Will the iPad help accelerate cloud computing

[Battlestar]

Will companies always looking for ways to cut costs cloud computing has become a growing trend.

A company does not need to have a lot of IT infrastucture to support it. All that they really need is a router, firewall. dhcp server, switches, and printers. Everything else can be hosted in the clouds and accessed by thin clients.

The iPad can definately be considered in the thin client class and at the present time is out selling MACs.

With a large installed iPad base the accelerated growth of cloud computing seems to be inevitable.

Any thoughts?

 

[gwynne]

My interest in cloud services has exploded since I got my iPad.

I was aware of services like DropBox, but that's about it. I'm now actively seeking out services that will let me use the cloud in other ways, and hoping to see more options become available (better functioning MobileMe, anyone?). So i hope you're right.

 

[red16alpha]

I agree with Battlestar.....the iPad could definitely be considered a thin client and ideal for many cloud computing apps. My company is looking at high IT costs and considering cloud computing. I think the iPad will be ideal in many situations where all of your work is done in the cloud, particularly for those folks that are mostly mobile. Bottom line......the iPad will certainly accelerate cloud computing.

 

[akadmon]

No. The iPad will not make cloud computing any faster.

 

[Streethawk]

No. The iPad will not make cloud computing any faster.

Hmmm, did you mean that the iPad won't make the arrival of cloud computing come any faster? And if so, care to backup your simple "No" with some sort of reasoning?

 

[Don Kosak]

I work in cloud computing, and I'm seeing a lot of factors that are causing its growth to accelerate.

Platform maturity: Amazon's AWS platform and tools are really well developed, and companies and open source projects (like RightScale, and Eucalyptus) are speeding that process up.

Client capabilities: IE8 & 9, the latest Safari's and Firefox's make it easier to split the computing load between cloud-based backends and rich user interfaces on the front end.

The iPads limitations in local storage, lack of file system, etc actually make it better suited towards being a client for cloud services. It runs a very rich client environment via Safari and Objective C apps. And the Cloud eliminates a lot of the limitations the device had. I think it will bring a lot of paying customers to these cloud based businesses. And that money will certainly feed back into the growth cycle.

I think that HP, with a solid webOS based operating system slate device, and any Android based devices will keep pushing the growth curve.

 

[PCClone]

Nope.

 

[Eric-PTEK]

I think it will help in the small business arena.

There are a lot of problems for remote/cloud architecture for smaller businesses. 1 is having someone who understands it to implement it, 2 is the monthly costs for truly mobile devices.

I've got quite a few customers who were balking at $60 a month per device and still having to either carry a laptop or struggle with a phone's display.

At $30 a month and a useable display suddenly that has changed.

We're doing 2 web apps specifically with the iPad in mind.

 

[Battlestar]

I work in cloud computing, and I'm seeing a lot of factors that are causing its growth to accelerate.

Platform maturity: Amazon's AWS platform and tools are really well developed, and companies and open source projects (like RightScale, and Eucalyptus) are speeding that process up.

Client capabilities: IE8 & 9, the latest Safari's and Firefox's make it easier to split the computing load between cloud-based backends and rich user interfaces on the front end.

The iPads limitations in local storage, lack of file system, etc actually make it better suited towards being a client for cloud services. It runs a very rich client environment via Safari and Objective C apps. And the Cloud eliminates a lot of the limitations the device had. I think it will bring a lot of paying customers to these cloud based businesses. And that money will certainly feed back into the growth cycle.

I think that HP, with a solid webOS based operating system slate device, and any Android based devices will keep pushing the growth curve.

The biggest limitation in the cloud is the bandwidth factor. Once that is eliminated in the near future is when you will see companies opting for it instead of upgrading their servers and PCs. PCs will either be replaced with tablets or traditional thin clients.

The could will definately be here this decade.

 

[onetoescape]

The biggest factor for where I work is security. For domestic use it may help the swing towards this but for work still a while to go until the cloud matures. iphones are still not CESG approved!

 

[ryanwarsaw]

I don't really know but it does make me wonder what Apple is going to do with that huge server farm they are building.