Symantec To Launch New Online Workspace Tool
GoEverywhere, set to be launched in beta at the end of January, is a managed online workspace that allows users to access and store their frequently-used online Web applications from anywhere in the world. The online tool also provides a growing selection of free, popular Web-based word processing, slide-making, instant messaging and spreadsheet applications, along with access to Web-based e-mail.
Don Kleinschnitz, Symantec general manager and vice president of GoEverywere, said that the product essentially marries Web 2.0 concepts to cloud computing services, enabling a user to load his or her entire desktop into a browser and then store it securely through Symantec's remote management.
"It's not running on a local computer, it's running in the cloud," Kleinschnitz said. "There's nothing you can do on a browser that you can't do here."
Kleinschnitz said that GoEverywhere, which is remotely managed by Symantec, inherently addresses security concerns, despite the fact that users can access the tool from any public kiosk. The online tool includes a single sign-on feature providing one password to access workspace Web applications. It also incorporates built-in password and identity management with phishing protection.
"You don't have to back this machine up. When you save files, we're taking care of that," Kleinschnitz said.
However, one of the biggest draws, Kleinschnitz said, is that users can access their online workspace from any device with a browser -- from work desktops to airport and library kiosks. Plus, the online workspace operates across all platforms independent of specific hardware and operating systems.
Other features include organizational tools such as Open Places, which allows easy addition and organization of multiple online applications, and File Browser, which offers a single view of users' file repositories, making it easier for them to find and manage their online files from one centralized location. Plus, the tool offers a tag-based navigation system, enabling the user to easily click on their desired applications with easy-to-recognize personalized tags.
The subscription-based tool will be geared toward the consumer and SMB space, but could potentially be distributed to small businesses through the channel, execs say.
Meanwhile, GoEverywhere, which is currently being developed in Symantec's New Business Incubator, works on all browsers, and scales to accommodate mobile devices. Symantec said that the company is also developing a prototype for a full-blown iPhone application.