News Microsoft built a PC that can't run local apps — Windows 365 Link starts at $349 and doesn't come with storage

[Admin]

Microsoft introduced the Windows 365 Link, a mini-PC that solely works as a client for its Windows 365 service.

Microsoft built a PC that can't run local apps — Windows 365 Link starts at $349 and doesn't come with storage : Read more

 

[pug_s]

They are trying to make something like an overpriced $350 Citrix Wyse Terminal but run cloud apps which cost money. Gees, can't Microsoft allow you to use a low end microsoft desktop and connect apps in the cloud instead?

 

[bit_user]

The company said on its blog that it starts at just $349

Too much. For what it's doing, it should probably cost no more than half of that. Since they're making money on the subscriptions, they don't need a profit margin on the hardware, as well.

Anyway, it just underscores my believe that Microsoft now regards Windows as little more than a delivery platform for their cloud services.

 

[JamesJones44]

This idea seems to resurface every 10 years. The infrastructure certainly exists now, but I'm not sure the result will be different from past attempts. Latency is always going to be an issue for professionals and general consumers don't use desktops much these days. I could see maybe a laptop for general consumers having some success, but at price points much lower than what this desktop suggests they would charge ($700-800)

 

[JamesJones44]

Anyway, it just underscores my believe that Microsoft now regards Windows as little more than a delivery platform for their cloud services.

100%. It feels like they are executing a plan where everything runs remotely, games, apps, etc. so they can control the distribution. IDK if it will succeed, but it seems like that is where they are going.

 

[ezst036]

However, you should note that you still need a Windows 365 subscription

^^^^^^^^^^ This.

The company claims that the Windows 365 Link gives you a security advantage, especially as its locked-down operating system means end-users cannot install apps and store data locally.

Sounds kind of like an immutable Linux distribution.

 

[bit_user]

This idea seems to resurface every 10 years. The infrastructure certainly exists now, but I'm not sure the result will be different from past attempts. Latency is always going to be an issue for professionals

What latency? They're not saying it's a remote desktop frontend for VMs in the cloud, I think. The apps probably run locally, but are loaded from Azure and your storage is on OneDrive. At my job, we use OneDrive and it's pretty okay.

The app loading is probably streamlined via OneDrive-style local caching, so that you're not always waiting for the executables and DLLs to download, every time you run something.

 

[JamesJones44]

What latency? They're not saying it's a remote desktop frontend for VMs in the cloud, I think. The apps probably run locally, but are loaded from Azure and your storage is on OneDrive. At my job, we use OneDrive and it's pretty okay.

The app loading is probably streamlined via OneDrive-style local caching, so that you're not always waiting for the executables and DLLs to download, every time you run something.

The Aretechnica article makes it sound like everything is remote minus a thin OS for connecting to peripherals. It does have 64 GB of local storage which I'm sure is for caching, but that's pretty small overall. For light workloads it's probably ok.

“Windows 365 Link” is Microsoft’s $349 thin client for Windows in the cloud

Small, plastic thin client is Microsoft’s first “Cloud PC,” launches in April.

arstechnica.com

 

[ekio]

The nightmare product

 

[logainofhades]

Hard pass

 

[EzzyB]

I always chuckle at these types of things. Microsoft has reinvented the mainframe terminal!