Cloudo, A simply beautiful operating system

Cloud based operating systems are relatively new and there are very few out there let alone one that can actually replace a locally installed operating system.  At least up until now.

Introducing Cloudo

The Cloudo company started in Stockholm, Sweden by 4 guys with the idea of developing a new Cloud based operating system.  Now 3 years later they have officially introduced it and are offering an open beta to anyone that wants to try it out.

Written in javascript and XML/XSLT, Cloudo can run on any computing platform as long as it has a broadband Internet connection and a compatible Internet browser.  Anyone can develop for the platform with the built in development tools and provided documentation.

Not like the others

I have used a couple of cloud based operating systems in the last year and they were all very unappealing to me.  They were slow, ugly, boring, and to finish it off you need to have a really good Internet connection to make it work.  Operating systems are supposed to help you to be more productive and make your life easier, and if they don’t they are only a novelty and have no place in today’s fast paced world.

Most Cloud OS companies are marketing the convenience of having your OS available anywhere with an Internet connection.  While the convenience of having your files anywhere on the Internet and easily accessible can be attractive, why wouldn’t you use one of the many services that backup your data to the Internet?

What’s Different?

The biggest change from other Cloud OS’s that I have seen is that Cloudo is simply beautiful.  The graphical appeal is not only there it makes me want to ditch Windows 7, no questions asked.

Performance is far better than any other Cloud OS I have tried and that is really saying something.  My current Internet connection is via satellite and can be painfully slow at times.  Prior to accessing Cloudo for the first time I needed to download Firefox as Cloudo does not work with IE 8 or Opera (my personal preference).  The Firefox download at 7.2 MB took about 5 minutes to download.  Accessing Cloudo immediately after only took 10 seconds.

One of the most refreshing things about Cloudo is that it doesn’t have the feeling of imitating another OS.  The skins are there if you want it to look like a multitude of different operating systems but none of them have the appeal of Cloudo’s looks.

Applications

The majority of applications currently available are basic games such as Sudoku, Solitaire and Snake.  Many of the applications such as the Weather app are essentially gadgets like those found in OSX or Windows Vista/7.  One thing in common that most of the applications have is that they are aesthetically pleasing.  This is a very consistent theme all throughout Cloudo.

There is a distinct lack of applications for things such as email and Internet browsing.  An RSS reader is included but I find that to almost be a teaser and have no purpose without a way to surf the Internet and remain in the OS.  It consistently bothered me the more I used it that if I needed to do something on the Internet I had to leave Cloudo.

While there is currently not a large selection of applications to choose from that is likely to change once Cloudo is more in the public spotlight.

Complaints/Observations

• The number one complaint that I have with Cloudo is that it is web based.  Why can’t I get this as my primary operating system installed to my hard drive?
• There is currently no web browser installed.  I know you execute the OS via an Internet browser but once I am using Cloudo I don’t want to go back to Windows to surf the Internet.
• Limited amount of applications currently available.
• Manual is lite on content which is probably due to them focusing on development at this time.
• The company needs a better marketing team.  No one has been talking about Cloudo only because they don’t know it exists.
• My Music and My Pictures are not in the same directory as My Documents.  This is not very intuitive and needs to be changed to help with the flow of things.
• There are still some bugs with it that no doubt will be worked out before release.

Final Verdict

Sign up while you still can!  There are limited slots available for beta testers and they will go fast once the word gets out.

There are many Cloud based operating systems coming out or being announced right now but they might be late to the show.  Both AMD Fusion Render Cloud and gOS Cloud were recently announced at CES.  gOS is way out of it’s league when pitted against Cloudo and AMD Fusion Render Cloud is more geared towards gamers and power users.  Another Cloud OS is Windows Azure however it is geared towards large corporations and is not something average consumers will likely see or utilize.

Clearly when looking at the competition Cloudo is way ahead of the curve and is sure to amass a cult following if they can continue to make it work and do so artfully.

If you have read any of my other reviews you know I tend to be very critical of operating systems in general.  This review is not critical for a very good reason, there is little to be critical of.  Make sure you check it out and come back and give everyone your feedback on Cloudo.

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Check It Out> Cloudo, Sign up for the beta, Cloudo Blog