Zen, be Zen: here is Opera Air, a browser that takes care of your mental health
Opera Air is an experience that wants to be minimalist, but not devoid of features. © Numériques
In a context where most web browsers are very similar and steal features while adding AI everywhere, and where Chrome always dominates From head and shoulders, Opera has decided to try something else.
This Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the firm launched a new version of its Browser, as it had done with Opera GXa version intended for gamers. This time, this is a completely opposite solution since Opera, with Opera Air, aims at those looking for a visually purified solution, made of calm and well-being.
Opera with a (pretty) mustache
In its heart, Opera Air remains largely Opera. Most of its organization and features do not move. This is for example the case of the integrated pub and VPN blocker, flow and music player, support for extensions and synchronization, workspaces or multiple side bars. The options menu is also more or less the same, even if some features are absent to lighten the solution a little.
The quick parameters of Opera Air. © Numériques
We note for example the absence of advanced personalization of themes (video screens funds come a little offset), the possibility of using the islets of tabs and displaying two tabs side by side on the screen, or Wallet crypto. What does Opera Air propose, a clearly designed browser so as not to drown newcomers under too many features, to compensate for these rare absences?
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The classic opera air installation. | © Numériques
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The initial configuration of Opera Air, minimalist.
First of all, a really refined interface, rounded and soothing colors. Opera Air does not want to attack your eyes, quite the contrary. In addition to default wallpapers that we will qualify as zen (you can use your own image, of course), the browser home page displays well-being and inspiring sentences by default, with the possibility to share them easily.
The left side bar of Opera Air, where everything is going. © Numériques
Tools to take breaks and relax
The main innovations are however in the left sidebar. As on Opera, we first identify the possibility of activating or not of shortcuts to applications (Whatsapp, Instagram, Messenger, etc.) and IA services (Aria, Chatgpt, etc.). By default, very few shortcuts are displayed, but it is possible to add easily (favorites, history, downloads, etc.). Two new buttons, which fully justify this new browser, are boosts and take a break.
Opera Air Boosts feature. © Numériques
Behind Boosts hides the possibility of listening to neuronal beats. Opera describes the option as “A hearing technique that sends two slightly different frequencies in each ear, thus creating a third frequency perceived by the brain”. In short, an alliance of sounds and music that can potentially help creativity, concentration or relaxation depending on the chosen boost.
Boost settings. © Numériques
About twenty of these boosts, 30 min each, are currently proposed, from deep relaxation to stimulation of creativity, via emotional navigation or stress relief and positive mood. Once a boost launched, ideally with a helmet, it is possible to manually adjust the sound level of three elements to adjust the experience to its taste: music, ambient noises and waves. In addition, it is possible to modify a boost by selecting from a list of other ambient sounds and musical tracks, or to change the frequency of binaural beats (ranging from Alpha to Gamma).
The result will obviously depend on people, but we have found the proposal relevant and convincing.
Take a break on Opera Air. © Numériques
Finally, the button takes a break. First of all, from the “…” at the top right, it is possible to ask Opera Air to automatically make a reminder of the user according to a chosen timing (by default 60 min). The user must then choose between four types of exercises: breathing, neck exercise, meditation and complete body examination. The average duration of each exercise is indicated.
Breathing exercises on Opera Air. © Numériques
Fortunately, the user is not alone in the face of these exercises, because explanatory text and possible interactive diagrams are displayed at each stage. Tête monitoring via webcam can be activated depending on the exercise, and a female or male voice is present. This is only offered in English for the moment, but subtitles in French are already there. Once again, it is possible to adjust the music and the room sounds.
One of the neck stretching exercises. © Numériques
A convincing and relevant solution
With Opera Air, Opera had an excellent idea and did it very well. At the time of teleworking and where always more professions ask to spend the day in front of a computer, such a browser may well find its audience. Especially since mental health and well-being questions at work have never been so central to our society.
If he is missing some fairly practical secondary tools of Opera or other browsers to be perfect, especially on the side of productivity and advanced management of tabs, Opera Air has made the right choices in its central features. And all, by offering an interface that is really pleasant to travel to take advantage of its unique, relevant and complete tools.
