Perhaps you’ve noticed a growing theme around connected devices, especially thanks to CES last week.  Mobility lies at the center of this trend, and the mobile cloud will become an increasingly important term for consumers and enterprises alike.  Let’s take a look at the mobile cloud and all it means in today’s world.

What is Mobile Cloud?

Mobile cloud is the use of cloud computing, the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a metered service over a network(typically the Internet), in combination with mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops/ultrabooks/netbooks.

Purpose of Mobile Cloud

In the past, we’ve tackled how cloud services make our lives easier, eliminating the need for external storage devices such as thumb drives, discs, external hard drives, etc. Any file — documents, photos, MP3/4s, etc. — can easily be stored in the cloud, so whenever you need your files, you can access them on demand.  No more “I forgot the file at home,” excuse.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Easy to setup and use
• Cheaper and less labor-intensive for companies
• Offers virtually unlimited storage compared to server and hard drive limits
• Sharing without putting the data center at risk.
• Files are accessible anytime, anywhere

Cons

• Security and Privacy Issues
• Dependency on cloud service providers
• Device incompatibility
• Users aren’t all tech savvy

Top Dogs of  the  Mobile Cloud

Apple

Last year, in line with their iPhone 4S launch, Apple launched their revamped cloud service iCloud – a cloud service that lets you store your photos, videos, music and documents with the additional feature of making all these files available on all your Apple devices. There’s no need to update your devices, as iCloud pushes these files to your devices automatically.

Google

Google Cloud Storage is an enterprise-focused cloud service that enables companies to easily store and reliably access vast amounts of business data around the world, and it also offers hosting choices in highly optimized data centers in multiple regions.

They have a number of other cloud services for consumers, including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar and Picasa to store documents, messages, photos and more.  One App that intersects several of Google’s cloud-based services is Google+, which socializes your cloud activity across devices, including Android-powered smartphones and iOS.

Amazon

Amazon Cloud Drive offers 5GB of free online storage which you can access in any computer without limit.  It allows you to securely store your photos, music, videos, and documents and you have the option to upgrade.  You can pay a fee ranging from $20-$1000 per year for storage ranging from 20-1000GB.

The Kindle Fire is an important aspect of Amazon’s mobile cloud, as it provides a user-friendly interface for Amazon’s marketplace and services.  On the Kindle Fire you can access your library of purchased books, make store purchases for delivery, stream movies and more.

Mobile Cloud Underdogs

Lenovo

Lenovo recently unveiled its “Personal Cloud” vision, marking the transformation of the company from a “personal computer” manufacturer to a “personal cloud solution” provider that integrates hardware, software and cloud computing together. The Company’s direction is evident in a variety of new products, including the IdeaTab S2, Smartphone S2 and K91 smart TV.

“Lenovo is breaking down the barriers of device differentiation and weaving together hardware, software and cloud services that are connected, experiential and dynamic,”  said Liu Jun, senior vice president and president, Mobile Internet and Digital Home business group. “We understand our users need more than just the traditional keyboard and screen for a truly satisfying digital experience. Our Personal Cloud vision integrates all devices, from tablets to TVs, for a comprehensive mobile Internet experience anytime, anywhere.”

Acer

Acer introduced AcerCloud, a free service soon to be available by spring on all new Acer PCs for syncing documents, music, photos, and videos across devices.  At launch, AcerCloud will sync to Android smartphones, with Windows Phone functionality coming at a later date.

D-Link

D-Link announced its new Cloud Services at CES, which includes a portfolio of cloud-based products and the expansion of its Mydlink portal.  New products include:  Cloud Router (DIR-605L), the flagship DIR-857, hybrid DHP-1565 , mobile app for both iOS and Android devices.

Polkast

Polkast, a personal cloud service that securely connects a user’s computers and mobile devices directly, demonstrated a prototype of their latest advancement on the ZyXEL Media Server NSA300 series at CES. The two companies have partnered to integrate Polkast into ZyXEL’s digital home solutions to transform the in-home network and entertainment content into a secure personal cloud.

“Porting to connected storage devices is an important step for Polkast in advancing the personal cloud,” said Hong Bui, CEO of Polkast. “ZyXEL is an awesome partner because they share our vision, and they have a broad portfolio of networking devices for both consumers and business, with global distribution. We’re thrilled to be working with them.”

Mobile Cloud Innovation

Security

On January 26, 2012, the Cloud Security Alliance Innovation Conference will take place in Santa Clara, CA.  The purpose of this conference is to foster education and transparency of emerging and innovative technologies supporting best in class solutions for Cloud Security, the inaugural Innovation Conference will gather IT architects, senior executives, start-ups, and industry leaders to discuss current challenges, best practices, breakthroughs and trends in cloud computing and security, and, most importantly, witnesses demonstrations of working prototypes (or more mature readiness levels) of new cloud-related security capabilities.  The conference will be spearheaded by CSA Silicon Valley, an official chapter of Cloud Security Alliance since May 2011.

“Urgent need drives innovation, and cloud security is going to be a crucial area of both great demand and huge advancement over the next decade,” said Jim Reavis, co-founder and executive director of the CSA. “This will be the liveliest and most forward-thinking discussion on cloud security, and we look forward to bringing together innovators with end-users, investors, and thought leaders in the space at this unique event.”

Cloud-based Apps

There’s a huge possibility that tech giants such as Apple could venture into cloud-based apps.  J. Gerry Purdy predicts that “Apple could create an iCloud store where apps are built for interacting with the Internet cloud rather than just operating locally. A good example would be a multiperson gaming platform but extended to other areas.”

Citrix Startup Accelerator introduced another great investment in the form of Handy Elephant – a free productivity app for business professionals who have to maintain a large number of relationships across multiple channels (e.g. Phone and SMS – they will soon add Email, Facebook and Twitter).  We often lose touch with people that you meet and when the time comes that you need them or you’re offering something to them, with the relationship gone cold, it’s quite difficult to know how you’re going to approach these people.  This is where Handy Elephant comes in, as it tells you who you should follow up with, the best time to get in touch with your contacts and the best channel to use when contacting them.  The app is currently available as a web service and as an Android app.