This week in 
andard 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 d
esktop 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.
