Cisco places faith in remote access

Â…and not a moment too SoonR

By David Meyer, 14 January 2008 08:54

NEWS

Cisco has invested in SoonR, a company that offers mobile-phone users remote access to their desktops.

The amount the networking giant has invested remains undisclosed, but a statement released by SoonR put the total figure for this "Series B" round - in which Cisco appears to have been the leading investor - at $9.5m. Previous investors Intel Capital and Clearstone Venture Partners were also involved in the investment round.

Photo stories

Check out silicon.com's latest photo stories hereÂ…

1. Photos: Bill Gates puts on a show at CES
2. Photos of the year
3. Photos: Satellite mapping through clouds
4. Photos: Future tech at Microsoft Innovation day
5. Photos: The super 3D body scanner
6. Photos: 10 gadgets to wish for this Xmas
7. Photos: The best of Google Sky
8. Photos: Five mobile gadgets for cops
9. Photos: Floating computers keep an eye on the oceans

According to SoonR, the investment it has received in its two years of existence now totals $15.5m.

SoonR allows its users to access, share or back up files on their desktop computers from their phones or other internet-enabled devices. Because the files are synchronised from the PC to SoonR's servers, the service works even when a PC is switched off.

Patrick McVeigh, SoonR's chief executive officer, said: "Cisco was among the first to recognise that a massive convergence between the desktop and mobile worlds was on the horizon, and that next-generation solutions were needed to advance this trend. We both believe that crucial business documents will need to be accessible and actionable from the 'cloud', or the layer of network intelligence, through a myriad of internet-connected devices."

In October 2007, a partnership was announced between SoonR and the mobile office-software company Quickoffice, whose software can be found on a wide range of Symbian and UIQ mobile phones. SoonR also has deals with various international mobile operators, including Denmark's TeliaSonera.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

Log in or create your silicon.com account below

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy.

Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Membership FAQ