Categories

Tags

11.2.2012

There is no question that cloud computing has played an important part in the tech industry in the last couple of years. There were plenty of developments in cloud computing in 2012 alone. New start-up companies are popping up every few days with some kind of innovative cloud computing service or advancement. This industry’s developments are measured in days and weeks rather than months and years. Studies predict that cloud computing technology will be a major source of revenue and employment worldwide by 2015. In fact, many industry experts go as far as to predict that by 2020 everything will be in the cloud, including hardware, software, platforms, services, and processing.

However, these kinds of long-term predictions must always be taken with a grain of salt since technology can advance in unexpected ways. Regardless of this, there is no doubt that cloud technology will be a major player and driving force in the technology market in the next few years.

Important cloud computing developments from the past year

The demand for full time IT professionals specializing in cloud computing has exploded in the last year, more than three times as much as it was since 2009. Some of the major reasons companies have migrated to cloud computing in 2012 include reduced costs, higher efficiency, and a lower need for personnel and resources. Studies show that agility, reduced costs, and scalability are still the most important factors for companies looking to adopt cloud computing. While SaaS is still the most important cloud service and the one in which companies are investing the most, PaaS and IaaS services are gaining traction and, in the next five years, they are expected to grow dramatically in popularity and adoption.

Of course, there are still obstacles in the adoption of cloud services. Many companies still hold doubts about cloud computing’s security. Other problems include government regulations and compatibility and vendor issues. This is an important factor for start-up companies and businesses investing in cloud computing to consider. However, these factors are quickly becoming a non-issue as new companies  come up with technology solutions that help ameliorate these concerns. In 2012, five key sectors benefited from cloud computing the most. These were media, mobile technology, social media, data storage and handling, and online commerce.

At least the security concerns are quickly being answered by new technology and cloud service providers. Enterprise facing software, archiving services, and cloud backup services have allowed many businesses to ensure that the cloud will not place their data at risk. Cloud collaboration is probably one of the most promising cloud services in the next few years. The last year saw a massive investment in cloud technology, with more than seven billion dollars invested in cloud start-up companies by venture capitalists.

Cloud computing is expected to grow dramatically in the next few years

According to studies by Microsoft and market watch firms, cloud computing is expected to grow impressively in the next few years. Cloud computing is expected to help create more than fourteen million jobs all around the world, many of these are concentrated in southeast Asia. Investors can also expect massive revenues, with almost 1.1 trillion dollars every year after 2015. This is especially significant because, thanks to the savings that cloud computing offers businesses, IT spending is only expected to grow sixteen percent, while jobs will increase by nearly thirty percent.

The Southeast Asian market, in particular countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Singapore, are an especially attractive target for cloud computing investors. This is due in great part to the position that these countries occupy in global business. Many of these countries act as global business hubs thanks to their privileged position geographically, advanced infrastructure, and business-friendly governments. This helps create a positive feedback loop where an increase in cloud computing investment increases job opportunities which in turn allow cloud computing technology to continue growing in these areas.

Public cloud investment is expected to drive growth in the cloud computing market. Although private cloud investment will undoubtedly influence growth, it is in public clouds where most innovation and investment will occur in the next few years. The year 2015 is considered as a turning point in the future of this market, with most projections up to 2015 being extremely positive. However, with the accelerated pace of new developments in cloud technology, advancement may actually occur faster than expected.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Nida Rasheed is a freelance writer and owner of an outsourcing company, Nida often finds herself wanting to write about the subjects that are closest to her heart. She lives in Islamabad, Pakistan and can be found on Twitter @nidarasheed.

11.1.2012

Apple and Android are the top preferred smart phones in Japan. In a survey conducted in June, 2012 Android covers 53 percent of the market; Apple iOS had a significant 32 percent share while Microsoft got 3.2 percent of the market.

There was a surge in the number of smart phone users in Japan since the beginning of 2012 with a whopping 43 percent increase.  There are a total of 24 million smart phone users and this represents 23 percent of the overall mobile population.

The favorite among smart phone brands is Sharp with 22.5 percent, next is Panasonic Panasonic with 13.6 percent, Fujitsu with 11.8 percent, NEC with 8.9 percent, and Sony with 7.9 percent.

The phones are primarily used for texting, mobile emails, games and novels. They hardly use their phone for voice calls especially in public places.

No Voice Calls in Public Places

Train commuters are constantly reminded to switch their phone to “manner mode” also known as silent mode, so that other people will not be bothered. In a country where collective need is the number 1 priority, talking on one’s mobile phone in public is considered unacceptable. In fact a person who is using his cell phone will not be allowed by the bus driver to enter the bus. He must end his call before boarding the public transportation. When their phone accidentally rings, they can answer it, but will immediately end the call. Unlike Westerners who are fond of talking on their phones while walking around the mall.

It is an unwritten rule that phones must be on silent or vibrate mode whenever one is leaving the house. It is acceptable to take calls when in a cafe or restaurant.  In theaters, the phones should be completely shut off, because even the small light can annoy other people.

Smart Phone Novels

Apart from calling and texting, users also read novels from their smart phones. Also known as “keitai shosetsu” or cell phone novels the stories are sent to users like a text message. The chapters usually have 70-100 words and are written by young authors who hide under pen names.  The romantic fiction can be downloaded in installment form.  Currently the most popular cell phone novel is “Second Hand Memories”. The chapters are short, with only 100 words, with interesting plots and twists.  There have been a couple of cell phone novels that have been published into books; some have turned into a movie.

Other countries have picked up the mobile bookworm trend. Commuters in China, Germany and South Africa, are also reading novels from their smart phones.  The revolutionary literary genre allows anybody and write novels anywhere at any time.

Smartphone Games

The females in Japan are known to spend at least 90 minutes a day, sending emails and browsing the Internet using their Smartphone’s. The gadget is taking the place of credit cards, it also used for looking up train schedules, buying tickets, checking apartments for rent, making bank account cash transfers, selling and buying stocks, horoscopes, jokes, music charts, theater schedules, museum hours and the like.

In trains, teenagers are often seen glued to their phones listening to music, reading novels or surfing the Internet. They are fond of sending emails. Girls actually go to restrooms so they can update their Facebook status and their friends about their date, or the movie or concert they are watching.  For artists smart phones are used as storage for their random ideas.

The Japanese are fond of playing games on their phones. Unlike typical arcade games, which give full cinematic experience, phone games are very simple, yet very popular. It primarily keeps the users busy when they are in between appointments, or waiting for the train.  The games are primarily free, however once the players wish to upgrade to the next level then they must pay a fee. Free games can end in seconds. However high level games can go on and on. Some die hard gamers spend an average of $600 dollars a month for games.

This form of entertainment is a big hit, because players can have fun with utmost anonymity. They actually take on a new character; they turn into a completely different person, when they play. The experience is a breather for a culture that is not fond of direct interaction. It gives people a chance to act like kids, and meet new friends while they play without revealing their true identity. A bank executive for instance could be playing with a cab driver, something that will not exactly happen in real life.

Be Part of Our Cloud Conversation

Our articles are written to provide you with tools and information to meet your IT and cloud solution needs. Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Guest Author:

Rodolfo Lentejas, Jr. is a fulltime freelance writer based in Toronto. He is the founder of the PostSckrippt, a growing online writing business dedicated to producing top quality, original and fresh content. To know more about him, please visit www.postsckrippt.ca. Like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.