Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, took a break from sick leave to present at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference on June 6,2011.
(This photo shows a Cloud with different devices accessing it. It is © Helder Almeida).
He unveiled Apple's new iCloud service...that allows users to access to all Apple services (apps, iTunes music, video, podcasts, etc), online, from a secure online account.
[iCloud is an example of a Cloud Service whereby which data and applications, instead of being stored locally on a computer or computing device, are stored remotely from that device (in data centres) and are accessible via a network - usually the Internet.
Computers and other devices can then access the data and applications they need, securely, via this network aka 'The Cloud'.
Facebook and Twitter are examples of Cloud Services].
So there will be no need for Apple users to download apps, music and videos unto their computer and other electronic devices (e.g. iPads, iPods, iPhones), anymore, as these will all be available, online, from Apple's iCloud website, via a single user account.
This is great news for Apple users as it means that they don't have to:
1) Spend unnecessarily to upgrade their devices, so as to accommodate the growing number of applications and downloads that would have taken up more hard drive/memory space.
2) Try to sync their devices in order to access the myriad apps and downloads on these devices.
In this vein, cloud services are definitely the way to go for businesses that offer software and other downloads, as it means that your clients/users will be less:
1) Inconvenienced by continually having to update skinny devices (those with limited hard drive/memory space), so as to cater to downloads which hog hard drive/memory.
2) Skeptical re security issues involved in having to download your applications.
Digicel (the largest mobile telecommunications provider in the Caribbean), has even gotten in on the Cloud act, by launching Digicel Cloud Backup for Business customers on May 12.
So if you offer downloads as an integral part of your business operations, please try migrating to the Cloud by using a reputable Cloud Service Provider...your users will thank you for it!
The following articles provide a great introduction to Cloud Computing and give a great synopsis of reputable, US-based Cloud Service Providers:
1) Wikipedia's Cloud Computing page
2) Directory of Cloud Service Providers/Vendors, via Techno-Pulse.com
3) Rating of the Top 10 Cloud Computing Service Providers of 2009 via Techno-Pulse.com.
Gillian
Sources Include
1) Article, "How the Apple iCloud could change computing", by John Breeden II, Government Computing News, June 7,2011
2) Wikipedia's Cloud Computing page , accessed June 7,2011
3) Article, "Compute: Apple iCloud gives momentum to change", by James Derk, Scripps Howard News Service, June 7,2011
4) BBC Radio, June 6,2011
5) Steve Jobs' Keynote address at Apple's Worlwide Developers Conference, June 6,2011
6) Article,"Digicel Takes To The Clouds", by Mark Titus, JamaicaGleaner.com, May 13,2011
7) Article, "Directory of Cloud Service Providers/Vendors", by Basant Narayan Singh, Techno-Pulse.com, July 10,2010, updated May 4,2011
8) Article,"Top 10 Cloud Computing Service Providers of 2009",by Basant Narayan Singh, Techno-Pulse.com, Techno-Pulse.com, December 8,2009.
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