Great news, Instinct fans - or so it would seem.  Opera Software has
announced the availability of Opera Mini 4.2, the free, junior version
of their excellent Opera Mobile Web browsing software.  And it works on
Instinct!

According to the press release:

Opera is also
announcing today that people using the Sprint Instinct can upgrade
their firmware and download Opera Mini, find out how here: http://www.opera.com/mini/download/samsung/samsung_instinct/

That's
great news.  One of the big letdowns with Instinct, from my
perspective, was that its Web browser was really disappointing. 
Instinct owners chime in here, please, as I had to return my review
loaner awhile back and haven't been able to keep up with the more
recent firmware updates - I hear the browser is better in the newer
versions.  Still, Opera is arguably the leader in mobile Web browsing
software, and Mini will at least provide a nice alternative for
Instinct users ... though I'm guessing it'll be a "better alternative"
to the built-in app.

Opera Mini 4.2 also, of course, works on a
ton of other phones.  Like the T-Mobile G1 with Google.  Man, banner
day for Opera, huh?  According to Opera PR, additional improvements and
features include:

• More than 30%
  speed improvements for users in the US, due to the addition of a new
  Opera Mini server park in the United States.
• Opera Mini is now the
  first Web browser alternative on Android. Users of Android-powered mobile phones, such as the T-Mobile G1,
  can now download a beta version of Opera Mini 4.2 and experience a
  faster and less costly way to browse the full Internet.
• More language versions and offers added skin
  selections to personalize the look and feel of the browser.
• Opera Link support for notes, allowing users to sync their notes between the PC and Opera Mini
• Improved real time streaming protocol (RTSP) handoff. This increases the number of phones with support for mobile video.