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Digital 'Cloud' could form over London for the 2012 Olympics
No, we're not talking about "the cloud" where data goes to disappear and (hopefully) be retrieved again. We're talking about an actual (well, artificial) cloud that promises to be both a real structure and a massive digital display. That's the bright idea of a team of researchers from MIT, anyway, and it's now been shortlisted in a competition designed to find a new tourist attraction to be built in London for the 2012 Olympics. Dubbed simply "The Cloud," the structure would consist of two 400-foot tall mesh towers that are linked by a series of interconnected plastic bubbles, which would themselves house an observation deck inside and be used to display everything from Olympic scores and highlights to a "barometer of the city's interests and moods" outside (that latter bit comes courtesy of the group's partnership with Google). As if that wasn't enough, the whole thing also promises to be funded entirely by micro-payments from the public (which would also determine its final size), and be completely self-powered, with it relying on a combination of solar power and regenerative braking from the lifts in the towers. Video after the break.
LTE Connected Car redefines the 'mobile' in mobile broadband (video)
If you think cellphones have become overbearingly complex, look away now. A partnership of tech companies and content providers, known as the ng Connect Program, has revealed a prototype "LTE Connected Car," which, as you might surmise, combines 4G mobile broadband connectivity with a bunch of cloud-sourced facilities, such as video on demand, audio libraries, and multiplayer gaming. It can also serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot, connect directly to home automation or monitoring systems, and probably cook you scrambled eggs if you ask nicely. A Toyota Prius serves as the guinea pig for this new concept, and we've got video of the whole shebang after the break.
Entelligence: Cloud's illusions I recall
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. It's been the story of the week. T-Mobile Sidekick customers were told that all of their data might be lost and warned not to turn off their devices to prevent losing what's already on them. It's about the worst case nightmare scenario for any vendor and it underscored the weakness and vulnerability of cloud-based computing with no other means of backup and storage. The Sidekick story is complicated, and there's much rumor and speculation as to what went wrong and how. To be clear, Sidekick is a T-Mobile branded-and-sold device and service, but the Sidekick technology comes from Danger, a former startup now owned by Microsoft, which T-Mobile pays to keep Sidekick going. Trust me, there's going to be lots of finger pointing and perhaps a few class-action lawsuits before this all comes to an end. While finger pointing is fun, it's not the issue. (And, as grandpa used to say, when you point your finger at someone else, three fingers point back at you.) Some argued with me last night that cloud computing is perfectly safe, it's the company deploying that you need to look to. OK. I accept that. Only thing is that Danger's been doing this pretty well since 2002 and at no point did I ever see a single warning from anyone that dealing with T-Mobile, Danger or Microsoft might be a bad idea when it comes to personal data solely living in the cloud.
Cloud Telecomputers announces Android-based Glass platform for desk phones
It may not be the first to come up with the bright idea of putting Android on a desk phone-esque device, but upstart Could Telecomputers may well be the most ambitious, with it boasting that its new Glass platform "makes the desk phone relevant again," and is "smarter and more powerful than your 'smart cell phone.'" To that end, the company has basically paired a full-fledged, 8-inch Android-based MID with a plain old corded phone, which will let you do things like dial numbers directly from your Outlook address book, pair up a cellphone via Bluetooth and, of course, take advantage of a whole range of Android apps that should put most other internet-connected desk phones to shame. As you probably picked up, however, this is still a platform and not an actual product just yet, but Cloud Telecomputers does have some pretty heavy backers behind it, and it "anticipates" that the first phones should be available sometime in the first quarter of 2010 for between $599 and $699. [Via PR Newswire]
Jolicloud beta gets a thorough going over, Microsoft still not worried
We've had our eyes on Jolicloud for a while, and with its eminent beta release the crazy kids at CNET have given it a pretty thorough overview. Tariq Krim has an interesting take on the cloud netbook experience, with an emphasis on quick and easy access to apps -- exemplified by the fact that both installed apps and data are tied to your account, so that no matter which machine you're logged on to, you'll have the same apps and all your data at your disposal. Trolling OK Cupid has never been easier! On the plus side, the reviewer found that installing from a USB key (even while keeping your current OS intact) was a breeze. Also singled out for praise were the large selection of apps and Windows emulation that allowed access to many of your Windows apps. On the other hand, there are downsides, including support for a limited number of netbooks and limited drivers. Interested in the full scoop? Hit that read link to see for yourself.
