Lingon Life

Lingon Life's Farewell Post

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:31:00 +0000

Lingon Life's journey has come to an end

Hi All,

After a long and enjoyable summer, I've regrouped and reassessed my priorities. As most of you probably do, I took my summer vacation to sit back, relax and enjoy time with my family. This allowed me the opportunity to take a step back from my daily activities and see them from a different perspective.

As you may have noticed this Spring, my company rebranded from icloud to CloudMe. It has been an exciting time to work for this small startup company and be an active part of its growth. With its growth, has come added responsibility for me at work.

In order to properly balance my work and my home life, I've chosen to cut back a bit on my Social Media activities by ending Lingon Life's journey. Here on Blogger, on Twitter and on Facebook.

But don't think I'm saying goodbye, because I'm not!

- I have changed my Twitter username to @MonicaSvenmarck

I may not tweet as often as I used to but I hope to maintain the friendships I have built up under the last year with you all. Expect to see me popping by and leaving comments on your blogs from time to time.

- My blogging activities will continue but I'll be devoting my writing to the company's blog, CloudMe Blog.

- I'm looking forward to seeing you all on Google + as well. I feel a bit out of it since they launched while I was on vacation. I've got my Google profile up and ready. Just need an invitation. Anyone out there have an invitation to Google + they can send my way?

Thanks everyone for being along for the ride and taking part in my Lingon Life journey!

Closed for the Summer - 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:41:00 +0000

Hi All! It's that time again. Summer in Sweden!

In order to fully relax and rejuvenate, I'll be taking a break from my Cloud Computing online life for the duration of the summer.

Have fun in the sun and see you again in the Fall!

Monica
An American Expat living and working in Sweden

Lingon Life is Now a Do Follow Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 11 May 2011 11:18:00 +0000

At long last, I've seen the light!

I've read before about No Follow and Do Follow blogs and that to encourage comments from your readers that it is essential to be a Do Follow blog. I also read that most blogs are automatically Do Follow by default and that as long as you did not add No Follow to your script, you could rest assured that your blog is Do Follow.

Blogger is by DEFAULT - No Follow!

Whoa! I just came across this article, Remove No Follow Tags from your Template. Amanda Kennedy gives very clear cut instructions on how to remove No Follow tags from a Blogger template.

This method works only for Blogger "layouts" blogs. At present, there is no way of removing "nofollow" from classic templates which are hosted by Blog*Spot (though if you are publishing by FTP, you may want to take a look at this very technical post).

I have removed the 3 instances of No Follow in my Blogger template that Amanda said that I would find.

I really wish I had known about this sooner. Please, please, please forgive me for my earlier oversight!

I now proclaim my blog Do Follow! :-)

Don't miss my guest post Top 10 Non-US Centric Clouds at Web2andMore

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:33:00 +0000

Two weeks ago, I wrote a guest post on Kevin' Tea's blog about Cloud Computing being seen as US-Centric. It seems that we all agree that cloud computing should be egalitarian but the sad reality is that the majority of the world sees cloud computing as US-Centric.

Thank goodness that hasn't stopped the rest of the world from charging full speed ahead with their cloud development. Cloud computing IS egalitarian and therefore the entire world has the opportunity to access and develop their very own clouds.

I listed my Top 10 Non-US Centric Clouds in today's guest post.
So go ahead and click on the link below.

A Look At Top Players In Non-US Centric Cloud Development

Just don't forget to let me know, "What is your favorite cloud?"

Join our Celebration - icloud is now CloudMe!

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:24:00 +0000

You may have noticed that I haven't been quite so active in the Social Media realm lately. And that is for a good reason. I've been working my tail off at the office doing my part to launch our new and improved Cloud Computing service. So without further ado, please join me in celebrating the fact that -

icloud is now CloudMe - Your files online with anywhere access

We're pleased to announce that icloud is now CloudMe!

In order to better reflect the our expanded service offerings, our new name is, CloudMe - Your files online with anywhere access. Our Web Desktop is just one of many ways to use CloudMe's service. We have developed an entire suite of apps and services that allow you to go mobile and access CloudMe on the go.

