One of the most annoying aspects of owning a computer is having to replace it every few years. Unfortunately, your computer ages quicker than any other appliance in your home and depreciates faster than your vehicle. Sure, there are things you can do to help extend its life, but it will never be as fast as it was the first day you took it out of the box.
The programs that run on your computer play a huge role in how well it performs. And if you’re running Windows, you can always look forward to an onslaught of updates and reboots before you can even log on to check the weather.
Cloud Computing
If you’ve used Google Docs, Dropbox, or iCloud, then you’re already familiar with cloud computing. These web-based applications provide instant access to any file that you don’t want to store locally on your computer’s hard drive.
The beauty of these services is that they run at blazing fast speeds (providing you have a high-speed internet connection) and you never need to worry about running to the office to grab a file off of your work PC when it’s accessible right from your mobile device or home computer.
Wouldn’t it be great if your entire home computer could work the same way?
Virtual Computers
Virtual machines, AKA virtual computers, AKA cloud computers have been around for quite some time. These systems have mainly been used in business environments to allow for software testing, the development of new applications, or purposely executing malware and viruses in a contained environment.
Virtual machines can run multiple operating systems and multiple sessions from a single server computer anywhere within an organization as long as the users are logged on to the organization’s network.
These virtual sessions boot up instantly and are allocated resources from the server computer to mimic a desktop PC.
Your New Computer in the Cloud
Virtual machines are pretty cool, but what would be even cooler is if you could utilize a virtual machine as your primary personal computer. And guess what? Now you can! This is called Desktop as a Service (DaaS) and it’s the future of computing.
There are several DaaS companies that offer a virtual machine environment to anyone who needs one, mainly geared toward application developers and IT professionals. But they are not without their limitations and can be very expensive. There is one company that has taken this service to the next level by offering DaaS at an affordable price that can run on any device. Although IT professionals can still take advantage of this service, it’s also geared towards anyone looking to replace their personal computer: introducing Shells.
What Is Shells?
Shells provide a virtual desktop computer that can be accessed from any device, on any platform, and from anywhere in the world. All you need is a high-speed internet connection capable of at least 20 Mbps download, and a working computer, tablet, smartphone, smart TV, or gaming console; essentially any device that has an Internet connection can run Shells.
Even if you have an old computer that runs painfully slow, as long as you have a high-speed internet connection your Shells computer will run faster than the hardware it’s running on. Pretty cool, right?
How Does Shells Work?
Shells is a virtual computer that is hosted on high-end servers in data centers across the globe. No matter where you are you can quickly and securely access your personal cloud computer.
The servers are configured with the latest technology and can emulate a computer in multiple configurations. When you’re ready to set up your new Shells cloud computer, you pick the configuration that’s right for you.
The Benefits of Using a Shells Virtual Computer Over Purchasing a New PC
The days of buying an expensive device are over. Shells is extremely easy to set up, and you don’t need to be an IT guru to get up and running. Shells also offer outstanding support if you ever need it.
Let’s take a look at all the benefits of using Shells:
- You can access your Shells virtual computer from ANY device with an Internet connection. This includes:
- Any laptop or desktop computer
- Any Android tablet or Apple iPad
- Any iPhone or Android device
- Any Smart TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Roku
- Any gaming console, like Xbox or PlayStation
- Continue where you left off on any device. Your Shells cloud computer is always running even if your device isn’t.
- If you lose power in your home, all of your hard work is saved on your virtual computer!
- As long as you have access to a device with an Internet connection you can pick up right where you left off. Even on your parent’s smart TV or on your girlfriend’s iPad.
- Your data is backed up automatically and is always secure.
- If your laptop is lost, damaged, or stolen all of the data on the virtual computer will remain safe and secure in the cloud.
- The firewalls and the end-to-end encryption in the Shells data centers ensure that your data will always remain private and only accessible by you. There’s even an option to set up two-factor authentication.
- If you experience any problems with your Shells computer, you can quickly and easily restore to your last saved session with the click of a button.
- You’ll have access to a high-speed internet connection within your Shells computer that is faster than any home Internet provider. Take a look at the image below. The speed test on the left is from the Shells computer and the one on the right is from my personal laptop over a Wi-Fi connection.
- Upgrades are incredibly easy. If you find that your Shells computer isn’t fast enough you can quickly and easily update your performance, speed, and memory with a single click. It’s like getting a brand-new computer without having to replace any hardware!
- You have a full suite of operating systems to choose from, including:
- Windows 10 Experience
- Windows 10 Pro (bring your own license)
- Windows 7 Pro (bring your own license)
- Ubuntu
- openSUSE
- Linux Mint
- Debian Buster
- KDE neon
- Kubuntu
- Xubuntu
- Manjaro
My Shells Computer Experience
Everyone uses their computer differently. Before I started blogging I typically used my personal laptop for paying bills, managing my budget, and shopping online. And like other guys bouncing between the office and working from home I use my work laptop for everything else.
My personal laptop is a couple of years old and it will likely last me a few more years before I need to think about upgrading. But when I found Shells this got me thinking. It would be great if I could use device to securly access all my files.
There’s a whole lot that goes into blogging that includes creating social media posts, scheduling emails, communicating with vendors, and lots of writing. I’ve been lugging my personal laptop with me to work so I could work on my blog during my lunch hour. But it’s pretty dangerous carrying around my primary business too, so I decided to give Shells a try.
After researching the different Shells options, I decided to go with Shells Pro with the Windows 10 Pro operating system. I did purchase a new Windows 10 Pro license to use specifically for this, as I wanted to keep the current OS I was already familiar with.
After the OS completed setup, I installed MS Office and connected my OneDrive. Now that I have access to all of my active files, my Shells computer works beautifully! I no longer need to lug around two laptops! And even when I don’t have access to a computer I’ve been able to quickly and easily log into my iPhone to make some quick edits.
One of the coolest features of Shells is that you can access your computer from a smart TV device, like Apple TV. So as you could imagine, running my Shells computer from my 65″ screen at home has been amazing!
Although I went with the top plan, you don’t need the most expensive plan to get all the benefits from using Shells. I recommend starting out with the Shells Plus plan to determine how well it works for you and then if you need more or less power you can upgrade or downgrade with a single click!
Shells Configuration and Pricing
Now that you’ve seen all the benefits of running a Shells computer you’re probably wondering about the available configurations and how much this high-performance virtual machine will set you back.
The pricing is straightforward and simple. First off there are no hidden costs, so the price you see is the price you pay. Second, there are 4 plans starting at just $4.95 a month!
If you choose the Shells Basic, Plus, or Pro plan, there is a discount when you pay upfront for an entire year. Plus, you get 7 days FREE to try it out and see if it’s right for you!
Exclusive UltiUber Deal
The Shells plans are already an incredible value for getting your very own high-performance personal cloud computer. However, Shells has sweetened the deal by providing you an exclusive limited-time offer that you won’t find anywhere else!