Dyack muses about clouds, won't abandon current consoles
"We have no intentions to stop making video games for the current consoles ... that would be nuts." That was Silicon Knights head Denis Dyack's response to our question about whether his musing about cloud technology had anything to do with a new direction for the company. During Dyack's "musing about clouds" presentation today at GDC Europe, the SK president mentioned a belief in systems like OnLive -- but he's not ready to take a walk in the clouds just yet. The outspoken executive said that he doesn't believe people should be investing in game stores at the moment, though he was unsure how long the cloud model will take to gain a foothold. According to Dyack, cloud computing could become the dominant form of distribution and access for consumers within the next 20 years. In the meantime, Dyack told us Silicon Knights will keep doing console-based games "as long as the market is there."
iDisk iPhone app arrives, there is much rejoicing
You have waited with varying degrees of patience, but your wait is over: the MobileMe iDisk app, in all its officialness, is now available on the App Store.The iDisk app allows you to view the contents of your MobileMe iDisk straight from your iPhone, and offers some nice options, such as adjusting the amount of local storage used on the phone for recently viewed files.Does it live up to your expectations? Check it out, and be sure to tell us in the comments what you think about it![H/T AppAdvice.com]
The Daily Grind: Browser-centric MMOs
The other day, I watched this demo of Gaikai, a new service being spearheaded by the legendary games developer David Perry. The idea is a simple one: using a browser you can access everything from MMOs to racing games and even the memory-hog that is Photoshop with all the actual software installed on a remote server and accessed via the cloud. Now it seems like an awesome undertaking but I came out of it feeling really impressed. WoW and EVE were running at lightening speed and the prospect of not patching or updating got me a little excited. Now browser-based MMOs are now new. Just look at Free Realms and the plethora of free-to-play titles. But the idea of playing seriously intensive games like EVE? Wow, just wow. You still need some kind of graphics card in your computer but the cloud seems to do the vast majority of the work.So readers, what do you think? You might well have used browser-centric MMOs in the past and their ease of use is encouraging. Would you play WoW on a browser if it could mimic your current setting or even improve on them? Would it make your life easier knowing that someone else was dealing with all the patches? On the other hand, cloud-based technology is still new and shiny, would you rather stick with actual discs or your own hard drive? Tell us, readers, and drop your thoughts in the box below.
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Opera Unite: a cloud-based promise to 'reinvent the web,' again
Opera has a little surprise in store for you this morning with its Opera Unite service. A web-based application built into the Opera browser that the Norwegian-based company says will "reinvent the Web" as it makes your computer, data, and media available via any web browser through the Unite cloud. A bold claim, sure, but just look at the breadth of the cloud-based services available to Mac, PC, or Linux/Unix users: File sharing -- securely share files direct from your computer Web server -- turns your home computer into a web server via Opera Unite URL Media player -- direct link to your music collection from any web browser Photo sharing -- shares your image library over the web without requiring a photo service Lounge -- self-contained chat service running on your computer Fridge -- a place where friends and family can post notes We're taking the service / software for a spin right now and at first blush, we're duly impressed by the ease of setup and control. Hit the links below to try it for yourself. Video introduction after the break. Read -- Download Read -- Opera Unite press release
Pogoplug: Your data, wherever you are
When word about the Pogoplug hit TUAW central, we debated to see who would luck out and and cover the device. Apart from a few cuts and bruises, nearly all of which will mend in a matter of weeks if the doctors are to be believed, I won. The past few days, I've had the pleasure of road testing a unit. And it's awesome. The Pogoplug offers a USB NAS adapter, i.e. a network-attached storage system, that gives you network access to your data from home and on the road. With NAS you can use common protocols like AFP and SMB to connect to a remote disk. And you can do so easily. That's a big win, because choosing and setting up these remote devices has been a deal killer for many otherwise interested people. As Brad Dietrich, Pogoplug's CTO, told TUAW, "[Until now], the state of home networking has been too complicated and geeky for most people." Pogoplug provides a simple solution. What Pogoplug brings to the party is a remarkable ease of use that crosses past any issues of firewalls and port setup and delivers remote storage to normal (i.e. read "non-geek") humans. It transforms remote file access into a consumer device. And best of all, it provides this for just $99.
Jolicloud OS alpha release struts its stuff... on video!
Tariq Krim's Jolicloud operating system just got a full video walkthrough -- and while it ain't Citizen Kane, it does prove itself to be a wholesome, rather light-hearted affair that your whole family will love. Installed on a Samsung NC10 netbook, the cloud OS manages to combine Linux and social networking into a flavorful melange. Among the "social" aspects this bad boy is integrated user updates, and the ability to look for other Jolicloud users who might be online at the same time you are. If you're addicted to the Facebook and the Twitter, or if you like the idea of having your friends and enemies alerted whenever you log onto your ultraportable, peep the video below. The private alpha should begin making the rounds this June.
