ZeroPC Makes Cloud Information Management Easier
By David Whelan
Published: January 12, 2013
I am starting to see more about cloud desktops: virtual operating systems that you access through your browser that look like your normal desktop computer. ZeroPC caught my eye because it offers some of the information management tools that I think are important for lawyers managing information with cloud-based services. It has the added benefit of additional tools although it is not rich enough a desktop OS for a lawyer to rely on.
ZeroPC does an excellent job of relying on your pre-existing accounts and passwords. When I signed up to ZeroPC, it used my Google account – which has a very strong password – rather than creating a separate username and password. I prefer cloud services that employ this method because I trust mature cloud providers over more recent ones.
The service uses your Web browser and I was able to use it with Chrome on both my desktop and tablet. You are presented with a Windows-like desktop when you access your account. Unlike remote connection resources like GotoMyPC, where you are accessing your own computer, this is a virtual desktop running on a cloud server. There is a button where the Windows Start button would be and icons on the desktop. This is a cloud service, though and it enables you to manage your information across multiple services.
One feature that I like is the storage management. You can connect your ZeroPC account to cloud file synchronization services like Dropbox, Box, Sugarsync, and Google Drive. Once connected, you can move files from one account to another from within the ZeroPC interface. I recently looked at another site that does the same thing.