NeXplore, best known for its Web 2.0 optimized search engine, has announced the acquisition of a Web-based operating system and application suite from Milana Corporation, a Seattle-based desktop software developer.
The acquisition will enable NeXplore to offer a cloud-based personal desktop, replete with an array of free SaaS desktop applications for managing and consolidating email accounts, contacts, calendars, music, projects, and more. “The convenience of having universal access to a personal, application-rich desktop and a single, secure place on the Internet for managing and storing virtually every facet of a person’s computer and Internet activity aligns perfectly with NeXplore’s mission to radically improve the online experience for everyone,” said Edward Mandel, chief executive officer for NeXplore Corporation.
NeXplore seems to be taking a page out of Google’s book with the move, hoping to gather users around its core search product with a bundle of free peripheral applications. The company states that the desktop-as-a-service offering to be available to registered users in Q4 2009.