Opera reports that a version of its web browser will be used in a line of extremely inexpensive Linux-based set-top boxes that will be marketed directly to individuals in rural areas of China. The boxes will enable the Chinese government to deliver remote education programs to citizens who may not otherwise have access to education, Opera says.

The Opera browser will serve as a web brower on ZZvcom's NDVB 9000-series, Opera says. It will also be used as a "presentation engine" for dynamic web applications written by ZZvcom in AJAX (asynchronous Javascript/XML) and other standard languages, Opera says.

Opera CEO Jon von Tetzchner stated, "China is a fast growing STB market and Opera is jumping on board with this growth and providing a solution that helps China to reach its most remote citizens. Opera is a powerful tool for a STB, enabling the full Internet on the TVs of individuals who may not have access to the Internet otherwise. We are proud to be a part of this project."

Mr. Wang Feng, chairman of ZZvcom, stated, "Our STB is more than just an entertainment device, it is literally a communication tool to reach the remote citizens of our country. Using the Opera browser, we can deliver this much-needed content, which includes information on current events and other educational material. For this important service, we needed a reliable and fast browser that would not be affected by device limitations."