I'm a new user, how does this affect me?

Congratulations! You get to immediately enjoy our new and improved product offering with anywhere access to your files online. You can signup today and get 3 GB free storage.

I'm an existing user, how does this affect me?

For being such a loyal customer, and following us on our journey, we have a special gift waiting for you in your inbox. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

Your files have not moved. They are still safely stored in our secure data center.

You can access your files using our Web Desktop or our mobile apps. Don't forget to update your mobile apps, and Easy Upload.

Everyone will receive a new CloudMe email address. Rest assured that all email sent to your icloud email address will be redirected to your CloudMe email address until December 31st 2011.

Any file you may have shared is still available, but on the new URL, http://my.cloudme.com/goran/example

If you have any questions, please email support@xcerion.com.

Psst! Read My Guest Cloud Post at Web2 and More Today!

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 06:45:00 +0000

Figured I wouldn't beat around the bush but just tell you straight out to click right over to Kevin's site, Web2 and More and read my guest cloud post today:

Is Cloud Development Egalitarian? Who are we kidding, it's US-Centric!

Would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

So, Click on over and Leave a Comment !

Reader Feedback: Having Trouble Subscribing to Lingon Life?

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:31:00 +0000

Hi Lingon Life readers!

For those of you who have subscribed to my blog posts via email, you will not be the readers of this blog post today! :-)

For all the rest of you, please read on. I recently had a kind reader, Mark Harai, kindly point out to me that my latest posts are not making it to his email's inbox. Hmm, are there any other readers having the same problem? I'd really like to hear from you if you are!

What about you that read Lingon Life by RSS or Atom? Are any of you having problems with that?

Reader Feedback!

Now is a good time for me to check-in with you all. I love writing this blog. I love sharing with you my thoughts on Cloud Computing and its impact on our lives.

However, I want this blog to be a place where we can discuss our ideas and opinions about Cloud Computing and that is impossible if there are some technical blog issues standing in our way.

So please help me, if you are having troubles reading my posts via RSS/Atom/Email, now is the time to leave a comment and let me know. Thanks, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Can the Cloud Justify Digital Content for Free?

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:58:00 +0000

Should the whole world have access to human knowledge as contained in books? - For Free?

"So, sue me"

This is the discussion that Nicholas Carr brought up in Rough Types's latest blog post, A message to you, Larry, where he is referring to Google's CEO - Larry Page and the Google Books "so, sue me" scanning strategy.

Kelly Roberts' take-away from Larry Page's quote, "Do you really want the whole world not to have access to human knowledge as contained in books?", was the implied idea:

"Do you really want the whole world to not have access (FOR FREE) to human knowledge as contained in books."

Since Cloud Computing has crossed the chasm and is moving from trend to 'standard', Enterprise is no longer the main recipient of the cloud's benefits and disadvantages. Cloud computing is having a far-reaching impact on the average consumer. Google is but one of the many cloud giants that offers cloud products and services used daily by Joe/Jill consumer.

Digital Content for Free?

During a Twittversation I was having today with my ExpatLifeCoach guru, John Falchetto, he crystalized the problem in his Tweet:
"..What is in the public domain? We need to rethink how we sell digital content (music, words, photos)..."

I agree! Just because the Cloud's elastic storage capacity allows Google, among others, to push the envelope of data storage/access/distribution, does that mean they have a free hand to determine unilaterally when, where and how to acquire and distribute digital content?

What are your thoughts on how the Cloud impacts the selling of digital content?

At Work in the Cloud - icloud

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:34:00 +0000

Update April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

What would it be like to visually depict my life at work in the cloud - icloud?

This thought ran through my head the other day and I decided to take it as a challenge. As you may have already noticed, I have a passion for Cloud Computing. I live it, I write about it and I tweet about it.

I work for Xcerion, a small international company consisting of 20+ employees whose main product is a consumer cloud computing service - icloud, your online computer. Since their main office in Linkoping, Sweden is a cornucopia of cloud imagery, I thought it might be fun for you all to see what images I see every day when I go to work.

Let's start outside

Then we come up to the office door.

