You are Never Alone

The hype about Cloud Computing continues. I have an Google Alert scheduled daily on the topic, and there has definitely been a growth in news items about it.

Here’s Cloud Computing in Plain English

Some links to check:

• A review of Noteflight, “the first online music compositiontool that sits entirely on the web.”
• What Cloud Computing Can Do For You - the writer believes cloud computing has reached a”tipping point.”
• With new Web services, more companies are working in the ‘cloud’: list 4 ways to live among the clouds.
• Gmail launches voice and video chat
• and some advertising that seems a bit over the top: Instinct - check the video out: Instinct vs iPhone
• Explaining Cloud Computing - explains concepts as SaaS (Software as a Service), online applications to look for, HSaaS (Hardware as a Service- purchase computer processing power online), utility computing, computing appliances. This looks like one of a number of useful videos on web 2.0 and beyond.
• Explaining Ultramobile Computing - a UK video talking about the small computers that have become increasingly available this year.

I am still interested in stories about how schools, education systems and universities are buying into or preparing for utilising cloud computing, and would be glad to hear any that you know of.

Here is one example:
Australian schools dump Outlook for Gmail for 1.3 million students.
The New South Wales (NSW) education department in Australia has decided to drop Outlook/Exchange services and use Google services instead. The switch will affect 1.5 million students and save the department nearly AU$23 million ($22 million USD).

This will replace the current Microsoft based system and dramatically increase students storage from 35 Mb to 1 Gb. This isn’t the first case in Australia of students being provided with Gmail accounts. Last year Macquarie University announced plans to move all student accounts to Gmail and other Australian Universities are considering following them.