Ron Schenone

Xcerian – Looking For Beta Testers – XIOS – Next Generation Web Apps.

Posted by on Mar 14, 2007 | 13 Comments

This might be the company that will make Google and Microsoft stand up and take notice, if what they say on their web site comes to pass. Xcerian started back in 2001, with a goal of bringing web service applications onto the Internet and away from the traditional desktop. And the small Swedish company is accepting Beta applications on their web site. I already have applied and I am looking forward to testing their product.

So how does it work? Xcerian is in the process of developing a XML – based Internet operating system that is going to run right from the traditional web browser. And the OS can run from Windows, Linux or Apple equally the same. However the first software release will only support Internet Explorer and Firefox. Safari and Opera will be added at a future date. My first thought was if one used a free Linux OS, than for all intensive purposes the system could be free of any software costs.

The Xcerian operating system is named XIOS. What would be some of the benefits of using this type of system? Well it would seem that XIOS should be immune from viruses and malware. Also you would be able to access your files from any computer in the world that provided Internet access. But there are some limitation in that the system would not be able to handle some graphics, especially for gaming.

When I first read the blurb from Xcerian’s web site they used the work ‘cloud’ which at first I thought was a typo. But reading further they use the word ‘cloud’ to describe where the system operates. They further describe their software as:

“Xcerion believes in the future of Internet self-service applications. Applications will move from the traditional desktop into the cloud and become available for free with added benefits of the dynamics of the Internet, like collaboration and social networking.”

So if you would like to become a Beta tester for Xcerian, sign up here. But be patient. Testing may not begin until Q3 of 2007.
This looks like it may turn out to be a fun project. :-)

[tags]Xcerian, XIOS, operating system, browser, beta[/tags]

  • http://www.kyeldon.net/drupal-6.2/ Andreas_P

    hi chris,

    just a little reminder that it in fact this company is called “Xcerion AB”

    greetz…

    ps: Online Beta is cool but I’m waiting also for firefox and other browsers.

  • Sean Knox

    Do any of the online services mentioned provide access to cable news streams, e.g. MSBNC/CNN?

    • http://sybersquad.com Christopher Knopick

      A lot of the Cable News sites stream on the web, that’s one option.

  • http://sybersquad.com Christopher Knopick

    The problem I have is with local news and programming as we live quite far from the transmitter and I don’t know if an HD antenna would work, (I can’t stand looking at SD programming any more). Not being able to get kids, (I have young kids), shows without starting a netflix show every hour is a pain as well. I wish you could queue up a bunch of shows and then watch them all at once. This is definitely a First World Problem.

    • http://profiles.google.com/hgpot33 Sam Lewis

      Depending on how tight money is, you could rent episodes/seasons from different kids’ programming on Amazon VOD or iTunes TV and let it play on a Roku Box or Apple TV.

  • Reid Ellis

    Title should be “Alternatives to US Cable Television. Netflix isn’t as good outside the US, and Hulu just isn’t available at all. iTunes outside the US doesn’t have any ABC/NBC/CBS TV shows..

    • http://twitter.com/mitch_bartlett Mitch Bartlett

      Boxee is a great device to aggregate many sources of content, US and elsewhere.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001770065819 Joseph Palmer

    I ditched cable tv long ago and have been happier ever since. Netflix does wonders as well as youtube and a lot of other sources.

  • Anonymous

    Amazon has fantastic customer service!

  • http://twitter.com/webbnf Neil Webb

    My frustration in rural Michigan is that Charter is our only internet provider. I called them to cancel everything but the internet, the rep said “well it will be more expensive to have just internet, so we will give you (slow speed) but throw in the TV content.” It was an interesting conversation… they do not want people to ditch TV so they are throwing it in free while people need internet.

  • Roger Market

    My wild guess would go either way. I’d say iTunes because it seems to work better; I’d say Amazon because you have all that credit to spend. You didn’t leave enough clues to make the answer clear. ;-)

    But yeah, all those are great. If I didn’t have roommates who wanted cable/satellite, I wouldn’t have any of it. I’d use Netflix and iTunes. And stuff.

  • Jack Durst

    What about YouTube… Who cares about mainstream TV, all the really good stuff is there.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/David-DeWitt/627236289 David DeWitt

    I love cable tv and my dvr.