The beginning

We’ve been an IT company since 2004, we embraced the Cloud in 2007  and we’ve been actively promoting the Cloud since March of 2011. Back in March we ran a quick Twitter poll, which found that 36% of respondents had not heard of Cloud Computing and upon speaking with some of the respondents, we understand that the majority of those who had heard of it, didn’t understand what it actually was.

In the middle

Cloud Computing has exploded into the news, and the workplace throughout 2011. We’ve heard good news about the number of businesses adopting and benefiting; exciting news when big companies like Amazon & Apple created their own Cloud and of course the bad news, such as Amazon’s EC2 going down in April.

We like to think that we’ve done our bit locally: we’ve had 3 events, posted over 30 blog articles and this year we’ve grown our team to support the education on the Cloud in Bristol.

Today

A Twitter poll this morning revealed that 91% of respondents had heard of the Cloud, and although only 27% were using it, a massive 75% said they would be considering it for 2012. Quite a difference in under a year!

The future

It has been said that 2011 has been the year of the Cloud. In our opinion 2011 has been the year of discovering the Cloud; sussing it out; testing the water. 2012 will be the year of adoption of the Cloud.

What does the future hold for the IT in your business?

In the last day Microsoft have shelled out a reported £5B to purchase Skype from an investment company and ebay (who still owned around 35%). There has been a lot of buzz on the internet about this purchase: Why have they done it? Have they paid too much? Are they going to ruin Skype?

At the moment no one knows the answers to these questions but I personally think this is quite a good purchase, as long as they can integrate this into the rest of the product range.

So let’s look at why they’ve done it:
Now they have access to 700 million users; obtained a great technology; and are now the market leader in VoIP.

In one foul swoop they have jumped ahead of Apple and Google in consumer internet telephony and video conferencing, plus kept it out of the hands of Facebook. The interesting thing is that Skype is the only truly platform agnostic offering, in that it runs all major desktop systems as well as nearly all mobile phones, which is something Apple and Google can’t claim yet.

Have they paid too much?
It is hard to say if they have paid too much or not, my feeling is yes but if it helps them gain ground in the consumer market, which is something they are striving for (this is why Apple has done so well), then it could be money well spent. The issue Microsoft had was that they were bidding against other companies with pretty deep pockets and they probably needed/wanted Skype more than the others.

Will Microsoft ruin Skype??
I don’t think they will ruin Skype, they’ve paid too much to allow it to wither and die. I think they will wait for a while, take stock of their acquisition and look for ways to integrate it into their other products. XBOX live is ripe for integration as is the Microsoft Office platform, there is also the possibility of aligning it with - or replacing - Live Messenger. (That said I wouldn’t want to be responsible for integrating those platforms together.)

Overall I think this is a good move for Microsoft and quite a brave one, time will tell to see if it is a wise one.

The launch of Music Beta by Google is said to be announced today at I/O developer conference.

However, it seems they are not only likely to get Amazon & Apple’s back up but also that of many record labels for proceeding without their permission. Like Amazon, Google argues that consumers will only be able to store and stream music that they already own, claiming therefore that licenses aren’t necessary.

Rival Apple is expected to launch a music streaming service this year also, and with their relationships with record labels already established, their journey is very likely to be an easier one.

Legal rubbish aside, which is to be best??

Until it officially launches, impossible to tell – especially as the beta version is said to be invitation only and in just the US for now. However, Google is ensuring that it’s Cloud Music service will be suitably integrated with the Android, which looks set to be a very popular feature and starting point when competing with Amazon & Apple.

Image source: Skruggen.com

Remember last week when we tweeted that Apple was discontinuing the Xserve just a few days ago, and replacing it with a new Mac Pro Server?

According to an online website – MacGeneration, a very unhappy user of Apples XServe and professional apps wasn’t that happy with the decision to cut off the enterprise product and subsequently send Steve Jobs an email letting him know exactly what he thought.

Surprisingly, he received a response from the CEO, and not only was it characteristically short but it was to the point – Steve’s reply? “Hardly anyone was buying them”.

‘According to the source, Apple was selling less than 10,000 Xserves per quarter in 2007 and 2008, which accounted for roughly 0.4% of sales at the time.’

”Looking at those figures, you’d be pretty hard up to disagree with Mr. Jobs on this one – I guess some answers are just that simple!’

-For more information go to the original article source here at Zath

-Source MacGeneration via 9to5Mac

Does this mean that the iPhone 4′s FaceTime feature becomes more useful?

‘FaceTime has proven popular already since its implementation on iOS, and whilst video chat is nothing new in the slightest, it may be one of the best examples around at the moment – with the only nag of having to be connected to Wi-Fi to enable the feature.

