Skip to Content

Instant-On Computing

February 19, 2008

Sometimes you want to send a quick e-mail or look something up online but don’t feel like waiting for your computer to boot up. With Splashtop, you can be surfing the Web in seconds. Built into a computer’s basic input-­output system–the software that sets up the operating system–Splashtop gives you a choice at startup: you can either boot up normally or load a stripped-down operating system that runs just a few common applications. Circuit boards featuring the system are on the market now; they should turn up in computers within months.

Splashtop’s browser is based on Firefox and comes with Flash preinstalled so that users can watch videos and animations on the Web. Multiple programs can run simultaneously, as we see here: Skype and the Web browser are both open.

Product: Splashtop instant-on desktop
Cost: Circuit board manufacturers generally pay less than $5 per software license, depending on volume and configuration
Source: www.splashtop.com
Companies: DeviceVM

Keep Reading

Most Popular

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.

“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.

What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines

New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.

Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats

With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure

Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation

From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.