Desktops in the Cloud

People who use iPads can now get access to a virtual Microsoft Windows desktop, complete with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications, using OnLive’s video-streaming technology (see “Cloud Streaming,” TR10, May/June 2011). Because this technology eliminates the buffering that normally occurs with video-streaming services, applications hosted on OnLive’s servers can respond to user input as swiftly as if the applications were running locally on a mobile device. The OnLive desktop comes with two gigabytes of storage.

Product: OnLive Desktop
Cost: Free
Availability: Now
Source: desktop.onlive.com
Companies: OnLive