Amazon has unveiled a
cloud-based music streaming and storage service, beating Apple and Google to the punch.
Amazon has been in the cloud computing business for a while now, but with the launch of it’s new online media locker, the “Cloud Drive,” users can leverage the consumer-level benefits of
cloud computing. .
It’s a pretty sweet/straightforward set up actually:
· Free account, linked to existing Amazon account
· 5 GB of free storage space
· Access media from any device without transferring files manually
· Upload music, video, photos, documents, etc
· Free unlimited storage of MP3s purchased on Amazon.com
Nitpicks about the service (from
PCWorld):
· Video, photos, documents are not shown in-app—you have to open the file in a web window
· Slow upload time
· Difficulties uploading (you’ll have to start over if your connection gets interrupted)
Apple’s ties with everyone in music
except Prince signal a similar cloud computing media service in the works, but Steve Jobs’ manic control issues might make things interesting. Google, too, with over 30% of the smartphone market share will undoubtedly add an online media element to its slew of consumer-level cloud services. Until Apple and Google unveil their cloud based media hubs, however, Amazon’s got the spotlight. When they join in the fray, it’s anyone’s fight.
Our hearts continue to go out to Japan and those affected by the recent tornadic storm systems. And while the earthquake in Japan and the swath of tornadic destruction in the South are tragedies of a different scale, each has served as a reminder that East Tennessee is not immune to natural disasters.
As a business, disasters like the earthquake in Japan and Knoxville’s own storms should make us think. "What would happen if my business was flooded? What would happen to my clients if disaster struck?"
A study by
Gartner reports that “43 percent of companies were immediately put out of business by a “major loss” of computer records, and another 51 percent permanently closed their doors within two years — leaving a mere six percent survival rate.”
That said, a business continuity plan for your mission critical data is essential. Consider the following questions as you think through developing such a plan with an IT solutions provider:
· Do I have a data backup plan?
· How would we be hurt if we lost all our onsite computers, hard drives and servers?
· What are my options for data recovery in case of a disaster?
· Where is my data backed up? My location, a data center, both?
· Is my data center in a flood plain? (Is it even close?)
· Can I afford not to back up my data?
That last one is the kicker. Can you afford NOT to back up your data in a secure, offsite location?
Despite the name of the media outlet that provided the information, this story is no farce. The Iranian Fars News Agency actually reported that the country of Iran has developed…wait for it…a flying saucer. Supposedly, the supposed unmanned aircraft supposedly comes equipped with auto-pilot, GPS and two imaging systems.
I have to agree with the guys at
IEEE Spectrum, where I found the article. The funniest thing about the whole supposed construction of a supposed flying saucer isn’t the fact that it might exist, because flying saucer-like devices have been developed before.
Like the
Avrocar:
Or what’s called a UAV:
The funniest thing about it is the picture accompanying the article. Yep, below is the actual picture they released. Believable, eh?
[UPDATE: Since publishing this blog, the original photo on Fars has been replaced.]
It just screams advanced aeronautical engineering! Like flying saucer sightings along these lines:
Primarily the saucer’s use would be for aerial imaging. And although something inside me says it’s never a good idea to poke fun at Iran, I wonder if they also have a second (more abduction-like) agenda in mind. Now, when we’re driving down a deserted country road at night, we have to fear Iranian abduction…as if regular old alien abductions weren’t scary enough!
So if in your weekend activities you think you spot a low flying alien or potentially Iranian aircraft, follow this simple “
What To Do If You See a UFO” list, kindly provided by the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches website. You may also want to contact
the National UFO Reporting Center (206-722-3000). And yes, there is such a thing.
I wish you a safe and Iranian UFO abduction-free weekend!
Many of our readers on Cloud 9 are pretty tech and business-savvy, so the term “
cloud computing” or
“the Cloud” doesn’t throw them for a loop. To most people though, “the Cloud” is a term you just nod your head and smile at, knowing it has something to do with computers, information technology, the internet and probably
Microsoft. So Dan Thompson went out on a limb recently to help explain the ambiguous concept with our friends at WBIR News Channel 10 last month.
If you weren’t certain of its meaning before, does that help explain “the cloud”? Is there anything else that’s still (please forgive me) cloudy?
In late 2010, leaders in the health-care information technology collaborated to discuss the future of the a digital infrastructure for medical industry that will allow for continuous evolution and improvement. According to an article at
Information Week, the result of the giant brainstorming session was a report that
“identified several rules to guide healthcare which are intended to bring more, and more appropriate, information to bear for both clinicians and patients at the point of care”.
A successful healthcare system depends upon a capable digital infrastructure. According to the report issued by the Institute of Medicine, the digital infrastructure must aggregate medical information from the following sectors:
· Clinical
· Research
· Public health
Upon collecting the data, a digital infrastructure must enable users to Integrate, analyze and broadly apply that information for the following purposes:
· Inform and improve clinical care decisions
· Promote patient education and self-management
· Design public health strategies
· Support research and knowledge development efforts in a timely manner
In making specific applications, the report suggested an “ultra-large-scale system” to its recommendations. It is important to maximize peripheral adaptability and control only what will actually make it easier to provide excellent care. For instance, standardizing interchange representation. Additionally, stakeholders would be encouraged to “specify only the minimal set of standards or requirements necessary for key functional utility, and push the maximum amount of control to the periphery.”
This prescription for a digital healthcare system is merely a (96 page) outline. Time will tell how well these parameters are implemented.