However, for the desktop we have been almost forced to use Skype if we are after a decent experience, but Mac users are used to things more stylish in interface and simple in usability - enter FaceTime.’

With Apple suddenly revamping most of their products e.g. iPhone 4 has FaceTime, new release of the iPod Touch has FaceTime – were we already going to expect this?

But summing it up, FaceTime is pretty much FaceTime. It’s just video calling for iPhones but as much as Apple may want to big it up for being as good as it is, 3 Mobile did release video calling in and around 2002 and it was avaliable without – yeap without an Wi-Fi connection.

Will this make you want to use the iPhone 4′s video calling more often? Does it mean that carrier networks are going to become more robust and support FaceTime over the air? Will Microsoft develop something to compete against FaceTime for their new Windows Mobile 7?

-For more information go to the original article source here at Zath

What is it about Apple that means they have such a loyal customer base, it’s something every business desires, it’s hard to get and can’t be bought so how do they do it?

I’m not afraid to admit I’m a bit of a fan of Apple’s products so I’m not completely impartial but I’ll do my best!

Apple Aren’t perfect

Steve Jobs said it himself in the recent press conference called to discuss the flaws in the latest iPhone design. Yes, flaws in an Apple product! The signal problems with the iPhone 4 have been covered extensively in the media recently; here Apple is a victim of its own success. There have been plenty of other phones in the past with signal issues and calls dropping but Apple just can’t get away with it, they are too popular to slip under the radar and people expect more from Apple, when you buy an Apple product isn’t it meant to be perfect?

Apple aren’t doing great in other areas, they are behind in cloud computing, still charging £59 a year for their ‘MobileMe’ service whilst Google offers similar services on a much larger scale for free! There are rumours that Apple will make the service free later this year and perhaps enhance it at the same time but why has it taken so long?

Then there is the other bad press Apple have been getting lately about the number of suicides that have taken place at Foxconn, one of companies Apple uses to manufacturer its products. Is Apple encouraging cheap labour and poor working conditions?

So what are they doing right?

Products and design

Whenever Apple releases a product they tend to be one step ahead of the market, not just with killer features but in the design and right down to the packaging.

When you purchase an Apple product the first thing you notice is the packaging and whilst it might also go right in the bin it’s important to realise this is all part of the Apple experience, you don’t spend a small fortune on a laptop and expect to get it in a cheap paper bag, this ‘unboxing’ experience has an effect on your perception of Apple products even if you don’t realise it.

The importance of the design of Apples products cannot be under-estimated, they have to look, feel and be great, to the extent that it can result in form over function in some cases (iPhone 4 aerial). Apple were the first to turn away from the boring beige PC box which used to live under your desk with the iMac in 1997, this was a evolution in PC design which has evolved to become the frankly stunning iMac which is available today! They were the first to release unibody laptops, again a brilliant piece of design and most recently the iPad.

Customer support

If you’ve ever called Apple’s support line or sought support in one of their iconic Apple shops you’ll know they’ve got this nailed. Apple’s support often comes out top in support reviews. So when you buy an Apple product you have the assurance of after sales service and this is good for repeat business.

Apple even insist on owning the support of their iPhones, most other manufactures (Nokia, Motorola etc) hand off the fault management of their products to the network operator as they don’t see them as their customers. However Apple consider an iPhone owner as one of their customers and will provide the support leaving the network provider to do just the network providing.

Brand perception

Product placement is pretty important and Apple seem to be masters at it, Apple products have featured in many great films and TV shows, including ‘Independence Day’, ‘Fight Club’ and more recently big TV series like ‘24’ and the latest big files like ‘Toy Story 3’ and ‘The Book of Eli’. Apple get their products in the right places and often used by the right people.

Apple don’t just open shops on the high street, they build premises which can be recognised, they are normally bold iconic designs that stand out from the stores around them. Few companies do so much to build an image for themselves, this requires serious investment and as is often the case with brand development and marketing it’s difficult to quantify any return from the original investment.

Apple are notoriously secretive, they like to keep their next big thing under their hats until they decide it’s ready, this results in more hype when a new product launch is due. There are loads of rumour sites dedicated to reporting every rumour and tip off they get about Apples next product launch and even some of the media giants can’t resist reporting on rumours in the days preceding a big launch.

Paying through the nose

It’s true to say Apple products are perceived as costing more, this is partly because some of them do but when a company invests in new product technology and design they have to re-coup that money from somewhere. So when they are first to market with products like the iPad or the Unibody laptop these products will inevitable cost more.

Another reason Apple is perceived to be expensive is because they don’t do ‘budget’ products, even their cheapest laptop or desktop features great design and reasonable performance.

