Opera today released the beta of Opera 10.50 ? the latest and the most advanced version of its desktop Web browser.

Opera claims that the new Opera 10.50 beta is the fastest Web browser, while it also offers a minimalist, sleek design and maximum browsing space. The latest from Opera comes with an array of features and functionality and more Web standards support. It is free and currently available for Windows users at http://www.opera.com/browser/next/. Mac and Linux betas are expected hard on the heels of the Windows release.

With the fastest JavaScript engine and graphics library, and great speed on limited networks with Opera Turbo, Opera 10.50 promises to be the fastest browser on Earth. The brand new JavaScript engine, Carakan, runs Web applications faster and more smoothly ? more than eight times faster than its predecessor ? and can speed up even the most demanding Web sites, Opera claims.

In addition, Opera 10.50 includes an updated version of the unique Opera Turbo technology for faster browsing on limited networks than any other Web browser.

Everything in Opera 10.50 beta is drawn on the screen using Opera?s new graphics library, Vega. This enables fast and smooth graphics for everything from tab switching to animation on Web pages.

Opera 10.50 boasts of a minimalist interface ? polished, cleaner skin with maximum space usage. The new Opera menu in Windows replaces the menu bar and 10.50 offers overall improved visuals such as Speed Dial, effects on visual tabs and more.

With private browsing in Opera 10.50, users can browse and leave no trace of the Web sites they have visited or other actions they have performed. What differentiates Opera from other browsers is that users can create private tabs and private windows.

Users can also easily use their preferred search engine, right from the address field. The new address field also shows users' matching results in the history, bookmarks and even actual content on the pages they have visited. Users can use different search engines and Web-site searches from the new Search field. Adding custom searches such as Twitter, looking at previous searches or finding something on the current page is also available.

With the Aero Glass effect on Windows 7 and Vista, Opera 10.50 beta looks better than ever. The new browser offers great Windows 7 integration with Aero Peek, Jump List support and a completely reorganized and easier to use menu bar under the new Opera menu.

A new platform allows Opera Widgets to move beyond the Web browser and into the desktop. Each widget can run as a separate process, independent from the browser, leading them to behave as native applications.

The new Opera Presto 2.5 engine in Opera 10.5 beta also provides enhanced support for HTML5, full support for CSS 2.1 and much of the latest CSS3.