Invention of iCloud Information Technology - Term Paper Example

iCloud Student name Course title Professor’s name Date Introduction Since the advent of the first computers, myriads of innovations and inventions have been witnessed in the recent past. Computers have penetrated every aspect of our life (Turnbull, 2011). In the current modern day world computing is no longer confined to the desktop, with the internetworked universe, networked computing has been ubiquitous and affected every aspect of our lives. Other technologies such as mobile computing and internet technology are becoming pervasive in our life (swtrends, 2011). The internet was initially an infrastructure for computers and the technical users, but it is now an infrastructure for everyone (Flock, & Tsukayama, 2011). Computer scientist envisioned that all the computing devices such as mobile phones, personal computers, home entertainment system would access information and work together in an integrated system. The looming challenge is how to connect all this technologies and devices together seamlessly over the internet. This paper would be looking into an invention in the field of information technology that is expected to be useful over a period longer than five years . An invention can be described as the creation of a new or improved product, idea or a process. In information technology invention can be said to be coming up with new or improved hardware technologies, network technologies, software technologies and algorithms (Jan & Klint, 2008). The problem that led to the development of the invention is the need to synchronous documents in all the computing devices of an individual. The invention is the iCloud by Apple Company. This technology can be thought as an old technology but Apple revolutionized its use in a new innovative ways to boost its products in the market. Innovation Creativity can be defined as the propensity to create or identify ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be valuable in resolving difficulties, interacting with others, and entertaining ourselves and others (Franken). While Weisberg (1993) defines creativity as an act, idea, or product that changes a prevailing realm, or that alters the current domain into a new one. According to Jackson (2004), creativity is an integral part to any disciplinary field of endeavor. In the field of information technology creativity has been exhibited massively stretching from innovative hardware, software, and computer networking. File Sync File syncs are technologies that ensure that files in two or more separate places have similar and updated information. If a user adds, changes, or deletes a file from one location the sync process replicates the action in all the files stored in different locations. A good file sync technology would ensure all the files in different locations are synchronized, and also ensure they are analyzed, filtered and display the results to ensure only important and necessary files are synchronized and avoid file duplication and accidental deletion. The file synchronization further allows users to access similar version of files from multiple locations (swtrends, 2011) With individuals now owning or operating a number of computing devices sync technologies are necessary to make the files available in all the individual’s devices. File sync technologies A number of companies have come up with syncing technologies for its users. Some of the syncing technologies include: Google docs Google Docs enables any individual to create word documents, spreadsheets, presentation, drawing and forms without having to install any office software. The documents are created online and stored in the cloud server. Anybody with internet connection is able to get his/her documents from any computer (Strickland, 2011). Google Docs provides the capability to share documents and thus enhance team collaborations. It also saves an individual with internet connectivity the need to buy and install office software to their computers. Furthermore the files are saved on the cloud server thus saving the user the need of having to always upgrade their memory storage device when documents increase. The problem with the Google docs is the need to always have internet connectivity for an individual to be able to access or create the documents. In case of no internet connectivity, the individual’s productivity will greatly be impaired. Drop box Dropbox is a free service that allows the users to sync any of their files. To use the service the user is required to download and install Dropbox in each of their computing device. When a user saves his files in the Dropbox the files are automatically sync in all his/her devices (Turnbull, 2011). The advantage of Dropbox is that without internet connectivity an individual can still have access to his/her files in the local computer memory, thus an individual’s productivity will not be impaired with. The files in Dropbox can also be edited or created using the locally installed program (Lamb, 2011). The disadvantage with the drop box is the need to download and install dropbox in all the user’s computing devices to be able to use the service (Turnbull, 2011). iCloud iCloud is the a sync technology which does exactly what dropbox is capable of doing (Honan, 2011). iCloud is the fourth attempt for Apple company to use the cloud based service. The initial cloud services were: i) iTools iTools is a iDevices (iphone, ipad, ipod touch), apps manager and sync technology. It enables an iDevice user to upload and download media files (video, photos and music) from their iDevice and the computer. ii) .Mac The .Mac works on two iDevices sync together. The two devices must be connected and the sync utility must be on in both devices for the files to be sync. .Mac sync requires the user intervention for it to work. iii) mobileMe mobileMe succeed the .Mac sync. The the mobileMe allows iDevices users to seamlessly share emails, and calendars between the user computers in different locations and the iDevices by use of synchronization and push technology. This information are stored in the cloud and pushed to the various user devices to make them available in all the devices. For example when the calendar is edited in one device the same changes will be pushed in all the devices with a notification of the changes (Honan, 2011). Description of iCloud iCloud was launched in 2011as a next generation sync system for Apple, replacing MobileMe which preceded .Mac. iCloud unlike other sync technologies does not store data in the clouds, but rather it’s a technology that syncs and keep data up-to-date across all an individual’s Idevices. iCloud is more of a middle/ intermediate technology than a storage service technology (swtrends, 2011). iCloud sync technology has minimum web apps for handling calendar, emails and manipulating contacts. But its intended to serve as a robust back-end for applications to