Some of Apples products maybe over priced, the iPhone is very expensive but people buy them so have Apple earned the right to charge more?

Summary

Apple have a loyal following because they have invested in their image, their brand and their products. They have been clever with their marketing and constantly innovate. They put design and quality at the centre of every product (yes, including the iPhone 4) and look after their customers after they buy.

Investing the amount they must have in things which they cannot quantify the return is a brave move which has paid off for Apple; you could argue that Apple have bought peoples’ loyalty contrary to what I said at the start!

Just got your iPhone 4 and wanting your new bumper case but found it hard to find in the app-store? I certainly know I have.

All you have to do is do the following -

1. Download the iPhone 4 Case Program app from the App Store.
2. Launch the app on your iPhone 4 and sign in using your iTunes Store account or Apple ID.
3. Select your Bumper or case.

Note: For iPhone 4 purchases made before July 23, 2010, you must apply no later than August 22, 2010; otherwise, you must apply within 30 days of your iPhone 4 purchase. To qualify for this program, you must purchase your iPhone 4 by September 30, 2010.

You can apply for a bumper (the only available color is black) or any other qualified case, all of which are free if you’re eligible. It’s a 3-5 week wait for delivery, because nothing in life is quite as easy as it should be.

After finally getting hold of an iPhone 4 two weeks after being released on the 24^th June, I’m defiantly one to say that I have been waiting for this to come around for a while thanks to the rumours, leaks and teasing information Gizmodo have published. Not only have Apple increased certain areas within the phone with a new A4 1Ghz processor, but the resolution of the screen through to the design of the outside and the robust rugged stainless steel band is one of a few new features the iPhone holds to make it that little bit more desirable and stylish opposed to its competitors such as the Nexus One and numerous HTC phones.

With an all new Retina Display, the Apple have now crammed a 960X640 backlit LCD display which has a 326pixel per inch making it one of the highest resolution phones on the market. However, to compensate for the energy hungry screen which is very good for watching films on, Apple have also increased the battery life to 300hrs stand-by and 14hrs talktime (2G) lithium-ion polymer battery opposed to the 3GS’s lithium-ion 300hr stand-by and 12hr talktime (2G).

The design to the iPhone is certainly different with its two ‘aluminosilicate glass’ front and back cover with Stainless Steel band outside which is made from Apples ‘own alloy’ which is ‘five times stronger than steel’ .  Just to make it all fancier, Aluminosilicate Glass is used in helicopter windshields and high-speed trains. The iPhone’s central processor has been upped from the 3GS’s 600MHz processor to a staggering 1 GHz A4 processor which is best suited for multi-tasking, quick execution of programs and a faster response from the phone.

We’ve seen no change in the multi-touch iPhones capacitive touch screen as virtually all smartphones now incorporate this feature as it’s more reliable and precise to pressure driven touch screen on handsets like the Nokia 5800. Capacitive Touch screens work by relying on the electrical properties of the human body to detect when and where on the display the user is touching. Because of this, capacitive touch screens don’t work with styluses or a gloved hand; with this type of screen, it also means that the handset can support multi-tap for those quick texters.

With capacity available in either 16 or 32GB storage, there’s always enough room to sync your music, films and apps to the phone. We still have applications like the Compass which is very precise in pointing where you are longitudinal and latitudinal values which means that within Google Maps, you have enable an auto-rotation feature for the maps meaning when you turn, the maps turn; this is good if you are walking around but with no voice turn-by-turn feature, you have to refer back to a sat-nav or purchase either TomTom or Co-Pilot.

For the entertainment factor, we’ve got features such as the ‘App Store’ which allows users to purchase and download applications over the air to keep them amused and entertained; applications range from Social Networking right through to Utilities. Where previous users of iPhone before the release of 4.0 firmware, iPhone users would have had numerous amounts of pages cluttered with applications but since the release of 4.0, Apple have now allowed Folders from a main screen. This means you can have your Twitter, Tweetdeck and Facebook in a Social Networking folder and then have Sky Sports, BBC News apps in a News folder making your interface nice and clean.

With all of the new features Apple have managed to cram into the their handset, compatibility with exchange 2010, an improved 5megapixel camera with LED flash, video calling, front facing camera and new firmware have all been worthwhile updates for Apple to stay competitive within the market and keep all of their current and new customers eager to get hold of one of these new wave of technology handsets and for the public to show their devotion to the Apple brand, queues ranged anywhere between 4hrs-over 24hrs dependent on how much you wanted it and where your position was in the queue.

