VMware Expands its View, Brings Windows Virtual Desktop to Kindle Fire, Mac and Linux

[btarunr]

VMware, Inc., the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, today announced the availability of new VMware View Clients for Kindle Fire, Mac and Linux, along with updates to its popular VMware View Clients for Android and iPad. Available today as technology previews, the new VMware View Clients for Mac and Linux allow IT organizations to empower more agile, productive and connected workforce or school communities by enabling an easy to access, high fidelity desktop virtualization experience optimized for the device of their choice.

"More and more people want the freedom to choose the device that best fits their computing needs in school and into the workplace," said Pat Lee, director, end user clients, VMware. "With the new VMware View Clients, both IT and end users win with a complete, secure and easily-accessible virtual desktop on the devices that best meet their needs."

Supporting Device Diversity:
While the proliferation of new devices is prevalent across all industries today, the education sector is at the forefront of this trend with labs supporting both Mac and Windows desktops as well as students bringing in their own tablets, laptops and PCs that are based on OS X, Windows and other platforms. The introduction of the new VMware View™ Clients for Mac and Linux will allow campus IT organizations to better support these end users and ensure that students have readily-available access to their applications and a consistent learning experience across devices.

"Fifty one-percent of our faculty computers are Macs and just over twenty nine-percent of our student population uses Macs," said Steve Swartz, chief information officer and AVP of Technology at Fitchburg State University. "Having a Mac client running PCoIP is critical to our ability to extend VDI to these users."

"We're very excited about this release," added Dale A. Starr, junior associate director, Technology Support & Service, Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts – Amherst. "We've recently started deploying Mac computers in a managed configuration. One of the sticking points that users are commonly running into is software that only runs on Windows. It will be a great benefit to have the PCoIP client for Mac."

VMware View – Simplifying Today's Desktop:
VMware View is a complete, virtual desktop solution that enables enterprises to improve security and lower operating costs, while simplifying desktop administration and management by establishing a modern, end-user computing architecture. The result is a more flexible, centrally hosted computing model that provides IT with greater control and end users with freedom to access to their desktop across the broadest set of devices.

The new VMware View Clients deliver:

• Rich Desktop Experience with PCoIP – The new VMware View clients for Mac and Linux bring users the rich desktop VMware View experience to Mac and Linux users. VMware View clients with PCoIP provide end-users with top performance regardless of network conditions.
• Optimized for Mac OS X Lion – Designed from the ground up for the Mac and with support for Lion Full Screen mode, Mac users can seamless switch between their Mac apps and their View virtual desktop with a swipe on the trackpad.
• Simple Connectivity – The VMware View clients for Mac and Linux are tightly integrated with the VMware View 4.6 and 5.0 for simple setup and connectivity. Quickly reconnect to your desktop in a few simple steps.
• Available in Ubuntu Software Center – VMware View client for Linux is available in the Ubuntu Software Center, making it easy for desktop Linux users to install the VMware View client and access their virtual desktops.
• Available in Amazon Appstore for Android for the Amazon Kindle Fire – VMware View client for Android is now available in the Amazon Appstore for Android, making it easy for Amazon Kindle Fire users to install the VMware View client and access their virtual desktops.