OnLive , the streaming biz inspection and repair , made a move for mainstream appeal last month by announce OnLive Desktop , a free iPad app and vane service that gives you special access code to a Windows 7 screen background , including a basic version of Microsoft Office , from the tablet . But that initial version of OnLive Desktop had itsshare of job .
Now OnLive has released a new option for its OnLive Desktop Robert William Service , OnLive Desktop Plus . This Plus variant is n’t liberal : You ’ll need to pony up $ 5 per calendar month for the service ( the app itself is still gratuitous ) . But the Plus version does append Internet Explorer 9 to the software entourage , along with access to third - company depot web site include Box.net and Dropbox . You also get “ priority access ” , which means you ’re served first if the OnLive server ever get surcharge .
On the down side , the Modern version seems to do trivial to handle the critic . fundamental interaction is still through Windows 7 ’s somewhat wobbly hint interface . accession to Dropbox or Box.net is a gracious addition to the 2 GB of storage you get with your OnLive report , but the effectuation is somewhat ungainly . For example , you do n’t get the Dropbox app on the Windows desktop , which would have let you create an wanton - to - purpose shared booklet . Instead , you need to get at your story on the Dropbox website via the browser app .
See the Internet Explorer icon on the left? That app is one of the main things you get for your $5 a month.
While access to Internet Explorer seems like a small addition , it does mean enhanced bandwidth : When you range the Web through Onlive Desktop , the internet browser is really hunt down on an OnLive edge host . That intend you actually get much in high spirits throughput than you would with plainly old Safari on the iPad — webpages load almost now — because your iPad is n’t doing all the processing required to render the page .
admission to cloud - ground apps such as Google Docs or Office Live is equally rapid , even if you ’re working with prominent document . But then you fly the coop into the limitations of the Windows jot interface , including the slow onscreen keyboard .
See the Internet Explorer picture on the left ? That app is one of the chief thing you get for your $ 5 a calendar month .
Thanks to the Flash-support, OnLive Desktop is good for online gaming.
you may attach a Bluetooth keyboard to the iPad for purpose within OnLive Desktop , but some features still do n’t work as expected . For model , you ca n’t tab between form force field — even simple 1 like login screens . And you still postulate to use the Windows feeling interface for pointing . OnLive is work to set aside the iPad ’s own virtual keyboard to work with OnLive Desktop Plus , but that wo n’t be available at launching .
The OnLive internet browser also provides full Flash video and life compatibility . Combined with the high bandwidth , that mean you may get multiple video flow without obtrusive slowdown ; again , Flash and the web browser app are track down on the OnLive server , not locally on the iPad . Interactive Flash apps seem to work well , too . For example , Intel’sMuseum of Medemo , which gathers data from your Facebook account to create a practical museum of your Facebook posts , melt perfectly fine . I also steer over toArmor Games’repository of Flash games , and was able-bodied to waste time on several titles there .
Thanks to the Flash - support , OnLive Desktop is beneficial for online gaming .
Is all this worth $ 5 a month ? Road warriors carrying a Bluetooth keyboard along with an iPad might find the help useful if they use swarm - based apps to delete big text file that had previously pass the tablet . telecasting and blink gaming enthusiasts might also be able to use the iPad as a one - occlusion entertainment machine ; sixty Pearl Sydenstricker Buck a class is about the price of a console table secret plan , so Onlive Desktop Plus will clearly appeal to some subset of drug user . If the $ 5 Leontyne Price tag still seems steep compared to some other iPad apps , consider what would happen if it were cheaper : the OnLive host could well be overwhelmed . Still , if all you need is memory access to Office apps , you might just stick to the free translation , warts and all .
