Opera Software has release a second beta for version 9.5 of its flagship browser. Opera 9.5 beta 2 brings several new features and a number of bug fixes as Opera moves toward the final release (slated for later this year).

Beta 2 adds support for syncing Notes via Opera Link, the company‘s hosted solution for those that want to sync and maintain bookmarks across platforms/PCs. On the security front, beta 2 brings EV SSL certificate support (the next-gen security layer that PayPal may soon require) and improved fraud protection.

The Opera Desktop blog also touts better performance and some UI improvements for the Quick Find search tool (also known as history search), as well as improvements in page rendering times and overall speed.

For complete details about all the new features and a list of bug fixes (which vary slightly by platform) check out the changelog. Although Opera 9.5 is still a beta, we’ve found it stable enough in previous releases. After playing with the new beta for a bit this morning I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it — so long as you bear in mind that it’s a beta and there could be some issues. If you’d like to take the plunge you can grab Opera 9.5 beta 2 from the Opera website.