Untethered: How We Learned To Love The Cloud

Posted by: danc on Aug 08 2008

One of the great technological advances of the past few years is the growing presence of “Cloud Computing” aka Web 2.0 in the mainstream. The basic concept behind Cloud Computing is this, rather than a particular application sitting resident on a device (ie. being run on the device itself), be it a computer or a smartphone, the application, and all related data sits on an outside server and is accessed through a web browser. In the simplest sense, the server (which can be anywhere in the world) becomes both the brains and the storage space for everything associated with it and the device simply becomes the doorway through which it is reached.

This is where both the power and the Achilles Heel of Web 2.0 can be seen.

On the positive side–

–Since the program or programs are resident on an outside server the device used to access the program is simply the gateway and does not have to be a computing powerhouse.

–Since the program or programs are resident on an outside service, so long as you have a web browser and an active data connection available, both the program and the user’s data are accessible regardless of the user’s location. Cloud Computing means you are no longer tethered to a particular device or local.

–Since the data for an application is stored on the serve rather than the device itself the actual storage space on the device becomes irrelevant. A device with almost no physical storage can access unlimited data through a browser. (It is an interesting phenomena- at the same time that storage capacity is increasing and falling in price it also becomes increasingly unnecessary.)

–Since “Cloud Applications” are relatively new they are often on the cutting edge and include usability or approaches not seen elsewhere.

On the negative side–

–Since the programs or programs are accessed through the web and active data connection is required. The user may be untethered from a particular device or local but they must be tethered to the web. No web access means no access to the program or data.

–Since the program or programs are accessed through the web… speed matters. A slow data connection means access to the application, and by extension workflow, slows to a crawl.

–Since the user’s data resides on an outside server the security of the server and the data stream from the server to the user and back is of the utmost importance. By giving one’s data over to a particular application or service one may gain functionality but one absolutely sacrifices a large degree of control.

So why, if an active data connection is required and potential security vulnerabilities are introduced, would one choose the Cloud in the first place? Simple- as high speed data connections have become increasingly ubiquitous and the ability to securely encrypt data both on the server and while in transit are more readily available, two of the biggest limitations inherent limitations to Cloud Computing have been largely removed. In addition, Web 2.0 means device can have lower processing power while remaining just as “powerful. This potentially reduces both the size and cost of the device. In addition, the Cloud means that a handheld device with high speed internet can access the same power and storage space as a full fledged computer.

Take, for example, task management.
The iPhone 3G, a huge number of Windows Mobile and Symbian devices all bring both high speed internet and a full browsing experience to a small handheld. Through them, the very same Cloud applications can be reached and used as from a desktop. That means, for example, the iPhone with its 620mhz processor and maximum of 16 GB of storage can access and use the exact same program as an iMac running a 2.4ghz dual core processor and possessing a 250GB harddrive. (And this is true of the Windows Mobile and Symbian devices, as well.)

Moreover, an increasing number of web-based applications and services are rapidly moving toward what I refer to as “The Hybrid Cloud”. These web based services have also introduces device-resident versions of their application which seemlessly stay in sync so that the data stored on a particular device is always the same as that on the web. The “hybrid cloud” means the user gains the benefits of that application but no longer needs an active data connection to access and update information.

Never before has the time to go “Untethered” been quite so ripe.

As the summer moves toward its end, it is time for both students and professionals to be thinking about maximizing productivity. “The Cloud” offers some powerful ways to do just that!

Thus we introduce our new series “Untethered: How We Learned To Love The Cloud“.

We’ll begin with a month-long look at web-based task management- including Remember the Milk, Toodledo and more. In upcoming months we’ll look at web-based notebooks, office suites, and backup and file storage.

Join us as we spend some time in the Cloud and enjoy a bit of life untethered.

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