Cross
platform 'virtual desktop' coming Monday
by MacCentral Staff, email@maccentral.com
December 16, 1998, 12:30 pm ET
Starting Monday, Dec. 21, high tech start-up Magically, Inc.,
will begin offering a "fully-integrated, cross-platform" virtual
desktop. The Web-based service, called MagicalDesk.com,
is now available online to users for free.
Magically, Inc., says that, by leveraging the power of the Internet,
MagicalDesk.com allows users to work virtually anywhere. MagicalDesk
includes a file management system, synchronization feature,
email, calendar, address book, to do list and Internet bookmarks.
MagicalDesk.com provides Web-based access to integrated personal
productivity applications that can be tailored for personal
use. The technology goes beyond Web-based email to offer a Web-based
file access system that is both private and secure.
Magically, Inc., says that integrated support for common document
file formats will let you work from any Mac, PC, Unix, Web-TV
or kiosk machine, and still access all of your files, email,
and Internet bookmarks -- even when you don't have the right
application (such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Lotus 1-2-3)
on the machine you're using.
The MagicalDesk.com Web-based email is the centerpiece of the
integrated suite. The email system supports the standard SMTP
and POP3 Internet protocol, allowing it to be used as a front
end to multiple email accounts. The company says emails can
easily be converted into MagicalDesk to-do items or calendar
events. Users can transfer files from their "hard'' desktop
to their MagicalFiles or vice versa. Additionally, the email
system is designed to support multi-lingual email communications.
The MagicalFiles document management system lets you copy, move,
backup or share documents created with desktop applications.
File synchronization features ensure users will have the most
recent files either at home, at work or at a remote office.
Users can activate the MagicalViewer HTML converter with a click
of their mouse to view any of the 250 supported file formats.
Of course, it's not free. MagicalDesk.com offers several premium
services, including:
- Additional
storage space (20MB for US $5 per month; 50MB for $10 per
month)
- A
Magical Viewer which translates more than 250 file formats
into HTML code ($5 per month/3-month free trial period)
- Five
additional POP accounts ($10 per month).
Recommended browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01
or Netscape Communicator 4.04 or above. More info about Magically
and MagicalDesk.com can be found at www.magicaldesk.com.
