Mobilizing enterprise Windows and Web apps just got a little easier. Startup PowWow rolled out a new development platform that takes any corporate Windows or Web app and tailors its user interface to individual mobile devices.
NetworkWorld reports PowWow’s platform lets users remotely access apps running in a data center, public cloud or some hybrid of the two using virtualized app delivery. It then layers on software that provides custom gestures and virtual keyboard capabilities to the UI of each application, in effect tailoring the app experience to individual mobile devices on the fly. PowWow says a basic touch interface is added automatically, without any coding, and that other features are added depending on the target OS or device to make the app appear native. The platform costs US$25 per month per user and is available now.
Yankee Group Principal Analyst Chris Marsh comments
“PowWow has its eyes firmly fixed on Citrix and VMware, which it considers painful and time-consuming to deploy. By aiming to be deployed in a day, with mobile applications in hours, PowWow thinks it is closer to delivering a self-service environment that gives enterprises a more favorable ROI. For a virtualization provider, it also has an interesting focus on collaboration, including application-sharing, co-editing and real-time support. There are some valid points there, but it has a long way to go before it wrestles the crown from the big boys. Just 12-14 months ago, PowWow had its first beta customers, and it has had live users in production for only the last 6-12 months. It’s a good start however.”
