Google (News – Alert) has been working hard to provide a Chrome Packaged App version of its Chrome Remote Desktop app, and it seems to be nearing completion. For now, a version of it is ready to test, for those who are willing to risk the unfinished product.

With the Chrome Remote Desktop, users can access their PCs through the Chrome browser or Chromebook. It’s cross-platform, working on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, just so long as both of them have Chrome installed.

As a Chrome Packaged App, it will act like a native desktop app running outside the browser environment, with apps written in HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS (News – Alert). The user will still need Chrome installed, but it doesn’t have to be open to use it.

However, as the Packaged App version is still in its experimental stages, it can be risky to use. There are chances of it crashing randomly, breaking, or getting an incomplete connection, as the Google team continues to work out the bugs and perfect it. For those willing to try it, though, they can load it as an unpacked extension in chrome://extensions.

According to a statement from Google: "Computers can be made available on a short-term basis for scenarios such as ad hoc remote support, or on a more long-term basis for remote access to your applications and files. All connections are fully secured."

Sounds pretty encouraging so far. This is essentially another way to remotely access your desktop, using Chrome as a cloud-style connection, and as we’re all well aware, that can be pretty useful. While it may still take some time before the Chrome Packaged App version is completely ready, it’s a promising step, and should provide quick and easy remote access to one’s computer when they need it.