Opera Software today released a developer preview of its namesake browser that includes a full-featured VPN (virtual private network) client and free access to the service.
"We are the first major browser maker to integrate an unlimited and free VPN or virtual private network," boasted Krystian Kolondra, Opera's head of engineering, in a Thursday post to a company blog.
Although VPNs are most commonly used by corporate workers to access company data when they're outside their firm's network perimeter, Opera stressed the anonymous browsing they can provide.
Opera's baked-in VPN will let users access sites blocked in their countries, or by their employers or schools. It will also anonymize the user -- the VPN disguises the actual IP address of the user -- by making it appear that the browser originated elsewhere. In a public setting, such as a coffee shop's Wi-Fi network, a VPN also provides a secure "tunnel" to the destination, preventing theft of credentials and personal information like passwords.
It is my new browser for sure!