Get your own virtual computer from G.ho.st

Fancy a free, web-based Virtual Computer? You just log-in to it from your web browser, and there is your desktop, waiting to go to work for you?

I’ve played with quite a few of these types of services over the years. I’ve always liked the idea of having my desktop and my ‘data’ in the sky, so I can always get to it wherever I am and from whatever device or utility I choose.

Google Apps has delivered some of this. I like the fact I can get on the plane in London and off the plane in San Francisco 10 hours away and still have access to exactly the same data from my mobile, my iPhone, my laptop and so on.

I really do like the idea of having all my tools online and ready to use at the touch of the button. So when i came across G.ho.st, I had to stop and take a look. Pronounced ‘Ghost’, it’s one of the most annoying yet gifted URLs I’ve ever seen.

geee – dot – hohhhh – dot – sssssst… probably quite memorable but entirely confusing for your normobs.

Login to Ghost and you get your own desktop within the browser (including lots of different apps, Zoho Office and so on) — everything is hosted on Amazon so your data is safe and secure. A Last.fm client immediately started playing some Eric Clapton as I had a look around. Very smart. You could, I suspect, do a day’s work from it.

“The Windows/Mac model is broken,” says the G.ho.st CEO on their introductory video. I like it. He goes on to ask why we should have to arse about installing applications.

“Hello, there’s an internet now!”

Indeed. I like the concept. I reeeeally like it. There’s a mobile angle too. They recently launched Ghost Mobile which gives you a lightweight interface into your virtual computer.

Alas when I tried accessing http://g.ho.st on my 1st Generation iPhone and my Nokia E90, I was given the main large site and not the mobile version. So there are still a few bugs around the place.

My suggestion? Get an account and poke about with it. It’s free and it’s the first in a next generation of services worthy of your attention.

Get your own free account here: http://g.ho.st/.