Pacific Century CyberWorks Ltd (PCCW) Monday took a 12 percent equity stake in US-based Magically Inc., an application service
provider (ASP) that develops virtual desktop technology.
According to company officials, Magically’s virtual desktop product, MagicalDesk will
be available on PCCW’s pan-Asian broadband digital video and Internet service,
NOW (Network of the World).
PCB plans to initially launch NOW in Asia and to serve 130 million cabled
households. In addition, it expects to offer the service with interactive digital video
viewing and Web access beginning in 2000.
MagicalDesk is a desktop suite of personal information management and collaboration
tools available to users free-of-charge via the Web.
Its latest version, MagicalDesk 2.0, provides application support for documents in any
format on PC, Mac, UNIX, or Web-enabled television with an Internet connection.
Through an enhancement called the MagicalViewer, MagicalDesk users can access
more than 250 file formats including the Microsoft Office suite of applications,
WordPerfect, and Lotus 1-2-3, without having the supporting application software on
their local hard disk.
Michael Yahng, chief executive officer of Magically, said, “Whether that access is through a desktop
computer or interactive television, users will not be limited by hardware, software, or
geography.”