In the lobby, we're greeted by a Sky Blue wall.

There is, of course, a pile of cards lying around

But what if we had some fun with those cards? (I swear it wasn't me!)

Throw in a marketing piece

And the omnipresent gratuitous shot of clouds

And lastly, don't forget the fun we had last summer!

Now do you understand why my head is in the clouds all the time?

Ok, so now I challenge YOU to find the best photos that represent your workplace or office or cubicle or desk and show them proudly on your blog.

Or at the very least, share a link with me!

I'd love to see what images you are surrounded with every day. I can't wait to see what your pictures will depict.

So go ahead and take the challenge!

Expat Rambles - Swedish Healthcare

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:03:00 +0000

Today's post falls under my Expat Rambles category because this week is all about dealing with Real Life in a new country. I've lived here in Sweden for almost 8 yrs now. I've dealt with the Swedish Healthcare. One would think that I've been through every new situation at least once by now. Shouldn't I be over the hump already of new experiences?

I thought so until I found out my son needed eye surgery. He has lazy eye and due to its severity it warranted surgery. The good news is that he underwent the surgery on Monday and came through it with flying colors. By Tuesday, he was feeling so well that I was struggling to keep him from jumping up and down on the bed. He'll go back in for his checkup after the weekend. Only then will we find out to what degree the surgery was successful.

As an expat, it's hard not to wonder, -Isn't it scary enough that your child needs surgery without having to deal with...

1. A different health care system than you, yourself, grew up with

I'm a big fan of the Swedish Healthcare System. Sweden's entire population, now numbering over 9 million, has equal access to healthcare. That's admirable. Granted, they must prioritize their resources for those with the most critical needs especially when it applies to surgeries. The fact that my son waited 6 months for a date for his surgery was considered quite fast considering we were informed that his type of surgery usually falls to the bottom of their priority list.

As a parent, you want to be as well informed as possible. This allows you to ask pertinent questions leading up to surgery and after. It feels like I went through a steeper learning curve than a native Swede when it came time to acquainting myself with useful websites and then, of course, digesting the information.

2. The bilingual language struggle that is inherent in any emotional situation

Ok, so once you've found all the useful websites necessary to feel prepared and ready to deal with the upcoming situation, the odds are that you've done twice the work. And that's because if you are an expat like me, you've most likely read everything you could find in both languages. In my case, English and Swedish.

Then when it comes time to dealing with the staff at the hospital, emotions get the better of you and all your hard won fluency in your new language flys right out the window. I believe its best to deal with healthcare professionals (or any professional for that matter) in THEIR language. This way, only You are inhibited by language. They, in their native tongue, can provide all the nuances of information you are desparate to know. Anyway who needs language? It's amazing how well healthcare professionals can understand your incomprehensible crying, sniveling, snorpling attempts at communication.

3. The family/friend support system is an ocean away

Isn't it always the case that when you are at your highest highs and lowest lows that you want close family and friends nearby? In the case of this American expat, they are an ocean away. That has been the case for the past 8 yrs and will continue to be the case for my forseeable future. I know this. I have lived with this. I will continue to live with this fact. Unfortunately, no matter how well one has adapted to their new expat situation, I believe that they will never be fully accustomed to dealing with this immutable fact.

Everyone finds their own way to deal with this. Me? Every moment I have not been dealing with details concerning my son's surgery, I've been planning my summer trip back to the US. My iPhone has been my constant companion as I Skype, Facebook, email, etc. with those "back home". It's been been a great stress release to have the trip to look forward to. The silver lining in this Cloud has been that the surgery took place now instead of later this Spring/Summer which might have put a wrench in our travel plans.

This is but the first of many major medical situations that I will have to deal with as an American expat wife and mother in Sweden. As with anything else in life, I'll address it as it comes and deal with it to the best of my ability. Expat or not, life moves onward and it's not who we are but how we meet each new situation that matters in the end.

How did you deal with your first expat medical situation?

