currency conversion. It also includes improved content and pop-up blocking along with thumbnail previews of web content. Opera 9 Technology Preview 2 (AKA Merlin) is available for download here.

Boxed-up

In other news, Opera has announced a deal with Amino to incorporate its web browser as an option for shipments of its AmiNET110 set-top boxes. Opera 8.5 SDK was chosen for its faster performance, lower memory footprint, and support for advanced web based user interfaces for IPTV. The browser technology sits on top of Amino's Intact IPTV software stack to support applications such as web browsing and applications that combine video and graphics.

Middleware vendors including Dreampark, Orca, Industria, Tandberg and Alcatel have technology available to allow Amino set-top boxes running Opera. Amino will also work with Opera to more deeply integrate browser technology in its next generation of IPTV products. ®