Opera unleashes ad blocker

Opera has released a new version of Opera Mini browser with a built-in ad-blocker.

The blocker uses EasyList but is turned off by default, deputy CTO Bruce Lawson told us, because Opera didn’t want to skew consumer demand. The ad blocker will speed up page downloads by 40 per cent and use 14 per cent less traffic, on average, according to the firm. It’s slightly ironic, as the money-spinning part of a Opera is an mobile ad network, Opera Mediaworks. Opera's free VPN service SurfEasy is now available too, on iOS and desktop. ®