sync data and ensure up-to date data is available in all the individual devices (Jan & Klint, 2008). The difference between iCloud and other sync technologies is that iCloud is not a web-based service where data is only available via a web browser (Fleishman, 2012). Rather it syncs the local storage over a multiple devices allowing the user to have updated data in his/her local storage drive. This ensures that the user benefits from the cloud service at the same time utilize the locally installed apps to edit, create and organize his files. The technology minimizes the internet traffic my keeping a meta data that keep track of the changes made on the ubiquity container and ensuring that on the changes data is transmitted and updated in all of an individual’s iDevices. Sources: (Fleishman, 2012) How iCloud is an innovation iCloud is a chief illustration of what Apple has made best – capturing new technologies and turning them from a complicated expert meant products into consumer-friendly products. Cloud computing is a technology that is driven and enhanced by mobile technology and is projected to grow in future (Introduces iCloud, 2011). With Apple’s introduction of iCloud it would project into a great highs the Company’s profile in the space supremacy, in terms of developing user friendly products. Compared to other cloud services, iCloud is uniquely new and novel idea of the Apple Company. The new philosophy underlying the iCloud is a concept that allow the iDevice user’s documents, multimedia files, applications and other data crucial to the users to be propagated on all of their iDevices with the users’ intervention and immediately relieved the users the need to even worry or think of where their data is at any particular time (Flock, & Tsukayama, 2011). iCloud made syncing a distance memories. Any image, app or video created or bought by the iDevices user on one of the user’s devices is automatically and immediately downloaded to all the rest of the devices owned. iCloud further took the responsibility of data backup from the user-controlled and initiation to an inbuilt operating system utility, where the syncing technology is built within the operating system and all the syncing processes are managed and controlled by the operating system. Unlike other cloud-based services that may require users to manually initiate the backup process (Lamb, 2011). Another innovation in the iCloud technology is the ability to sense when the devices is plugged to the power. Some applications will only be allowed to exchange information when the device is plugged to the power thus avoid draining the device battery. iCloud as an Innovative business model A business model is a model that creates a new market for the company’s products and services or a model that facilitates the business to optimize new and existing opportunities in the market to gain competitive advantage over others (Amit & Zott, 2012). iCloud as an innovative business model would assist Apple company advanced is business in the following ways: iCloud add more features to the existing platform (MobileMe) through forward or backward compatibility or integration. This is referred to as business model innovation as new activity system content (Turnbull, 2011). The technology also can be thought as a form of business model innovation as it changes the activity system governance. The activities that initially were user-initiated to system-initiated activities through activity automation (Heinemann et al, 2003). For example backup activities were initially initiated by the user but with the iCloud the backup is initiated by the system automatically without the user intervention. This can viewed as a change in activity governance (Waters, 2011). iCloud as an innovative business model enables the company to lock-in transactions. The technology provides third party apps developers with the APIs that they can use to link direct to the Apple’s iCloud service (Honan, 2011). These ensures that the third parties creates apps that are compatible with Apple products thus locking in users from migrating to other platforms which support there apps. iCloud as an innovative new business model that complements the existing company’s products. This refers to the value adding effects of the interdependencies between this technology and the existing apps, and the hardware capabilities (Heinemann et al, 2003). With the advent of iCloud more Apple mobile devices sold out as a results of the capabilities added by the technology which complemented the ever innovation hardware designs and increasing number of integrated functionalities of the company’s mobile devices (Murphy, 2012). Conclusion iCloud allows the users to sync data without losing the quality or jamming the internet connection. This has been the most innovative product from apple. References Amit, R., & Zott, C. (2012). Creating value through business model innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 53(3), 41-49. Flock, E., & Tsukayama, H. (2011). iCloud, Cloud Computing Services Promise to Change the Way we Use Computers’. Washington Post/Bloomberg. Heinemann, A., Kangasharju, J., Lyardet, F., & Mühlhäuser, M. (2003). iclouds–peer-to-peer information sharing in mobile environments. In Euro-Par 2003 Parallel Processing (pp. 1038-1045). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Honan, M. (2011, October 12). iCloud Is a Bigger Deal Than You Think: It’s the Future of Computing. Retrieved March 22, 2013, from GIZMODO: http://gizmodo.com/5848834/icloud-is-a-bigger-deal-than-you-think-its-the-future-of-computing Introduces iCloud, A. (2011). Retrieved December 15, 2011. Jan, B., & Klint, P. (2008). The Software Invention Cube:a Classification Scheme for Software Inventions. Informatics Institute, University of Utrecht. Murphy, J. (2012). Technology and Innovations in Libraries and their Impact on Learning, Research, and Users. Lamb, R. (2011). How the Dropbox Mobile App Works. Retrieved March 2013, from How stuff works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone-apps/dropbox-mobile-app.htm Negrino, T. (2012). iCloud: Visual QuickStart Guide. Peachpit Press. staff, M. (2008, July). MobileMe: What you need to know. Retrieved March 23, 2013, from macWorld: http://www.macworld.com/article/1134025/mobileme.html Strickland, J. (2011). How Google Docs Works. Retrieved March 23, 2013, from How stuff works: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/google-docs.htm swtrends. (2011, June). Cloud Computing to the Masses – The Apple Way. Retrieved March 22, 2013, from swtrends: http://swtrends.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/cloud-computing-to-the-masses-the-apple-way/ Turnbull, C. (2011). Why iCloud is a Real Winner. Retrieved March 12, 2013, from http://web.appstorm.net/general/app-news/why-icloud-is-a-real-winner/ Waters, R. (2011). Apple races to keep users firmly wrapped in its cloud. Financial Times, 9. Read More