Nivio launches world's first online desktop

New Delhi, June 15 (UNI) The world's first Windows-based online desktop was launched today by the Nivio group here.

The service, started by Switzerland-based Nivio, will allow global access to a personal virtual desktop from any internet-enabled computers.

To access the personal desktop, one needs to register with the site on one month trial. The cost of subscription is Rs 399 per month and Rs 199 for students.

The base package comes with five GB online storage along with a host of free applications and security services. The service also promises to protect the virtual desktop and data from viruses and spam.

The service has a spate of softwares which are free at the moment but is talking to some other software companies for providing software. A unique feature is the facility to use a software for the time period required unlike the normal cases where one has to buy a license for a year or so.

''This becomes important for those occasion where one needs to buy a software at a hefty amount but does not use it after a certain time,'' company Chief Business Strategist Iqbal Gandham said. The user can choose the time period for the required time period. All the software provided is genuine.

The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of the service is that it provides a total data backup security. The data stored by a user is one-way encrypted and no one can access it apart from the user, he said.

All the data is copied to the system in Switzerland centre. ''It has one of the most stringent security laws and it is virtually impossible to leak information from there. This can help corporates in ruinning businesses and relaxing as their data is safe. Even we cannot access anybody's desktop unless permitted by the user himself,'' he added.

The service offers huge potential in a country like India as it can provide multiple desktops on a single computer. ''This is specially relevant in the country where the government wants to increase computer literacy,'' Mr Gandham said.

The company will work from two data centres, Switzerland (Head Office) and Delhi.

UNI