This week in Las Vegas, we will introduce our second-generation SIMtone "SNAP" Universal Cloud Terminals, setting a new price and performance standard compared to traditional smartbooks, netbooks, laptops or desktop computers. The new devices are the first to break the $100 price barrier and deliver fast, powerful "on-demand" access to applications and media/communication services hosted on Windows, Linux or Media Virtual PCs.

I vividly remember when Steve Jobs rocked the Macworld 2007 audience by announcing that the Apple iPhone would feature a "real Web browser, the first fully usable HTML browser on a phone" (go to 2:10-2:25 segment in video).

The recent service disruption that impacted T-Mobile Sidekick customers highlights how fragile cloud applications and services can be if they are not managed correctly. Although the service disruption, which impacted a user's ability to access personal information stored on Sidekick devices, such as contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists and photos has been somewhat resolved, it begs the question: "Who is best suited to deliver cloud services, enterprise IT organizations or telecom operators?"

Charles Babcock's recent InformationWeek article on IBM offering desktop virtualization really brings to light the industry's confusion between outsourcing and cloud computing.

A few days ago, Charles Babcock of InformationWeek wrote an article about IBM's recent announcement of a new public desktop service cloud, which will deliver virtualized desktops to thousands of end-users per customer site at a time.  IBM notes that it will virtualize the desktops via the products of either VMware or Citrix Systems to match a customer's current environment.

Recently, I participated in a BBC Broadcast about cloud computing and the risks associated. Steve Evans along with BBC's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones led the discussion to help define what exactly cloud computing means and how it can be a cost effective alternative for many businesses. 

In Miguel Helft's recent NY Times article, "Google's Chrome OS: Reaching for the Cloud," he discusses the industry's shift towards cloud computing--citing Google's most recent announcement that it is creating a web-based, PC operating system, that will work off the cloud. 

I just came across an interesting BusinessWeek article, "How Cloud Computing Will Change Business," that describes how businesses are becoming acutely aware of economical benefits of cloud computing and are keenly interested in leveraging the current consumer and social network experience.

Horoscopes and fortunetellers notwithstanding, it is always fascinating to hear people predict the future. Particularly when those making the predictions are world-famous scientists, business executives and investors.