Opera unveils next-generation Opera Mini 5 – We talk with Opera’s CEO about Mini

I recently got a chance to take a sneak-peak at Opera’s Opera Mini 5 beta last week, and it basically blew me out of the water. Opera asked that I keep the launch of Mini 5 on the hush until they were ready to go live. Today, Opera took the wraps off its all-new Opera Mini 5 mobile web browser, introducing it as the “next generation in mobile browsing.” Compared to Mini 4.2, Mini 5 beta is an impressive revamp, especially if you’re already an Opera opera-mini-5-vga-speed-dial Mini fan. Read more in Stefan’s review of Opera Mini 5 beta.

“In our own research, we have learned that the number-one reason people use Opera Mini is because it is easy – easy to use the Web you know. The idea of navigating the vastness of the Web from such a small screen can be a daunting leap, which is why we have long committed to make the browsing experience you are familiar with from your PC, easy to do on your mobile phone,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. “With new, sleek navigation buttons, tabbed browsing and Speed Dial bookmarks, you are never more than a click away from where you want to go on the Web.”

I managed to get some face time with Opera Software CEO Jon von Tetzchner to talk about the Opera Mini browser – about where Opera Mini has come from and where it’s going. Check out the interview and Mini 5 tour below.