While the idea for Windows 365 came long before the pandemic, Microsoft workers spent the last year learning first-hand how useful a Cloud PC could be. (Microsoft is also using technology that can render streaming video on a local machine, which it eventually passes over to your Cloud PC.) You'll also be able to roll back your Cloud PC to previous states, which should be helpful if you ever accidentally delete important files. It's also fast enough to stream video without any noticeable artifacts, Manchester says. During a brief demo of Windows 365, running apps and browsing the web didn't seem that different than a local PC. And instead of lugging a work device home, every Windows 365 user can securely hop back into their virtual desktops from their home PCs or tablets via the web or Microsoft's Remote Desktop app. Smaller businesses, meanwhile, could set up Windows 365 instances for their handful of employees to use on shared devices. Microsoft is also exploring ways to bring in dedicated GPU power for more demanding users, Scott Manchester, the director of Program Management for Windows 365, tells us. Windows 365 installations will be configurable with up to eight virtual CPUs, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage at the time of launch. Now, instead of managing local Windows installations on pricey notebooks, IT folks can get by with simpler hardware that taps into a scalable cloud. Windows 365 likely isn't going to mean much for most consumers, but it could be life-changing for IT departments and small businesses.

Microsoft virtual pc for windows 8