Note: Cloud Computing & Netbooks

Just-A-Note:

Wired’s Gadget Lab blog notes the Dell mini Inspirion “netbook” which comes with built-in 3G wireless and free online storage. That means that this netbook, with its rather puny 16GB solid state drive (no hard drive!) can actually function as an netbook should: always on, always connected.

That’s a big step forward; notebooks like these which are fully functional computers establish a benchmark on the way to a real, network-enabled net-connected digital divide device for everyone. (Retail price: 35o-to 395 depending on operating system!)

My guess is that the dream digital divide device will prove to be a mini-laptop capable of running as a fully capable computer (from printing to running standard apps to lite gaming) that is always connected to a big broadband connection. The constant, fast connection enables cheap, shared online storage–and, if that connection is fast enough, as it can be in Lafayette–shared applications and large datasets….decreasing Total Cost of Ownership and increasing its utility.

This was just-a-note. What do you think?

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