Microsoft to take you into the cloud
by William Maher
Oct 28, 2008
Tags: Microsoft
Promises of "transformation" as Microsoft pumps its new Windows Azure "cloud-based" operating system.
Adobe's doing it, Google's doing it, and now Microsoft is shifting its cloud-computing campaign up a gear with today's announcement of Windows Azure.
The push from desktop to Web-based Apps that reside online shifted up a gear today with the announcement of Azure.
From what we can tell, Azure won't sit on your desktop - rather, it will host Web based apps, which can run purely online, or "enhance" existing desktop apps with Web capabilities (something software providers like Adobe have been pushing with their AIR technology).
Interestingly Microsoft is pushing the benefits at both PC and phones. The cloud trend is also being tied to the interesting in cheap notebooks designed with minimal processing power and storage, and to run apps online. Desktop "cloud PCs" have been around for a number of years - we covered one here recently.
More to come.
PC Authority
