Last month, Cameyo joined Google’s list of Chrome Enterprise recommended platforms for delivering virtual apps on Chrome OS. Unlike its counterparts such as VM Ware and Citrix, Cameyo provides individual Windows applications instead of a fully virtualized Windows desktop. This keeps the virtualized environment lightweight and allows more flexibility on the administrator side. Every Workspace user has access to their own personalized dashboard with the apps needed to bridge the gap between Chrome OS and the legacy software needed to get the job done.
This week, Cameyo is taking things a step further by introducing Windows apps as PWAs or Progressive Web Apps. I had the opportunity to sit down with Cameyo’s marketing manager, Robb Henshaw, and discuss the new feature. The process takes less than five minutes and allows administrators to instantly create and push web PWAs to Chromebooks by device or in bulk. This will not only streamline the app delivery process, but also create a more native app experience for the end user, as apps can be pinned to the Chrome OS shelf from the start.
Virtual Application Delivery (VAD) has already gained popularity as an easier, more secure and less complicated way to deliver applications to users regardless of their location or the device they are using by creating the version full desktop of any application. available in the browser. Cameyo’s ability to deliver any application as a PWA goes one step further and makes VAD invisible to the end user.
Mark Bowker, Principal Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG)
Since Cameyo’s Windows apps are served virtually, any app can be turned into a PWA using the standard method available in the Chrome browser. (Three-dot menu>More tools>Create shortcut>Open as window) Admins can now do this from the backed up end directly in the Google Admin console. When an app is added to the Cameyo Dashboard, a corresponding URL is created for the app. Admins can then navigate to users and browsers in the Google Admin console and add the app by adding one app per web location and pasting the newly created URL into the list of apps.
Benefits of Cameyo PWAs
- Ultimate Flexibility – Applications provided as Cameyo PWA work for every user and are responsive on any form factor (desktop, mobile, tablet, etc.).
- Native App Experience – Users interact with Cameyo PWA apps as if they were installed locally on their device, with nothing new to learn.
- Ultra Secure – Cameyo’s Virtual App Delivery (VAD) platform is built with a Zero Trust security model at its core, reducing an organization’s attack surface and protecting its network and data while providing access transparent to applications.
- Powerful Simplicity – IT can push apps to user devices in minutes while having full control over who has access. IT can also update applications from the Cameyo Admin Console and know that the latest and greatest version is instantly available to all users (no more updating on all systems individually) .
Once added, administrators can choose to open the app in a separate window instead of the standard browser view. Then, depending on the installation policy of said app, admins can force install the app and pin it automatically to the Chrome OS shelf. When a user logs in with their company credentials, the app will be on the shelf, ready to use, and it will open as a PWA, making it look much more like an app Windows-native. Here is a quick overview of Cameyo.
In a world where the cloud is king, Cameyo bridges the gap for many people who still need access to legacy Windows apps. Presenting these apps to employees as native tools is imperative to saving valuable time and money. That’s exactly what Cameyo has done, and the new PWA installer feature should only help blur the lines between local apps and cloud-based solutions. I’ll be spending some time in the Cameyo dashboard this week and we’ll be bringing you walkthroughs and tutorials very soon. If you’re looking for a virtual app delivery solution for your Chrome OS fleet, you can learn more about Cameyo here.
