New Update Vivaldi 4.3 released: translate, usability and privacy improvements

silversurfer

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Vivaldi Technologies has just released Vivaldi 4.3 for the desktop and for Android. The new version of the web browser is a significant upgrade, as it improves several key tools and features of Vivaldi, and improves user privacy further at the same time.

Vivaldi 4.3 is already available. The browser should pick up the new version automatically and install it. Users who don't want to wait can go to Vivaldi Menu > Help > Check for Updates to run a manual check for the update on desktop systems. The browser should pick up the new version and install it at that point.
Vivaldi engineers have disabled the Idle Detection API in the browser on desktop and in Android versions of the browser. Google introduced the API in Chromium and Google Chrome recently.

Websites need to request permission to access the API. If they do get permission, they may check for idle activity, e.g. for interactions with the keyboard or mouse.

Mozilla and Apple announced already that they won't implement the API because of privacy concerns and no real-world scenarios that justify implementing it.

Vivaldi 4.3 has disabled the API, which means that sites can't ask for permission to gain access to the API.

Vivaldi users may enable it by visiting Settings > Privacy, and changing the status of the Idle Detection field from Block to "Ask" or "Allow". Ask displays prompts in the browser whenever a site requests permission to use the Idle Detection API, allow gives it that permission without user interaction.

vivaldi-4.3-idle-detection-api.webp
Vivaldi Translate

vivaldi 4.3 translate


Vivaldi introduced translate functionality in Vivaldi 4.0 earlier this year and improved the functionality in Vivaldi 4.2 when it added options to translate bits of text on webpages (and not just the full website).

The self-hosted solution is privacy-friendly, as communication happens only between the user's system and Vivaldi's servers.

One point of criticism was that the number of supported languages was comparatively low; this changes with the release of Vivaldi 4.3 as the number of supported languages has been increased by 68 to a total of 108 languages.

Vivaldi Translate offers two main functions:
  • Right-click on selected text to translate the selection to another language.
  • Translate the entire webpage with a click on the translate icon or interaction with the translate prompt.
Other changes in Vivaldi 4.3

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  • Improved and visually refreshed screen capturing tool with ability to resize screenshots right in the browser.
  • Sync setup has been improved in the new browser version: "Now more intuitive, the revamped Sync is polished with icons and colors that draw attention to key features and options and improves account setup and recovery".
  • Download panel displays a graph now that displays download speed over time visually. Also, new buttons to restart downloads or find downloads on the system.
  • Mail and Calendar OAuth login has been changed to be exclusively for the Mail and Calendar tool, and not the browser anymore. It prevents sign-in to all Google services when users access Gmail in the Mail tool (and sign-in to access the data). Also, new drag & drop support for attachments.
  • Vivaldi' Feed Reader supports subscribing to YouTube channels without being signed-in to a YouTube or Google account.
  • Vivaldi 4.3 supports the installation of PWA.
  • Vivaldi 4.3 for Android supports the new Tab Stack Toolbar feature. It allows users to change tabs within a Tab Stack while they are on a webpage.
 

silversurfer

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Minor update for Vivaldi Desktop Browser 4.3​

This update includes security improvements from the Chromium project, along with some fixes for panel, privacy and translate.

The following improvements were made since the initial 4.3 stable release:
  • [Chromium] Upgraded to 94.0.4606.81
  • [Panels] Customized order reset on upgrade (VB-83385)
  • [Panels] Lack keyboard focus when opened (VB-83464)
  • [Privacy] Do not send X-Client-Data to websites (VB-83458)
  • [Quick commands] Sometimes selects the wrong item (VB-83362)
  • [Translate] The dropdown list is not immediately updated with new languages (VB-83500)
 

silversurfer

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Minor update (2) for Vivaldi Desktop Browser 4.3​

This update includes security fixes from the Chromium project and other assorted fixes.

The following improvements were made since the first 4.3 stable, minor update:
  • [Crash][Search][Settings] Clicking the “Post” checkbox (VB-83488)
  • [Crash][Mail Beta] Status Button can crash the client (VB-83384)
  • [Chromium] Upgraded to 94.0.4606.104
  • [Panels] Download panel doesn’t fit Japanese strings (VB-83471)
  • [Translate] Fails as soon as it encounters <sub> or <sup> (VB-83801)
 

silversurfer

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I have installed this browser several times,
but the working environment of this browser is never smooth and fast like other browser :(

Same here, it's noticeable a real slowness overall compared to other well-known chromium-based browsers.
However, I'm always trying out again Vivaldi after every major versions update...
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Minor update (3) for Vivaldi Desktop Browser 4.3
This update includes security fixes from the Chromium project and other assorted fixes.

The following improvements were made since the second 4.3 stable, minor update:
  • [Capture] Doesn’t respect the left-side boundary when edge is on the right side (VB-83871)
  • [Capture] Sometimes the resizers and dotted line appear in the screenshot (VB-83169)
  • [Capture] Too little space for Japanese language (VB-82718)
  • [Chromium] Upgraded to 94.0.4606.114
  • [Crash][Extensions] Authenticator Extension (VB-83203)
  • [Crash] No specific reproduction steps: fixed via a user submitted crashlog (VB-83896)
  • [Language][Settings] Changing language to Azerbaijani breaks startup (VB-83804)
  • [Privacy] Websites can enumerate media devices without permission (VB-84021)
 

Trooper

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Same here, it's noticeable a real slowness overall compared to other well-known chromium-based browsers.
However, I'm always trying out again Vivaldi after every major versions update...

Agreed I try it from time to time but always end up getting rid of it. It's a shame. But there is just so much going on in that browser that I really don't need or want.
 

oldschool

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Agreed I try it from time to time but always end up getting rid of it. It's a shame. But there is just so much going on in that browser that I really don't need or want.
Same experience here. This may be a power user's dream browser but probably not for the average user. While I'm in the middle of these two user categories I find little that is appealing in V.
 

silversurfer

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Minor update (4) for Vivaldi Desktop Browser 4.3​

This update fixes a couple of Linux issues and stops Vivaldi being blocked on certain websites.

The following improvements were made since the third 4.3 stable, minor update:
  • [Linux] On upgrades Vivaldi can hit 100% CPU: primarily a Linux issue but may affect the other platforms in some cases (VB-80772)
  • [Linux][arm64] Does not autoupdate (VB-84131)
  • [User Agent] Vivaldi is blocked on certain websites: make ‘Not A Brand’ last in the Sec-Ch-Ua header (VB-83905)
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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Minor update (5) for Vivaldi Linux (.deb) Desktop Browser 4.3
This build removes an Apt Notice that is displayed on update for multilib users on Debian and Ubuntu based systems (only the .deb packages have been updated).

The following improvements were made since the fourth 4.3 stable, minor update:
  • [Linux][Update][Apt] Users on multilib systems are confused/concerned by an Apt ‘Notice’ (N: ) and interpret it as an update Error/Failure (E: )—the Notice will disappear on the first update after upgrading to 4.3.2439.71 (Snapshot users will need a separate fix)
 

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