Microsoft's beta My Phone service for Windows Mobile now free to all
Go 'n get it! Microsoft's My Phone service is now ready for all Windows Mobile users to test. The beta service syncs any Windows Mobile 6+ phone to Microsoft's 200MB per person cloud. That includes contacts, calendars, tasks, photos, text messages, music, videos, and more. In essence, anything on the My Phone website is on the phone and vice versa. Hey free is free and this is a goodie.[Via SlashPhone]
GDC09: Rearden Studios introduces OnLive game service and 'microconsole'
click to enlarge Rearden Studios introduced a gaming service and "microconsole," called OnLive, at GDC today, and we're still trying to wrap our heads around everything. If we had to describe it in one sentence, we'd call it a new way of playing games online without having to buy titles, but that sounds a bit too much like the vaporware Phantom console. Plus, there's another new "console" called Zeebo making a debut at GDC, which adds more confusion to the issue. Luckily, we have more than a sentence to work with here, so bear with us.OnLive, as a company, a service, and a console, is being spun off from Rearden, and is run by Steve Perlman (founder & CEO) and Mike McGarvey (COO). The entire company is structured around a new way to stream video that the company has created -- "interactive video compression" -- which, according to the official line, has extremely low latency, and brings video lag down to "about a millisecond." Using that technology, the complany plans to have five servers across the country that will host your games completely, and it'll be streaming the video from the game to your Mac, PC, or television. Sound ambitious? It is. Read on to find out more. If you're at GDC, you can check out the press conference on Tuesday evening at 7:15 p.m. PST, or give the system a spin at Booth #5128. We'd been working on this story after getting a sneak peek earlier along with a scant few other journos, but Variety broke a major embargo. Translation: you get it early.%Gallery-48395%
Cloud file sharing on the iPhone, four ways
Among the crowded field of cloud sharing and file synchronization services, there are plenty of interesting options (we've been partial to Dropbox around here, but check around for more), but when you add 'must work well with iPhone' to the requirements list, the choices narrow a bit. I've been testing out two business-focused options in Readdle Docs and box.net, and two other iPhone-friendly options (ZumoDrive and Drop.io) have just poked above the horizon.Readdle Docs may be on the pricey side for the App Store at $9.99US, but there's a lot of functionality bundled into that ten bucks. In addition to turning your iPhone or iPod touch into a WebDAV file server -- accessible easily and securely in the Finder, Windows Explorer, or via clients like Transmit -- Readdle lets you access hosted storage on your MobileMe account or other WebDAV services.Once you get the files onto your device, it's easy to view all iPhone-friendly formats, or forward documents and images by email. I'm particularly fond of the full-screen PDF and PPT viewers in the app. Of course, it's no Documents to Go, but it's a good start (and for those waiting eagerly for D2G to arrive on the iPhone, word from DataViz is that the app is on track for a Q2 release). Update: DistortedLoop points to veteran Palm developer QuickOffice and the $9.99 Mobile Files Pro product, which offers iDisk connectivity and also allows editing of Excel files. I hadn't heard of it before and we'll definitely be checking it out for a future review.While you can use Readdle with iDisk or any WebDAV-enabled storage service, you also get a bonus account on the Readdle servers with 512 MB of storage (yes, not much, but it's handy). Upgrades to the Readdle storage start at $5/month for 2 GB. On the other hand, if you need the cloud access but not the onboard server, you can save $2 and get Readdle's OneDisk product for $7.99. Per Michael's question in the comments, the Readdle team does have OneDisk working with JungleDisk and Amazon S3, and it should work in the same fashion with Docs.Though box.net is focused on enterprise users, it's plenty functional for personal use; with a free 1GB storage account that permits 5 collaboration folders and files up to 25 MB in size, you've got some room to maneuver (paid plans start at $7.95/mo). The companion iPhone app, also free, lets you upload images from your photo library or camera, view a list of recently modified files, and open up any of your files for viewing (unfortunately the new box.net webdoc format reads in as raw HTML, which is a drag). You can also forward sharing links to your colleagues directly from the iPhone app, which can be extremely helpful in the midst of a collaborative project.The box.net app is more streamlined than Readdle Docs, but offers a lot less of the bidirectional functionality, and the viewer isn't fullscreen or landscape enabled; it also doesn't appear to cache large documents locally as Readdle does, and it's crashed on me once or twice while downloading large PDFs. Still, if you're already using box.net or you don't have a WebDAV-enabled storage option for use with Readdle, it's a fine app to try.Details of the two new kids on the block, in the 2nd half of the post.
