• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
ClassThink

ClassThink

School Technology Guides

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • HOME
  • LATEST
  • Featured
  • School App Search
    • Search
    • Dashboard
    • Directory Login
  • TEACHER GUIDES
    • Microsoft Teams
      • Microsoft Teams Teacher’s Hub
    • Microsoft OneDrive
    • Microsoft Stream
    • Microsoft Office
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Microsoft OneNote
    • Microsoft Office
    • Microsoft Outlook
    • Microsoft Windows
    • Microsoft SDS
    • Google Classroom
    • Google Meet
    • Zoom
  • REVIEWS
  • NEWSLETTER
  • ABOUT
    • Contact Us
    • About ClassThink
    • Support ClassThink
    • Write for ClassThink
    • Advertising and Sponsorship
You are here: Home / Featured / Windows applications are coming to Chromebook

Windows applications are coming to Chromebook

13 February 2014 by Karl Rivers 1 Comment

You’ll soon be able to run Windows applications on Chrome OS — so long as you have a lot of cash.

Fire and brimstone fell on Microsoft today as the company’s Redmond HQ sank into a fiery pit never to be heard from again — at least that’s what some technology blogs would have you think.

In reality Google, in partnership with VMWare, have announced that a web app allowing Chrome users to connect to VMWare virtual machines will soon be available in the Chrome Web Store.

Windows applications on Chrome OS

The new Chrome app will allow users to connect to virtual machines and applications running on VMWare’s Horizon DaaS (Desktop as a Service). The DaaS virtual machines can be hosted within your school network or on VMWare’s cloud platform and can potentially be accessed from any location.

This means that your students and teachers can pick up any device, including a Chromebook, and connect to their virtual desktop from any location. A teacher could use an iPad to connect to the same Windows desktop that they use in the classroom, or a student could use their Macbook to access a school provided copy of Adobe Photoshop.

While many consider this an end-game scenario for Microsoft — essentially making locally installed Windows irrelevant — in reality this is just an expansion of the VMWare View platform which is already available for pretty much every other operating system. You can currently install View on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPad, and Android. The addition of Chrome OS to this line up is not only inevitable, but also great for Microsoft, as the Redmond based company can now effectively sell Windows and Office licenses to Chromebook users.

[pullquote]VMWare could provide a good solution to stubborn legacy applications slowing down your ICT strategy[/pullquote]

But what does this mean for schools? Well, you could theoretically use any Chrome OS device to replace Windows desktops. Accessing a VM from within Chrome could provide a simple and user friendly way to access Windows based applications. If it’s done right VMWare in Chrome could provide a better Windows experience than Windows itself and give technicians a streamlined way to support Windows applications.

How much control Google Apps administrators have over this will be key. It’s not enough to make VMWare View for Chrome available, we also need to be able to centrally manage access to VMs, provide shortcuts directly to specific Windows applications in the browser, and make the system end-user friendly.

VMWare can be pricey

But costs may be prohibitive, especially for smaller schools. VMWare DaaS Horizon and the hardware required to run such a system is complex and licensing can be costly, but if you’re already running VMWare in your school, this may be a viable option.

If you’re pushing Chromebooks in your school any future software purchases should be accessible through a web browser, but VMWare could provide a good solution to stubborn legacy applications slowing down your ICT strategy. I’ll be getting a trial up and running once the Chrome extension has been released and will let you know how I get on.

3RVFT6FBW7CW

Source: Google Enterprise Blog

You might also like...

Filed Under: Chrome OS, Chromebook, Chromebox, Featured, Google, Google Apps

This page contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on the links to these products. For an explanation of our Affiliate Policy, please visit this page.

About Karl Rivers

Karl Rivers is a Director of IT who has worked in education for more than twenty years. He won the Naace Impact Award for Supporting School Services.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sean says

    01/09/2016 at 7:15 pm

    Citrix has had a receiver out for Chromebooks for a while now. I don’t see how this news is monumental.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

You might also like...

Popular School Apps

  • Bromcom Computers Plc

    Bromcom Computers Plc

    MIS/SIS System

  • CleverTouch

    CleverTouch

    Classroom Screens & Projectors

  • Capita SIMS

    Capita SIMS

    MIS/SIS System +3 Parent Communications, Parent Portal, Parents Evenings,

  • Wakelet

    Wakelet

    Learning Platform +1 Social Bookmarking,

  • BKSK

    BKSK

    Assessments +1 Educational Games & Quizzes,

Latest Edtech News

Virtual breakout rooms for Microsoft Teams – everything you need to know

Download the free OneNote for Team Collaboration eBook

New Surface Laptop Go Announced

Featured

Best Chromebooks for students in 2021

Create beautiful infographics for your classroom

Record online lessons with Camtasia

Naace Impact Awards Winner

Footer

Recent

  • Best Chromebooks for students in 2021
  • Create beautiful infographics for your classroom
  • Virtual breakout rooms for Microsoft Teams – everything you need to know
  • Record online lessons with Camtasia
  • Download the free OneNote for Team Collaboration eBook
  • New Surface Laptop Go Announced
  • Managing Windows 10 in schools with Intune and Autopilot
  • How to stop students unmuting themselves in Microsoft Teams
  • How to spotlight students & demonstrations in Microsoft Teams meetings
  • How to record a PowerPoint presentation as a video
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Recent Forum Topics

  • JvFHf5vfJ HyVSv2mpZ
  • Use VPN Security
  • How less is more with application development
  • How Much Does it Cost to Make an App like Uber
  • Microsoft Team class not appearing for teacher but is correct in Teams admin
  • FCM Test Notification!!! message in Microsoft Teams
  • FAQ: Can students begin a meeting in a private channel in Microsoft Teams
  • Microsoft Lists for Education
  • Benefits of hiring a ghostwriter
  • Things You Need To Make An Android App

Most Popular Posts

  • How to turn off chat for students in Microsoft Teams
  • How to stop students muting and kicking others in Microsoft Teams video meetings
  • How to delete a video from Microsoft Teams
  • How to record and share a lesson in Microsoft Teams
  • How to enable Large Gallery view and Together Mode in Microsoft Teams
  • How to mute students in Microsoft Teams
  • Virtual breakout rooms for Microsoft Teams - everything you need to know
  • How to record a PowerPoint presentation as a video
  • Set students to attendee by default in Microsoft Teams meetings
  • How to set and mark an assignment in Microsoft Teams
  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2021 · ClassThink.com · Affiliate Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Here's the secret · Log in