Inside Opera Unite--screenshots

Opera's new Unite server software lets you share photos, files, notes, music, and Web sites from your computer with any other.

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Jessica Dolcourt

June 16, 2009 8:49 a.m. PT

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What is Opera Unite?

On Tuesday, Opera Software released Opera Unite, its application platform for turning your computer into a server from which you can share photos, files, notes, music, and Web sites.

Opera Unite's Web server is a component of the latest experimental version of the Opera 10 browser--available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. But viewers can access the content from any browser.

Opera Unite is in its technical preview phase.

After downloading the preview browser build, you can start using Opera Unite by clicking the logo in the lower left of the Opera 10 beta browser and logging in with your Opera ID. If you don't have one, Opera will prompt you to create one.

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Your computer

Your computer also plays a role and is incorporated into your unique Opera Unite address.

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Dashboard

You'll be able to navigate and moderate your sharing activity among Opera Unite's services from a dashboard.

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Web Server

Opera Unite rolls in Web site hosting and auto-indexing. You select the folder housing your Web site and can begin sharing and hosting using an Opera-generated URL. Since the Web server concept will be new to many, Opera has included helpful hints to help orient users.

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Photo sharing

After specifying the drive where your folders are located, Opera Unite display your images in a thumbnail gallery. As it does for other media types, it will create a URL you can share. Visitors can click the thumbnails to view them full size.

Like the other services Opera has created, photo-sharing comes with privacy settings and instructions for using the service.

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Media Player

Similar to Internet Explorer 8, Opera's Unite platform lets you share music across computers, this time with a direct link.

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File sharing

Unite's file sharing feature will allow contacts to view files using the direct URL that Opera Unite generates and you distribute.

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Lounge

Opera Unite contains a chat service you can essentially run on your computer. Dubbed The Lounge, it again produces a direct link you can share with friends. You'll have the option of using a password, but your guests won't otherwise need to register.

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Fridge

Just as you might tack notes to your refrigerator, Opera Unite lets you jot notes in its Fridge environment. Sharing a direct link lets others in on the notes.

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Get more services

The six services previewed with Opera Unite are just the beginning. Opera hopes developers will create more services you can install via unite.opera.com.

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