Nokia Ovi crash results in three weeks of lost user data
There's definite risks to hosting all your personal data in the cloud, and users of Nokia's Contacts on Ovi service just got a taste of the dark side: a database crash yesterday erased all data entered since January 23rd, when the service superceded Nokia Chat. That means contacts and images simply disappeared from people's phones overnight with no recourse, which should give pause to all of us relying on third parties to manage and maintain our data. On the other hand, Ovi users now get to relive the past few weeks all over again, so maybe there's a silver lining in there for someone after all.[Via Unwired View]
Syncplicity opens up its Mac beta
The Boy Genius Report has reported on the latest cloud storage solution to grace the Mac world. Syncplicity, which currently exists for Windows, has opened up its beta version for the Mac. Syncplicity, free for 2GB of storage and syncing between two computers and $9.99 a month ($99 a year) USD for syncing among an unlimited number of computers and 50GB of storage, mirrors any folder on your system with its online sibling in the "cloud." Unlike MobileMe, where items to be synced must be contained within your iDisk, any folder on your hard drive can be synced by right-clicking it and selecting it from a menu -- really nice if you need to get a subfolder of a subfolder online. As soon as that folder is updated, so is the remote one. Another touted feature is the ability to access those folders from a browser on any computer, including your cell phone. The Syncplicity beta is an Intel-only program and requires OSX 10.5. Syncplicity joins a crowded field that just doesn't include MobileMe: Zumodrive, Dropbox and SugarSync are out there as well, all willing to do battle for customers who are growing increasingly dissatisfied with Apple's offering to the point that they are considering alternatives. Have you tried out the private beta for Syncplicity? What other cloud storage solution do you use? Let us know in the comments! Meanwhile, we'll start looking at Syncplicity on our end and present you with a full look at the beta in the next few days.
Preview of World of Warcraft comic issue 15
Yesterday we mentioned that Garona Halforcen, strangely popular assassin from the earlier RTS games, would be making her comeback in the World of Warcraft comic series. WorldofWar.net first reported that issue 18 would be the first reappearance of Garona, but a preview of issue 15 on the official website shows that it's going to start up a bit earlier than that.The preview reveals that when Garona (who has the same tailor as Valeera Sanguinar apparently) killed King Llane, she was actually pregnant. When she 'disappeared' from the overall Warcraft story, she handed off her child to the Undead Mage/Warlock/Necromancer Meryl for safekeeping since she couldn't trust herself while she went to deal with her inner demons. It's interesting to note that this Undead Necromancer isn't actually a member of the Forsaken, so that Forsaken Warlock action figure you may have purchased awhile back isn't a Forsaken at all. He predates Ner'zhul by quite a bit, and the comic describes him as being undead via his own will and sorcery. He should prove to be a pretty neat character.
gOS Cloud instant-on OS shown on video
Good OS' latest operating system was just announced this week, but already some cool cat with a video camera and some serious credentials has managed to record a sneak peek. Quite honestly, the instant-on gOS Cloud system isn't all that amazing to watch tick, but if you're looking for a brief glimpse at what's apt to be fleshed out at CES, head on south of the break.
gOS "Cloud" instant-on OS comes to Gigabyte touchscreen netbooks
Not that we were too impressed with gOS when we first saw Rocket almost a year ago, but Cloud -- the small footprint, quick boot Linux variant that Good OS introduced today at the Netbook World Summit in Paris -- looks like an altogether different beast. Arriving pre-installed alongside Windows on the new Gigabyte touchscreen netbooks (perhaps some variant of the M912V), the new SplashTop-esque OS uses a web browser as its main interface, with an integrated dock providing such Web 2.0 mainstays as Skype, YouTube and the Google family of apps -- and if this smattering of tools doesn't meet all of your computing needs, you can always boot into your main OS from there. Cloud can be installed as a dual-boot partition on your hard drive or SSD as well as onto a flash chip hardwired onto a motherboard. That's all we have for now, but you can bet we'll be on hand to check it out at CES in January.
Microsoft gets official with Windows Azure cloud OS, platform
Steve Ballmer himself first dropped word of this one earlier this month, but Microsoft has now finally gotten official about its new cloud computing operating system, and its name: Windows Azure. What's more, the OS is apparently just one component of Microsoft's larger Azure cloud computing platform, which will eventually be fully rolled out alongside Windows 7, and will encompass Microsoft's existing Live services, SQL services, and .NET services, among other things. If that's got you excited, you can find plenty more details at the link below, and even a few SDKs ready for downloading.[Via Pocket-lint]
