Opera Software has released Opera 10.10, the latest version of its free-to-download browser which now includes the Unite technology for sharing files and content with other users.

Released in beta form earlier this year, Unite enables users to share content directly from their computer, without having to upload it to a third-party web site. With the technology now a standard feature, Opera 10.10 effectively becomes a web server as well as a browser.

Opera chief executive Jon von Tetzchner claimed that the company is reinventing the way consumers interact with the web and other users.

"By giving our devices the ability to serve content, we become equal citizens on the web. In an age where we have ceded control of our personal data to third parties, Opera Unite gives us the freedom to choose how we will share the data that belongs to us," he said.

As well as enabling Opera users to host their own web site, Unite can be extended with applications for specific functions such as file sharing, photo sharing, messaging, and a media player to stream music to other devices.

Applications can be downloaded from an online catalogue on Opera's web site. The company said it expects third-party developers to build and offer applications for Unite. All apps from Opera's site are free to download, but developers could potentially charge for applications distributed on other sites.

For users worried about security, Opera said that Unite runs in a "secured sandbox", which allows them to control access to just the files or folders on their computer that they want others to share.

The company also warned that it is up to individual users to comply with the law and ensure that they do not illegally share copyrighted material using the Unite technology.

To use the Unite features, users need to sign up for an Opera account, which also allows Opera to generate a URL via its DNS server so that others can access the content on the user's computer.

The new release also includes existing Opera features such as Turbo to speed up the downloading of web pages, Opera Mail, and the customisable Speed Dial links to favourite web sites.