Triona's Tech Tips

eWeek recently shared the ten reasons they feel Microsoft must start thinking beyond Windows and Office, and one of the most important is cloud computing. With the success of services like Google Docs and the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, the relevance of traditional computer seems to be fading. Or is it?

In cloud computing, all programs and files reside “in the cloud,” or on the Internet. This means you don’t have to spend as much in hardware, because you don’t need the processing power of a traditional computer. The same data can be accessed from any device that can surf the Web. Even if, say, your smartphone dies, you can still reach your files with another device like an iPad or a netbook.

But there are disadvantages to cloud computing, as I mentioned in a previous Tech Tips article. You don’t know where your files live nor whether they’re secure, and if your Internet or cloud computing service goes down, you’re out of luck. Users of Microsoft’s Office Live discovered this to their dismay recently, when the service went down on two occasions (here and here). As I said before, I personally don’t want to lose access to basic word processing just because some server happens to fail.

For the moment, we’re seeing a mix of both approaches. Most small businesses are continuing to use traditional approaches while exploring new technologies, and I predict that’s going to continue for a while. We’re not quite at the point where people are willing to commit their computing world to the cloud, but we’d better get ready because our world is becoming more mobile, more social, and less private than ever before.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

Netbooks are small laptop computers. Some people like them because they are lightweight and inexpensive, while others disdain them for lack of speed and small keyboard and screen size. With so many laptops available, do we really need netbooks?

I believe netbooks have their place. Netbooks are great if you need an ultraportable computer, especially if it’s your secondary machine. You can let your primary computer do the heavy lifting and use the netbook for email and Web. Netbooks are also good choices for students and home users who only need the basics.

But if you are working with photos, graphics or video, netbooks don’t have the speed you need. They are also not so good as game machines. Netbooks usually offer the minimum for memory, hard drive, and processor. If you can only afford one computer, you’re better off spending a little extra for a laptop than investing in a netbook.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

Today, amid much hoopla, Apple finally unveiled its iPad tablet computer. Was it worth the hype? While I don’t think it’s the be-all and end-all of the universe, I think the iPad has great potential. It fits the niche between the iPhone and Mac computer, the price is right, and it simultaneously takes a swipe at both netbooks and e-readers.

This being Apple, of course the iPad is aesthetically beautiful. It has a 9.7″ multitouch color display (that works portrait and landscape) and weighs in at only 1.5lbs. It comes in six models, including 16GB, 32GB and 64GB with WiFi or WiFi+3G plus Bluetooth, and will start shipping in 60 days. Reports from the field say the graphics are smokin’ fast. The iPad interface will be familiar to anyone who’s used an iPhone or iPod touch. It reportedly has at least 10 hours of battery life and can remain in standby up to 30 days. It uses AT&T’s network but unlike the iPhone the device is unlocked and requires no contract, which will undoubtedly be a big enticement.

The fact that the iPad can run iPhone apps out of the box is another big plus in Apple’s favor. That means the iPad runs ready-made software people already use, as well as leveraging the existing development process. The iPad has a large on-screen keyboard, and there is also a full-sized keyboard dock available. You can use the iPad to do anything from playing games to watching movies to catching up on Facebook, all from one ultraportable device.

The new iBooks store goes hand-in-hand with Apple’s iTunes and Apps stores. Apple has buy-in from big-name publishers including Simon and Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Hachette. The familiar iPhone-like interface combined with the use of the ePub format, a standard for e-readers, will give the iPad a big push in the e-book market. Again, Apple is showing its prowess at leveraging its own strengths.

The iPad’s price point is right on the money. The iPad starts at $499 for a 16GB model with WiFi and goes up to $829 for 64GB with WiFi+3G. That’s well within the realm of possibility for consumers. The iPhone was priced too high at the beginning; clearly Apple doesn’t intend to make that mistake again. And Apple sorely needed a netbook-like solution to round out its notoriously higher-priced Macs.

The iPad is an all-in-one solution for entertainment: music, photos, TV, movies, books and games, with access to email, the Web, social networking sites like Facebook and all manner of apps. It’s a potent combination of usability and interaction that, like the iPhone, will set a standard for the industry. The introduction of the iPad is a great way for Apple to start 2010, a year that should prove most interesting in this arena.

What do you think? Is Apple’s iPad worth the hype? Are you considering one? Why or why not?