There are a bunch of sites out there that let you share things like the home screen of your iPhone and your choice of apps, but there hasn’t been a stylish equivalent that lets you show off your desktop. That’s where Desktop.ly comes in.
It’s a clean, great looking site that lets you upload a screenshot of your desktop, fill out some information about yourself and your setup and share it via Twitter or URL. Desktop.ly couches this simple functionality in a simple interface that’s very easy on the eyes.
Getting started is simple once you’ve signed up. The profile page allows you to assign an avatar based on a Gravatar, although I’d like to see a direct upload option here as well. Once you’ve got an avatar, you can upload a screenshot of your desktop, showing off your latest wallpaper, desktop replacement or icon arrangement. The desktop can be uploaded directly from a file on your computer or from an image URL. You can also choose which template surrounds your desktop. There’s an iMac, MacBook Pro, PC and Laptop to choose from, so you’re covered even if you’re not a Mac user.
You can also add a short profile message that will appear below your desktop. The field supports Markdown so you can add URL’s and formatting if you wish. This is handy if you want to share the source of your wallpaper, which I can guarantee will be a hot topic. The addition of a Twitter handle and email gives your profile a bit of personal attachment and when you hover your mouse over someones Twitter handle there’s a nice popup for those interested in checking out your Twitter profile. A website field lets you add a link to your site.
The <3 of EU tech
The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!
Below your profile is a nice comment section based on Disqus that allows for discussion about your desktop. You can subscribe to those comments to be notified when people are talking about your profile. If you’re looking to browse other desktops to see what people are doing on theirs there is a User section which functions as an index of Desktop.ly users.
The concept of taking a snapshot of your desktop and making it easy to show to others is simple and seems fairly obvious when you think about it, which means that it will probably end up being pretty popular. There is a bit of tuning needed here and there but so far I’m liking Desktop.ly as a way to share my desktop easily and with flair.
If you’re interested, you can check out my profile here. If you create one, be sure to post it in the comments below!
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.