OnLive Web Browser: Lightning-Fast Access for Virtual Desktops

The current workplace environment for enterprises and small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) continues to be transformed. The rise of mobility, unified communications (UC), and service-oriented IT, in particular, has helped level the competitive playing field. Along with these innovations, desktop virtualization has continued to attract adherents. It’s easy to see why: improved user experience and IT management as well as lower costs have all converged to make desktop virtualization an attractive proposition for companies.

To that end, cloud gaming pioneer OnLive is currently offering Internet browsing via its OnLive Desktop Plus service. The new service also offers access to a Windows 7 desktop with applications and builds upon the OnLive Desktop virtual Windows desktop technology which provides users the ability to work from anywhere at lightning fast speeds. For example, the OnLive backbone provides users with the means to browse the Web and download a 50-Gbyte Dropbox (News - Alert) file in less than a second. This type of functionality enables seamless connectivity between proprietary email programs and endusers’ cloud environment of choice.

In general, the difficulties of implementing desktop virtualization have led to central IT becoming more of a “no” shop, unable to meet users’ changing needs, such as accommodating mobile computing devices and “BYOC” (bring your own computer), as well as social networking applications and tools. Add to this the confusion around all the potential architectures at each different layer of the desktop software stack, and the slow pace of adoption is understandable.

Today, many CIOs have desktop virtualization plans on the whiteboard. The release of OnLive Desktop, both the free and Plus service, along with Windows 7 upgrades, more efficient desktop virtualization architectures, and the proliferation of new end-user devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.) are fueling increased interest and setting the stage for greater detsktop virtualization adoption.

According to Steve Perlman, OnLive's founder and chief executive, "Combine that with OnLive Desktop's full-featured Microsoft Office and Adobe (News - Alert) Reader PC applications and not only do you have the world's fastest mobile browser, but the world's most powerful productivity tools literally at your fingertips."

The free OnLive Desktop service is still available only via the Apple (News - Alert) iPad, although Android, smartphone, PC, Mac and monitor/TV support via the OnLive MicroConsole are coming soon. Access to the free, basic OnLive Desktop is "subject to availability," meaning that free users will be locked out if enough Plus users want to access it.