Programming Blog

Today’s smartphones are useful for messaging and some collaboration applications.

But connecting to applications on a desktop with a smartphone is impractical. It’s far easier to see your desktop using a laptop with virtualization software.

Citrix Systems and Open Kernal Labs (OK Labs) are teaming up so the smartphone has its own virtualization software, allowing it to access any application on a virtual desktop.

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The partnership marries Citrix software with the virtual machine technology provided by OK Labs. Citrix Receiver on the mobile device calls the virtual machine through a wireless connection. The software on the device then translates what is being called from the virtual desktop so it may be viewed, for instance, on a desktop monitor. The two companies call it the Nirvana Phone:

What this really about is extending the convenience of the smartphone. These devices are proving that the mobile web is here to stay. Laptops are increasingly viewed as great for the home or office but can be cumbersome on the road. They’re still necessary to do any extended amount of work. Smartphone technology like what we see with Nirvana makes it easier for people to access documents and applications that are being stored remotely.

The service is expected to be integrated into mobile devices that come out within the next 12-18 months.

Mobile devices will become virtual machines with the ability to access any application or document. The Nirvana Phone is a glimpse of what that future looks like.

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