Opera provides five virtual server locations to choose from including the United States, Canada, Germany, Singapore, the Netherls. These server locations can either help you stay secure while you’re using a public -Fi hotspot or evade regional restrictions—just don’t count on fooling Netflix. For this latest app Opera added a new feature that is not part of the iOS app, called the “-Fi security test tool.” This feature tests the -Fi network you’re connected to in order to see how secure it is. Testing my home network, Opera V gave me a B+. I lost points for having an exposed Iaddress, being at risk for -Fi sniffing, at risk for eavesdropping by my Internet service provider. No doubt that last risk is always there unless you activate Opera’s V, which the otect Fi button helpfully turns on for you. The Android version also has a feature called Guardian that blocks ad trackers for you. Guardian is not on by default. The iOS version also blocks ad trackers for added privacy, but the feature is on by default doesn’t have a fancy name like Guardian. Overall the app is very simple to use. It only has three basic features: the V, the -Fi test, Guardian. en you first install the app it asks permission to use Android’s built-in V features, which then allows you to use Opera’s free V with a single tap. The impact on you at home: As we discussed with Opera’s iOS app, this free V does collect information from your device, which you can read about in the company’s privacy policy. Ultra privacy-conscious users will want to take note that the V may collect web addresses you visit (but not page content), Iaddress locations, as well as information about your device type, browser type, operating system type. eviously, Opera told us it collects some of this information in order to “use anonymous market insights derived from customer usage to help support the service. make this information available to third parties who are interested in better understing the mobile ecosystem how it’s evolving.” Opera’s V services are provided by SurfEasy, a Canadian company that Opera acquired in 2015.
