Vivaldi has released version 8.2 of its desktop web browser, with the most visible addition being the new local calculator. Instead of opening another tab, launching a separate calculator app, or searching the web, users can now type a calculation directly into Vivaldi’s Address Field and get the result there.
Pressing Enter copies the result to the clipboard, making it easy to paste the answer elsewhere. More importantly for privacy, Vivaldi says these calculations are performed locally and are not stored anywhere, including the browser history.
Just to mention that Vivaldi already offered calculations through its Quick Commands interface, so the functionality isn’t new. What changes in 8.2 is accessibility: calculations are now available directly from the URL field, where most users are more likely to use them.
Those who don’t want calculator results appearing among Address Field suggestions can disable the feature under “Settings > Address Bar > Address Field Suggestions” by turning off the “Local calculator” option.
Another notable improvement in Vivaldi 8.2 concerns Progressive Web Apps. Until now, installing a PWA required finding the option inside a context menu, which made the feature easy to overlook.
Starting with this release, websites that offer an installable PWA display an “Install” icon directly in the Address Field. Clicking it installs the site as a standalone web application with its own icon and task-switcher entry while continuing to run through Vivaldi.
Installed PWAs can still be managed from vivaldi://apps. Vivaldi 8.2 also makes it clearer when a web app is already installed. Returning to the website will display an icon in the Address Field offering to open the page directly in its installed app.
Alongside those desktop improvements, Vivaldi used the 8.2 announcement to provide a first look at Vivaldi for Enterprise, an upcoming version aimed at businesses, public institutions, government organizations, and schools.
The initial technical preview focuses on centralized policy management and browser customization for organizations. Vivaldi says development is ongoing and is seeking feedback from organizations about what they want from the Enterprise offering.
More details about Vivaldi 8.2 are available in the official release announcement.
The biggest fix I want for PWA apps, is, when I click on some buttons within the PWA it goes to a new address, still within the app. Well, a URL bar shows up at the top of the PWA and I just want that hidden. I’ve tried everything I can find, but it just won’t go away once one of those buttons is clicked