August 12, 2011, 3:46 PM — Google's Web-based Chromebooks can now access Windows desktops and applications through Citrix's virtualization technology, thanks to a new app released this week.
The Citrix Receiver Tech Preview for Chrome OS, available on the Chrome Web Store, is a free client app for businesses that use Citrix virtualization to host desktops and applications in the data center.
IN PICTURES: First look at Chrome OS
Citrix Receiver was already available on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and BlackBerry, letting users access virtual desktops and applications from just about any computer, tablet or smartphone. This week's addition brings the same technology to Chromebooks, addressing a key limitation in the devices, which force users to do all their computing within Google's Chrome browser.
"If you use Citrix in your organization, you can now install the Citrix Receiver Tech Preview app from the Chrome Web Store to access desktop software such as Adobe Photoshop directly from your Chromebook," Google technical program manager Alberto Martin writes in a blog post.
Google also updated the Chrome OS operating system this week, bringing "VPN and secure Wi-Fi support (802.1X)," according to Martin.
Updating Chromebooks to the latest version requires users to go into the settings, accept the update and restart the computer. Because Chromebooks boot in seconds, the process is very quick.
