Opera Software is expected to release a Beta version of the upcoming Opera 9.5 browser, codenamed Kestrel, within the next weeks.

Opera 9.5 features an improved rendering engine. This update includes improved CSS3 support, SVG support and a brand new javascript engine with support for ECMAScript 4 'getters' and 'setters'.

The update will also feature several usability improvements that make the popular features easier to access, and more consistent with other browsers.

Opera 9.5 also takes a big step forward in accessibility by introducing screen reader support, improved keyboard navigation and more consistent keyboard shortcuts.

Mac users can expect a new visual look and feel. Opera for Linux will add a QT4 build, so users will be able to adjust the skin to match with desktop. There will also be 64-bit Linux/FreeBSD packages made available.

Opera 9.5 is also expected to be faster, both in benchmarks and on real web pages. The user interface will also feel snappier and more responsive.