OnLive Adds Cloud Browser to Virtual Windows Desktop
OnLive said Wednesday that it now offers Internet browsing via its OnLive Desktop Plus service, which also offers access to a Windows 7 desktop and apps.
OnLive said Wednesday that it now offers Internet browsing via its OnLive Desktop Plus service, which also offers access to a Windows 7 desktop and apps.
OnLive Desktop Plus, a $4.99 service, adds the so-called cloud browser, an Internet Explorer connection that uses the OnLive backbone to connect at what the company calls gigabit speeds. The service builds upon the virtual Windows desktop technology the company introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
As part of the service, users get the ability to transfer files from email programs like Gmail and Dropbox to the cloud environment, and access to Adobe Flash and Acrobat plugins.
A "Desktop Pro" version will be available soon for $9.99 per month, adding access to 50 Gbytes of cloud storage and the ability to run additional PC applications on the service. OnLive collaborative services—including live desktop spectating and desktop sharing with voice chat for small groups or thousands of simultaneous users—are coming soon to OnLive Desktop Pro and OnLive Enterprise, the company said.
There are a couple of catches. For one, access to the free OnLive Desktop service is still via the Apple iPad, although Android, smartphone, PC, Mac and monitor/TV support via the OnLive MicroConsole are coming soon. Second, 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.
Still, access to the OnLive backbone means that consumers should be able to browse the Web in a literal snap. According to OnLive, downloading a 50-Gbyte Dropbox file can take less than a second.
"Experiencing a full Flash-enabled Web experience at gigabit speeds on iPad is nothing short of breathtaking, and OnLive Desktop Plus is your ticket to ride," said Steve Perlman, OnLive's founder and chief executive, in a statement. "Combine that with OnLive Desktop's full-featured Microsoft Office and Adobe 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."