Gadgets for Cloud Computing
A flood of simple computing devices is hitting the market, aimed at pushing the cloud outside of the enterprise. Samsung and Acer have announced Chromebooks, which are light laptops for users who rely on the Internet for most of their computing. Startup ITWin is offering a USB device that helps users access files on remote computers over the Internet. Panasonic has shown a Viera tablet for its TV sets, which the company hopes will jumpstart its cloud services business.
Chromebooks
Google is trying to push cloud computing to the masses through Chromebooks, which come with the Chrome OS, a thin version of Linux to run Web applications or light applications purchased from the Chrome Store.
Chromebooks are lightweight, albeit slightly expensive, alternatives to regular laptops. Google says Chromebooks provide instant access to the Web and a "faster, simpler and more secure experience without all the headaches of ordinary computers." Chromebooks have minimal storage, and applications and documents are stored in the cloud.
