says that more than 168 million people -- many of them "young and innovative," according to market research -- used the Opera Mini mobile web browser in March. With Mini in hand, Facebook could vastly expand its reach into mobile. It could also mine more information about users even when they're not on Facebook.

Whether any such purchase of Opera by Facebook is imminent is pure speculation, but if it happens Google had better look out.

too. The with its TV apps, and the Opera TV browser, optimized for Linux and Android based TVs, set-top boxes and media players, if joined with Facebook's deep pockets and reach, could mean the social network would be able to make a play for reaching people with a web experience on TVs in their living rooms as well.

There has certainly been a lot of buzz about the possibility lately.

reports that "one of its trusted sources" says Facebook is interested in buying Opera Software, the company behind the Opera web browser.