Intel Ready Mode Lets Desktops Sync While Sleeping

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A new technology from Intel allows desktop computers to sync files across the network or even stream content while sleeping.

Whether for work, convenience or simple laziness, many people leave their desktop computers running during the day so they can always be synched with the Internet. Intel's new "Ready Mode" appeals to all those types of computer owners and more.

The mode, which can be enabled with the right software on any Intel desktop, laptop or all-in-one with a Haswell or Broadwell processor, lets the computer enter a standby mode that reduces its power consumption to as little as 7 or 8 watts while still syncing files or streaming media on the network.

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Unlike Windows's Connected Standby mode, which lets your PC perform some background tasks while sleeping, Ready Mode allows the the computer to respond to a broader range of remote commands. Lisa Graff, VP of Intel's desktop client platform group, said at the Game Developers Conference in San Diego that Intel is also including access to Ready Mode in its application SDKs, meaning app developers can access the feature and design for it.

The example given at the presentation was Cyberlink MediaStory, an app for sharing, syncing, editing and sharing photos and videos. Using MediaStory and an Intel computer in Ready Mode, someone could take a photo on their mobile device and then instantly sync it with the rest of their photo collection by sending a message to the computer. The computer would then awaken from Ready Mode, receive the image, store it and go back to sleep.

If you're out and about and want to show off a photo stored on your desktop, you can also use the Cyberlink app on your phone to ping an Intel computer in Ready Mode, and get the phone stored on that computer onto your phone.

Essentially, what's happening here is self-hosted cloud storage—the Intel computer acts as an always-on server that you can access, via apps, without having to worry about racking up electric bills.

MediaStory is just one example of what apps can do with Ready mode. We're excited to see what others will do with this powerful new technology.

Email jscharr@techmedianetwork.com or follow her @JillScharr and Google+. Follow us @TomsGuide, on Facebook and on Google+.

Jill Scharr

Jill Scharr is a creative writer and narrative designer in the videogame industry. She's currently Project Lead Writer at the games studio Harebrained Schemes, and has also worked at Bungie. Prior to that she worked as a Staff Writer for Tom's Guide, covering video games, online security, 3D printing and tech innovation among many subjects.