Why cloud services are the secret weapon of PC makers
May 11, 2012
Today’s PC makers like Asus, Acer, Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and others understand the value of an ecosystem held together by cloud computing. Many of these PC makers sell desktops, notebooks and mobile devices but they need their cloud component to hold it all together and build brand loyalty.
Cloud components consist of online storage and synching applications that are accessed and shared across devices. Well-implemented cloud strategies ensure that users have access to their important documents, photos and music a at any time. These services also serve as backup systems and even add to the security of the devices connected on the network…
Apple has iCloud, powered by huge server farms in numerous locations. iCloud has over 125 million users, many who own a mobile device as well as a laptop or desktop.
A number of competitors have offered very similar services to iCloud. Acer’s AcerCloud service comes free with every new PC and synch files across devices automatically.
Lenovo has also pushed forward with its Lenovo Cloud service which is geared to unify its PC, mobile and SmartTV offerings.
Cloud storage is particularly attractive to users of ultrabooks, tablets and smartphones which have limited built-in storage.
If they are signed up to a cloud backup service, these devices can quickly store and access files on the cloud servers without worrying about running out of storage.
These companies hope that by offering free storage and synching services, consumers and even small to medium sized businesses will buy into the whole product ecosystem.
Similar to Apple, many PC makers want users to have notebooks, desktops, tablets and even smartphones that all tap into the cloud service. The service will only work with devices from the same manufacturer, which means consumers will need to buy multiple devices from one maker.
Consumers do have a variety of third party options like DropBox, Box, Microsoft’s SkyDrive, SugarSync and many others.
Numerous devices from a variety of different manufacturers can access these services. but the synching and backup features will not be as seamless as the integrated solutions offered by PC makers.
This emerging trend of cloud integration means that users in the market for new devices now have to consider which, is the best cloud synching and backup solution for their specific computing needs.
This just shows how the cloud is changing all aspects of computing today.