
360desktop panoramic PC workspace service
Pros
- Increases your desktop real estate, it's free
Cons
- It puts ads on your desktop
Bottom Line
The extra desktop space that 360desktop offers will be welcomed by most users, and panning through it is easy, but it's no competitor to Apple's Spaces just yet. A promised WebSticker management system would go a long way to change that, especially if it makes any widget work. However, advertising on people's desktops may prove to be a sticky issue.
-
Price
Free (AUD)
A 360-degree panoramic workspace on your PC's desktop sounds great, and it's free. But you'll have to put up with adverts.
Craving more elbow room on your computer screen? Then 360desktop can help. The platform replaces your traditional PC desktop with a scrollable, 360-degree panorama, in effect quadrupling -- at least -- your real estate. We tested an alpha version (a public beta is available now) and found it easy to use.
But the free 360desktop service will come with a price: ads on your desktop.
360desktop lets you create your own panoramic desktop image or download one created by the company or, eventually, by other users. Panoramas can display RSS feeds, Web pages, and more. The alpha version we tested was limited, but included two options for creating panoramas dedicated to "work" or "play".
360desktop's WebStickers, a sort of rich-media desktop sticky note, promises to allow use of any service's widget (such as Facebook's, Google's or Yahoo's), or your Facebook or MySpace page, for example, on the desktop. This feature was not available in our alpha version, but we could see setting up a Gmail or other mail in-box on 360desktop as a productivity booster. Sharing of community-developed WebStickers is also on tap.
Once the 360desktop panorama is displayed, you can scroll 360 degrees horizontally through the content; your main desktop application windows can be fixed or can move with you as you scroll.
The 360desktop QuickNav feature allows quick access to a space on the panorama; and a system tray application pulls up the 360Manager, a central, searchable repository for panoramas that will include those shared by other users, vendors or the 360desktop company.
360desktop will be free when released, but it will have graphical ads sprinkled about. The alpha we tested had slots for banner and button ads on QuickNav and the 360Manager. Advertisers and promoters will be able to create custom desktops for download, such as for movie releases with trailers ready to play from the desktop. (Desktop ads are hardly a brand-new idea, of course; way back in 1998, then-startup NetZero introduced a similar scheme for a free ISP service.)
Brand Post

Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Asus TUF Gaming VG28UQL1A review: This 4K monitor plays nice with consoles
- 2 Firewalla Gold review: Powerful home network security in a tiny box
- 3 Alienware AW3423DW review: Quantum dot OLED renders rival monitors obsolete
- 4 Acer Aspire 5 review: An affordable laptop that’s enjoyable to use
- 5 Asus ROG Zephyrus S17 review: This gaming laptop oozes luxurious power
Latest News Articles
- Microsoft’s universal ‘One Outlook’ client just leaked out
- Microsoft reveals a new Windows Game Bar built for controllers
- Microsoft tests a limited VPN for Microsoft Edge
- Audacity developer puts the ‘proper’ version on the Microsoft Store
- How to pin an extension to Chrome’s toolbar
Resources
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers

Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world

Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles

PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D

The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D

Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G

Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65

This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76

It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Best Unlimited Internet Deals in 2022
- Microsoft’s universal ‘One Outlook’ client just leaked out
- Liquid Retina vs. Liquid Retina XDR: Which display is better?
- Which flagship TV is best? Sony 4K HDR Bravia 2016 versus LG 4K HDR OLED 2016
- 10 Blu-ray movies / Best looking Blu-ray movies