A new technology offers a preview into the uncertain future of Windows Vista and Windows 7 (Seven), but also Mac OS X and Linux. Splashtop is an Instant Desktop environment from DeviceVM, designed to sit on a layer between the hardware and the traditional operating system. But at the same time, Splashtop has the potential to make the client operating system obsolete. Currently, there is an intimate connection between Splashtop and the high-end Asus P5E3 Deluxe mainboard, as the Instant Desktop environment is integrated into the mainboard core logic. Just watch the video embedded at the bottom in order to get an idea of what Splashtop is really about.

"Splashtop is branded as Express Gate on certain motherboards built by Asus. These are rather high-end motherboards and are the first products to market with our technology inside (positive comments on blogs greatly appreciated). Our goal is to have Splashtop on many more notebooks and desktops by Q1 of next year", explained Sol Lipman, from DeviceVM.

And don't rush to any conclusions. Splashtop is of course far from being an equivalent of Windows, Mac OS X or Linux at this point. Not by providing only a browser and an instant messaging service, be it peer-to-peer; but by sitting directly on the mainboard, and eliminating the need for a hard disk, Splashtop is also putting at risk the future of the now traditional operating system. And don't believe for a second that Splashtop will not continue to grow.

"The point of Splashtop is to get you surfing the web seconds after you press that power button. Many people have asked what other applications we might support in the future. While we're excited to support many more applications, we're starting with two (Splashtop Browser and Skype) and we will add more in the future", Lipman added.

But the fact of the matter is that all you need in the future is a browser, booting directly from the hardware. You must understand that classic, local client platforms will eventually be replaced by cloud operating systems. And in this context you are not limited to merely an online operating system. You will be able to access a wide variety of products and services hosted online that will replace desktop based solutions. Just think of Google Docs & Spreadsheets as a productivity suite, Yahoo Messenger online and Windows Live SkyDrive for storage. All you will need is a browser to access them.

And in this regard, the Instant Desktop environment that is Splashtop is one solution. Another approach involves running the browser inside a virtualization layer, a hypervisor, running directly on top of the hardware. Either way, Splashtop is a serious signal to Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.