However, if you are getting ready to upgrade and thinking about going for the iPhone 4, unless you are wanting the higher megapixel camera, sharper density within the screen, faster execution and more speed whilst multi-tasking, there’s not a lot of difference between the two. The mobile phone industry is changing rapidly and rumors have of Qualcomm who design CPU’s for mobile phones are working on 1.3GHz processors for Windows Mobile 7 phones; this means that again, within the fourth quarter another load of phones will come out through LG, HTC and competing manufactures.

For a phone which was discovered in a bar in Redwood City, USA as someone had lost it and from Gizmodo getting hold of it and then leaking it onto the internet, Apple got the media engaged as well as their customers straight away and kept everyone eager to get hold of one, when the iPhone was released Apple managed to sell over 1.7million phones in just three days.

Over the last few weeks Adobe and Apple have been having a very public disagreement over the future of Adobe’s Flash standard. Apple haven’t included Flash support on the iPhone or the new iPad; instead they are pushing HTML5.

So what is HTML5 and is it the future?

HTML5 has been included in all Apple’s latest devices, Safari on Mac and PC support it as well as on the iPhone and iPad. Apple has launched a website to showcase some of HTML5’s features; you’ll need Safari to take a look.

If you like what you see and you’re a developer you can get some help using the effects for your own HTML5 pages. Apple have include code samples and guides on each of the showcased features.

HTML5 is an open standard which anyone can use, view and manipulate. It’s a progression in the language used to create today’s websites, it will enable website developers to create nicer looking websites with features like those demonstrated on Apple’s website. This will eliminate the need to use flash and this is good for a couple of reasons:

1. Adobe flash is a ‘closed’ language, Adobe own it and developers can’t manipulate it.
2. Adobe flash is a separate plug-in for browsers, where as HTML5 support will be built in. The flash plug-in has sometimes been known to be unreliable and cause browsers to crash.
3. Adobe flash can cause security flaws in your computer; a new one was discovered only last week!

HTML5 aims to replace HTML4.01 and XHTML 1.0; it introduces new elements and amends some others. It will provide the functionality developers need to create websites with rich multimedia content.

HTML5 is still in the development phase but is expected to see increasing use towards the end of 2010 and into 2011. It’s not clear if it will end up replacing Flash or end with the two still working side by side. Apple though is convinced that Adobe Flash’s days are numbered!

I found myself actually getting excited in the lead up to the iPhone OS4 announcement last week, what would it include? Would all the features work on my 3GS? and mostly – when can I get it?

Well Apple didn’t disappoint, announcing over 100 new user features would be available in OS4, like Apple I’m not going to talk through all 100 here; just those that I think will be most useful to me…

Multitasking

Apple have finally got round to adding multitasking to the iPhone, meaning I can have multiple Apps running and quickly switch between them! No longer will I have to quit ‘DoodleJump’ to check my latest emails or stop listening to Radio 1 on ‘TuneIn Radio’ to read the latest news.

Apple of course claim to have multitasking nailed, they say it won’t affect performance or battery life. I don’t doubt they will have made it work great, just a shame it took so long.

Folders

Okay, so this is pretty basic functionality but it’s going to make life a lot easier on my iPhone. I currently have about 100 Apps on my iPhone, spread across 7 pages; three of the pages are just full of games!  I’ll soon be able to put all these games in one folder cunningly called ‘games’; instantly taking me down to 4 pages of Apps!

Instead of six swipes of my thumb to launch another frustrating game of ‘Impossible’ I can have the Games folder on my first page of Apps. Folders also means I can now have over 2,000 Apps visible instead of the paltry 180 in OS3.

Game Centre

This could be massive – basically Xbox Live for the iPhone! Games will be able to plug-in to the game centre for Leader boards and Achievements. You’ll be able to see what your friends are playing and challenge them to a game. With over 50,000 games and 50 million users this could be good.

One Inbox

At last, this has always been a bug bare for many; having to come right out of one email account to check another. Now all my emails can appear nicely in one list, who knows why we had to wait for OS4 for this one!

Exchange Server 2010 support

OS4 will support more than one exchange email account and Exchange Server 2010. SpiderGroup will soon be moving our own servers to Exchange 2010 so this is good news for all our customers using iPhones. Apple have also beefed up security in OS4, something they have previously taken flak for.

1500 new APIs

This doesn’t mean much at the moment to those of us who aren’t developers but later this year we can expect to see a host of new and updated Apps which use these APIs to deliver some great new features. The new APIs will give developers a great deal more flexibility and functionality to play – watch this space!

Roll on the summer

Apple have yet to announce if they’ll be releasing another generation iPhone in the summer, I’m betting they will and if the rumours are accurate we can expect a better camera with a flash, a forward facing camera and Apple’s new processor technology used in the iPad for a speed boost.  I don’t imagine the physical design will change much, but Apple could go crazy and release some more colours!