VIA Interaction

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

The latest Web 2.0 "application": Your own PC in a Web browser

Think it was a big deal when you decided to have a Web-based email account? How about a Web-based PC of your own?

That's the idea that four college kids (with some venture cash) are working on at YouOS, and the idea everyone suspects Google is working on.

Where's My Google PC? - It's coming. It'll be great. You'll hate it. By Paul Boutin: "For a sneak peek at the future of computing, go to YouOS and click 'Try a Demo.' Your browser window turns into a desktop of its own, with sub-windows for e-mail, chat, and Web browsing. There are also links on the YouOS desktop for a sticky-notes program and a rich-text editor. But these programs aren't on your hard drive—they're running somewhere in the vast unknown Internet.

YouOS is the fledgling startup of four recent college grads with a bit of angel funding. Its simplicity makes it a great demo. Anyone who logs on can instantly spot the big idea: You don't need Windows! You don't even need a PC! You can login and work from anywhere using any gadget with a screen and a keyboard."

With a thin client that can run on a very inexpensive PC. Maybe this is an answer for Nicholas Negroponte's $100 laptop initiative aimed at providing Internet access to the Third World.

posted by Tim Beidel at 7/05/2006 07:17:00 AM

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