The Internet experience delivered by many mobile phones and smartphones, save the iPhone, isn't so great - to put it kindly. Not everyone can get or would even want an iPhone, however. For these folks, a good and economical (e.g. free) alternative to the browser shipped with their mobile handset is Opera Mini 4, which is now out in its final form after a two month beta period.

This browser has a reputation for coming close to bringing the full Web to most Java- capable phones—on the smartphone front these include Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 and BlackBerry devices—by automatically reducing the size of transferred pages so sites load faster.

Version 4 of Opera Mini offers quicker scrolling, navigation and page rendering. With this browser, pages appear as they would on a desktop. And, like with the iPhone, you can zoom into sections of the page you want to read or see more closely. Opera's Small Screen Rendering feature promises to eliminate horizontal scrolling.

New BlackBerry specific features in Opera Mini 4 includes support for the native BlackBerry menu and a new interface. It also allows you to accept the EULA (End-User License Agreement) within the BlackBerry menu.

For a comprehensive overview of Opera Mini's feature set and what's been enhanced and fixed in version 4, see here.

While Opera Mini is free, you'll need a data plan with your wireless operator to use it, of course. According to Opera, 26 million people have already taken the plunge.

If you're a Verizon Wireless customer, Opera Mini is only supported by that carrier's BlackBerry smartphone models right now. Opera is working on a version to support a wider swath of Verizon subscribers, however.

You can download Opera Mini 4 over the air by pointing your phone's current Web browser to www.operamini.com.

Opera Mini 4 is compatible with the Norwegian company's new Opera Link service, which aims to allow users to access their bookmarks, Speed Dial, and personal bar wherever they are, no matter what Opera browser or mobile device they use.

Opera Link works by synchronizing bookmarks from your Mac or PC with its mobile browsers, Opera Mini and Opera Mobile, on your mobile phone or smartphone, or by logging on to the Web version of Opera Link, located at my.opera.com.

Click here for instructions on how to get started with Opera Link.