Opera Extends their Browser

First it was Google with Google Wave (which integrates Email, and Instant Messaging and other Applications), now it is Opera with Opera Unite. This adds a server to the web browser so several services can be hosted from the user's computer, including a web server, chat room and streaming media. It's not a bad idea, so long as security isn't compromised. You need to have decent bandwidth available for your Internet connection of course. You do have to register with them but it's free.

But Opera wasn't the first to do this. Tonido came out a few months ago but of course was unheard of compared to Opera. It's a cross-platform (Windows, Mac or Linux) extensible personal web application development platform written in C++, as are the applications that use it. Tonido talks to your router and uses port forwarding, so you can access it from anywhere even behind a natted firewall. You will need dynamic dns if you don't have a static IP. Configuration is done via a web browser. One of the applications they show is a P2P darknet which will not make them too popular with certain copyright groups! Data is sent encrypted and you can access it from any browser.

Tonido is still in beta but you might have heard of it because of the Tonido Plug, a low powered server in a plug that costs $99. It comes pre-installed with applications for Photos, Jukebox, Webshare, Workspace, Explorer, Torrent and Search - all running on top of embedded Ubuntu Linux. Additionally, TonidoPlug can be extended by installing new applications from Tonido App store. Electricity consumption is low, they quote 50c a month.