Wednesday - May 18, 2011
Take a look at picture on the left. Looks like a laptop, right? It is, but with a 21st century twist.
Google has reimagined the personal computer. The search giant’s theory is that since we spend so much time online, why not design a device that harnesses the power of the Web. Good point, but possibly a fatal flaw.
Called the Chromebook, the laptop runs one software program–Google’s Chrome web browser–relying on online applications, like Google Docs, Gmail and Picasa and lightweight web apps (similar to ones for smartphones) for its computing muscle. Since it has no internal hard drive, all your files are stored in the cloud.
Some of you may remember “dumb” terminals–computer screens and keyboards networked to mainframes. Without the connection, though, the terminal was useless, just a putty-colored paperweight. How will the Chromebook function without Net access? Google claims to have devised a way to work offline using the features of HTML5. If you’re technically inclined, here’s a video that explains the process. How well it works remains to be seen, since Chromebooks won’t be available for another month.
Leaving that question aside, the bigger issue is this: Do you feel comfortable giving Google control over your computing environment, the programs you use and access to all your data? In other words, how much can you trust them?
The recent outcry over location tracking with Android smartphones underscores the problem. With Chromebook, Google will have a record of everything users do. How will Google use it? Can they keep this data secure? Given the epidemic of hacking and data breaches, storing sensitive information online poses a serious risk.
With notebooks, netbooks, tablets and smartphones, there’s no lack of mobile devices for working and playing on the go. So why is Google introducing yet another gadget?
Since the invention of the personal computer in the early 1980s, there’s been a battle for control of the desktop. The chief combatants, Microsoft and Apple, have reaped rich rewards from powering PCs. Now Google wants to cash in. Just as its Android operating system now controls 1 out of 3 smartphones, it wants to do the same with Chromebooks.
A great feature for non-technical types is that the messy task of updating and upgrading software will all be accomplished behind-the-scenes. Just leave it to Google. For the cost-conscious, there won’t be new software to buy.
But all new technology comes with bugs. Google is a culture of engineers who aspire to automate everything. Although the company employs over 26,000, try reaching one of them on the phone for advice. If you need tech support, email or check out a message board.
Last year Google launched a new smartphone, the Nexus One. The Android operating system generally got good reviews; product support didn’t. Early adapters howled their disapproval. Will Chromebook support be any better? Maybe.
The Chrome website indicates that you can schedule a phone appointment. How long it takes is anyone’s guess. Are you willing to wait for an appointment with a mission-critical task to complete? Personally, I want tech support NOW.
Finally, Google faces huge competition. Chromebooks will reportedly sell for around $500. For somewhat less, you can buy a netbook; for around the same price, a laptop or tablet PC. Will business and consumers embrace this new product? Will you?
Wednesday - Jun 16, 2010
If you use webmail, Google docs, Facebook, Flickr or similar online services, you’re already using cloud computing. For those of you not familiar with the concept, here’s a brief overview. Last week the Pew Internet & American Life Project released its latest report on the future of the Net. According to a majority of tech experts, we will “live mostly in the cloud” by 2020. It’s a radical departure from the way things are today, but one fraught with risk.
Most of us run programs like Microsoft Office on desktop or laptop computers, storing our data locally on the hard drive. With cloud computing, you access many of the same programs with a web browser, then store your files on a server. In fact Microsoft just rolled out Office Web Apps, a free online version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.
While there are many advantages to this scenario, the greatest risk, in my opinion, involves data security. Sure, someone can hack into your computer and access your files, but as far as I know, it hasn’t happened to me yet. But if your files are stored in some “cloud,” who knows who may be accessing it. The government? Your competitors? A bored teenager? Law enforcement? Political rivals? Call me paranoid, but you get the idea. Who can you trust with all your personal and private information? No one, from government agencies like the Department of Defense to multinational corporations like AT&T, has been able to prevent data breaches.
While it would certainly make life easier to never have to upgrade software or backup files, until a system is in place that can reasonable assure the security of online data, I’m sticking with my hard drive. What about you?
Wednesday - May 12, 2010
It seems that schools are venturing farther down the technological road than ever before, adopting hardware and software to keep students and staff tied into real world skills. But a few schools are making big splashes by adopting more advanced tech strategies like cloud computing.
On April 28, Google announced that the state of Oregon was adopting Google Apps in all of its school districts as a way to cut costs and take a step up the technology ladder. The Oregon Department of Education estimated that by moving to Google’s cloud-based applications, the state would save nearly $1.5 million a year.
But what is cloud computing and what does it mean for schools? For the uninitiated, cloud computing is an increasingly popular method of computing which takes software and data outside of personal confines and puts it on a server, accessible with an Internet connection. This means users are required to install little to nothing to access applications that handle e-mail and a wide variety of other documents.
For schools and universities, this means that some focus can be shifted from on-site distributions to other areas. “Such an approach transfers responsibility for software updates and maintenance away from the institutional IT department, freeing IT staff from a considerable amount of software support,” says nonprofit EDUCAUSE (PDF file), in reference to Google Apps.
“The resources saved can be directed at making the IT department more innovative and agile, attributes that are increasingly important in responding to rising student expectations of technology on campus,” they added.
Web site Mashable.com gave other reasons why schools are migrating to cloud computing and Google Apps. Aside from saving money, some schools have cited a boost in student motivation and performance with the adoption of such technology. The money saved on the cloud-based Google Apps has allowed education staff in Oregon’s District 207 to pair at-risk youth with a laptop to help raise reading scores. The combination of Google Apps’ collaborative nature and children’s interest in technology seems to have ignited the district’s children’s interest in learning.
“It’s critical that students learn how to use the kind of productivity technology they’ll need throughout their lives, and Oregon is helping students across the state do just that,” said Jaime Casap, Google’s Apps Education Manager.
But will the adoption of Google Apps and other cloud computing technologies expand rapidly? Many IT managers at primary, secondary, and higher education facilities are wary of jumping into the fray for many reasons. Art Wittmann, a writer for InformationWeek.com, expressed some of these concerns after participating in a conference in Indianapolis.
“The managers I talked with are very concerned about user training and the fact that they have no resources to retrain their users on new systems,” said Wittmann. “There’s a lot of pragmatic loyalty to the vendors they’re already selected, and when these IT managers consider moving to new systems, the payoff had better be substantial and immediately apparent.”
Another major concern is how schools will handle unscheduled outages from their cloud or Internet provider. Strict dependency on external software and service could yield cynical teachers and staff, who often are already struggling with integrating technology into their classrooms.
It’ll be imperative that education and IT staff formulate a backup plan or alternative lesson plans should such outages strike. And outages will happen. Sardar Khan of StartupMeme.com has documented the many outages of Gmail, Google’s cloud-based e-mail client.
With IBM predicting that by 2012, spending on cloud computing software will soar to $126 billion globally, it doesn’t seem like cloud computing will be going away any time soon. However, it remains to be seen in these rough economic times whether more states will adopt Oregon’s strategy of adopting the free cloud services of Google.
Has your school or university adopted Google Apps or other cloud computing software? What has the experience been like for you? Do you think the advantages outweigh the risks?
