Against the standardization of modern browsers, which in the end are all the same, with more or less the same functions, without too many possibilities to customize and modify the interface according to your tastes and needs. The last browser that stood out from the others was Opera 12, before it became the same as Chrome in the latest versions.
More than a year ago, one of the co-founders of that Opera browser, therefore decided to start the development of a new browser, Vivaldi, for the disappointed of Opera and Chrome, which would take up the original idea, which would therefore lead to create a alternative program to surf the Internet more customizable, more powerful and richer in native functions, while still maintaining the possibility of installing extensions.
Vivaldi has now reached its first stable version and becomes more than a simple alternative for all those who want a browser that is modern, but also more powerful and customizable .
READ ALSO: Try Vivaldi 2, the coolest browser of all to see the web
Vivaldi for Windows, Mac and Linux can be downloaded from the official website and 64-bit versions are also available on the download page.
During the installation you can choose whether to use the standard installation or create a portable version of the browser, choosing in which folder to save it.
Those who already use Vivaldi can proceed with the update from the Vivaldi menu -> Help> Check for updates .
The browser, although very different, is based on Chrom and therefore, in some ways, it is still familiar in the position of various settings and options.
However, Vivaldi's interface is not fixed as it is in Google Chrome and can be customized in the way you prefer.
In addition to the top left menu and the tab bar, on the left side there is a side panel that you can show or hide and a status bar at the bottom of the screen.
The side panel allows you to view your bookmarks, downloads and pinned notes.
A very interesting function is that which allows you to add web panels, to keep sites open in the sidebar and navigate the rest of the screen.
To do this, just press the + button in the bar on the left.
On the address bar, when you open a site, loading information of the web pages appears indicating the progress, the size of the page and the number of elements loaded.
Pressing on the bin next to the address bar you will see the recently closed tabs, to be able to reopen them.
From the Vivaldi menu, by pressing the button at the top left, from the Tools menu, you can open the settings that are really very rich in options.
In particular, it is possible to customize the interface and therefore:
- Show or hide the status bar.
- Show or hide the tab bar and choose how to display it.
- Show or hide the address bar and whether to display it at the top or bottom.
- Show the panel left or right, or hide it.
- Select a dark or color-based theme of the open web page.
- Set a background color or image.
- Zoom in or out on the interface menus and text.
The best functions of Vivaldi, in a nutshell, are:
- The group of cards, ie the fact that, by dragging the tab of one card on another, they are grouped together.
Simply click on the group to view them.
In this way, anyone who opens many web pages together can easily organize them according to type or site.
The stacked card occupies the same space as a single card.
Moving the mouse over it will open the previews of the sites included in the group.
By right clicking on a group of tabs it is possible to open all the web pages grouped together side by side.
The same can be done by pressing the keys together
Ctrl-F7 to see the tabs in a grid
Ctrl-F8 tile tabs horizontally
Ctrl-F9 tiling the tabs vertically
- Card hibernation
The hibernation of a card is obtained by choosing this option when you press the right mouse button on the title of the card.
With hibernation, the card stops consuming memory even if it is not closed.
By clicking on it, the web page is reloaded and the card is awakened.
This function is also active in Chrome where, however, it is only automatic.
- Notes and notes
From the side panel you can open a tool to take notes and write notes to remember.
A convenient function of this tool is the ability to highlight any text on a site and add it to a note by right clicking on it.
Vivaldi saves this type of note by also adding the date, time and site from which it was extracted.
vivaldi notes
- Extensions
Vivaldi supports Chrome extensions, so you can open the Chrome web store to add any extensions that would add to Chrome without problems.
- Synchronization of favorites and settings
Thanks to the Vivaldi Sync function, you can create an account to have the same personalizations in each PC used and keep your favorites and history saved.
The first version of Vivaldi finally offers a valid alternative to Chrome, which seems destined to evolve and improve rapidly since this project is more than alive.
According to the declarations of the founder, a mail client will be added soon which would be really an added value.
Currently Vivaldi is a promising web browser that I recommend to everyone to install, try and keep ready as an alternative browser, perhaps one day ready to become the preferred one with which to surf the internet.
