Buzzing In: What Will 2012 Buzzword Be?

So far throughout the 2011 months that have swiftly passed, the word on the block seems to be ‘cloud computing’, and the amazing wonders it does for on-the-go retrieval of applications and data through a ‘data pool’, of sorts.  However, it may slightly depress the general consensus to know that you have been using cloud-based applications for years, according to its main definition.  If you have ever logged into Hotmail, perhaps even Salesforce, you have just stuck your head in the ‘cloud’, because all cloud computing really entails is connection to a pool of servers to access you data, emails, calendars, or other content management portfolios.  The purpose for ‘rebirthing’ this term is simply to veer you away from server connections to vie for web application access that bypasses server usage on your end.

Efficiency and Productivity At Its Best

For example, let’s say that you have thirty very important files that are located somewhere in your Yahoo inbox or folders.  Instead of logging into your email box through a Firefox or IE, you are accessing this data through a cloud, we’ll call a ‘front’, which retrieves the information for you.  These programs, such as iCloud, allow you to use whatever device that is at your disposal, such as an iPad or android device, to get this information for you and do what you have to with it.  To sum this up, it is merely a means for companies to sell you more packages or services, because we all know there is a price for convenience, right?

Sure, more people may be using this ‘cloud’ storage; however, especially to people like Google co-founder Larry Page, it is a mere frustration and inconvenience to business.  When the year closes out, look for this ‘buzzword’ to evaporate like water on a hot roof.  When it does dissipate, what will be the next ‘hot topic’ on the tech block?

Cloud Security

Yes, it is true that cloud computing may cease betterment due to the maximum potential having realistically been reached, at least with our current devices; however, the next area to tackle would be making the cloud-based applications more secure, meaning mobile SSL needs to be dramatically improved.  It was proven with a simple stock ticker created by an Apple Application’s developer that mobile computing has massive vulnerabilities, hence nearly demanding the need for better mobile security.  Since most mobile web browsers are lightly encrypted, there needs to be stronger layers of security for people to entrust their applications and data ‘on the cloud’ for extend periods of time.  And unless a company like Apple can strengthen these ‘micro-breeches’ through updates in security, there will never truly be secure mobile cloud computing; therefore, this will be the trend of 2012, with companies struggling to give their cloud applications the security that is needed to both gain trust and lock down access to the end-user only.

It’s rather hard to say which companies will tackle this meticulous task of safeguarding their applications.  However, I would look for the Android market to allow open-source program ‘shells’ to be created that will protect a customer’s content while utilizing the ‘cloud’ services.  Look for more options for mobile operating systems in the New Year as well, perhaps offering secure cloud solutions within their packages.  While everyone seems to love the iPhone and the iOS operating system, look for more people to jump back onto the Android marketplace, albeit causing a switch in phone service.  We all know what looks the best and is ‘hot’ isn’t always the best, and if people are going to continuously rave about the ‘cloud world’ they have been living in for years already, it’s best to make that world secure, which so far Apple seems to have failed miserably in doing.