The recent Apple developer conference was a bit of a damp squib. OSX Lion, yawn. iOS5, meh (was there a single “new” feature that hadn’t been ripped off Android or Windows Mobile?). But iCloud is different.
You see, iCloud was the one announcement that could change things. And Google is also looking to stir things up with the forthcoming launch of the first Chromebooks.
iCloud is a service that enables you to have your music, videos and photos (etc) stored on Apple’s servers so you can access all of it from any iOS device. The Chromebook is, perhaps, what the word “netbook” should have meant if it hadn’t already been hijacked. Essentially, a small laptop running an OS based on Google’s Chrome browser.
Both technologies make use of fast internet connections and the ever declining costs of storage. They make it possible to store much of your data online (in the case of iCloud) or ALL of your data online (in the case of Chromebooks). As such, they share many advantages including synchronisation across devices, making data independent from devices and therefore, in theory at least, safer. Drop your iPad or Chromebook under a bus and, annoying and costly though that would be, your data remains safely stored away on Apple or Google servers.
The chief difference between the two strategies is that whilst Apple is creating a cloud service based around existing devices, Google is creating (or offering licences to create) devices around its existing cloud service.
It’s hard to say which is better. Millions of people own iOS devices (200 million, according to Apple) but the number of Google users is at least as great. When I use my iPad, my biggest frustration is the lack of close integration with my Google account compared to my Android phone. In the end, it probably depends on which services you find most useful.
For business, Google might be onto something. With a Chromebook, I could add, edit and share documents, spreadsheets and presentations as well as using the best email client in the business. All from a device with (probably) longer battery life than a laptop/netbook, that’s easier to use, has none of the complications of a “grown up” operating system and, the jewel in the crown, is (pretty much) “instant on”. I can also, of course, edit those documents on my desktop or laptop PC when I get back into the office.
For leisure, it might be Apple that’s onto something. With iCloud, I can buy an album from the iTunes store and enjoy it on all my iOS devices. I can take a photo with my iPhone and it’ll be available on the other devices without having to go through iTunes.
Chromebooks represent what might well be an attractive IT option for business. At launch, they’re retailing at around £350 but I’d expect that to drop to nearer £250 as competition ramps up. For that, they make an excellent netbook. Their Achilles Heel is the constant reliance on an internet connection. Quite how much of my Google Docs document I could edit or how much data might be lost if my connection went down I don’t know.
Both technologies are extremely exciting. With a slimline OS, custom apps, instant on and focus on the internet, Chromebooks are closer to tablets than traditional laptops. If the price drops and the technology proves itself, they could be a very convenient way of living within the Googleverse. iCloud ushers in the end of reliance on laptops or desktops to synchronise your iOS device.
I don’t believe either a Chromebook OR an iOS device (even the iPad) would be enough for any but the most undemanding households to have as their only computing device. However, if the price is right (as it is with the iPad, for example), they could add something genuinely different to the mix.
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