Swimming against the Web-2.0 trend of pushing desktop applications onto the Internet, on Tuesday eBay released the public version of eBay Desktop – a desktop version of what was previously only available on the Internet. The program is intended to streamline the eBay experience for power users.
Developed using Adobe’s AIR runtime environment, eBay Desktop adds a number of features unavailable with the basic eBay Web interface. Users can customize their views, organize related searches more easily, and view information updated in real time instead of refreshing pages. They can also view cached information when Internet access isn’t available.
The program was originally code-named Project San Dimas when eBay’s Diruptive Innovation labs launched the first beta of it in June. Other programs in development include ways to integrate eBay listings into Facebook profiles and a mapping function to bid on items locally listed.