Cloud Basics for Expats

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 10:40:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of guest posting, Introduction to Cloud Computing for Expats, on John Falchetto's blog, Expat Life Coach, today. John is a fervent supporter and motivator of expats. He has that knack to encourage and inspire others in their personal and business lives. I can certainly see why he chose the career of expat life coach. Thanks John for encouraging this American Expat Technology Geek to write this post for the expat community!

For those of you expats interested in how Cloud Computing can work for you, whether you are interested in Consumer Cloud Computing or Cloud Computing for SMBs, this is a great place to start your expat cloud journey. John himself is a recent convert to Cloud Computing and can attest to the convenience the Cloud can bring to your life.

So where are you in your Cloud Journey?

Cloud Computing for SMBs -Cloud Data Aggregators

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Optimize Cloud Storage Data with Cloud Data Aggregators is the title of the guest post I wrote that is being published by Kevin Tea of Web2 and More today. I chose to kick off my new series on Cloud Computing for SMBs by publishing this post on Kevin's site because he believes that...

"the SMEs and self employed do not always have the time to research everything that is going on and changing from day to day – which is where Web2 and More comes in. It is our intention to build this into a web resource with news, reviews and interviews with industry players, distilling the huge amount of Web 2.0 and cloud computing information out there into a single, usable site for you."

Link over to my guest post and learn more about:

Top 5 Cloud Storages -

Cloud Data Aggregators-

1. Apps

Air Sharing Pro, EzShare Pro, GoodReader,

Office2, Sheet2, Doc2, Files2,ReaddleDocs,

QuickOffice, Documents To Go

2. Services

Gladinet

SMEStorage

This is a guest post that all SMBs should bookmark as a must-read!

Now go read all the details about Optimizing Cloud Storage with Cloud Data Aggregators at Kevin Tea's site, Web2andMore!

Let me know what you think of my new series on Cloud Computing for SMBs. I look forward to your comments :-)

icloud's Mission to Go Mobile - Expanded Cloud Storage Options

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:46:00 +0000

Update April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

Icloud's latest newsletter has gone out describing its Mission to Go Mobile and the new expanded cloud storage options.

Expanding to Linux and Galaxy Tab -
Expanding in more than one way

The icloud online computer is constantly growing with new members and we are very thankful to every one of you who spread the word about icloud. In our mission to go mobile we have now added support for the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Just download it through Android Market and it will use the full screen size of your Galaxy Tab. More 3rd party software has also been certified as icloud Ready, please check out the full icloud Ready list of available software, http://cloudme.com/ready.

Our Premium offering has also expanded. In addition to the Super Drive, we have now launched a smaller Extra Drive of 25 GB. The 100 GB Super Drive has been improved with the removal of the 150 MB file size limit. It allows you to upload files of unlimited size. Existing Super Drive customers will be upgraded to unlimited file size uploads for free. Drive expansions can be bought in our online store, http://cloudme.com/store.

If you are an Ubuntu Linux user, you will be pleased to learn that icloud Easy Upload is now also available for you. With this release we are supporting Windows, Mac and Ubuntu Linux. As a reminder, please note that the icloud virtual desktop client runs much faster and is more stable in Internet Explorer. We are continuously working on improving the experience in other browsers. If you cannot use Internet Explorer, our alpha version for Google Chrome is second best.

Click here to download Easy Upload. Get setup help.

Thank you for using our service.

icloud Team
http://twitter.com/cloudme_com

Username recovery (search for you email): http://my.cloudme.com
Password recovery: http://sos.cloudme.com/recovery
Are you a developer? http://cloudme.com/api

Apple and Google are on a Collision Course

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:55:00 +0000

Once again the two biggies, Apple and Google, are doing battle. They are currently on a collision course and are butting heads on 6 different fronts.

However, depending on the source, those 6 fronts may vary slightly. I chose two sources as examples: ComputerSweden and Bloomburg/Businessweek. I thought it might be interesting to show the different areas in which these two Giants are challenging and expanding the horizons of Cloud Computing.

6 Battlefronts- According to ComputerSweden

		Apple	Google
1)	Operating System	IOS	Android
2)	Video Format	H.264	Theora, VP8
3)	Browser	Safari	Chrome
4)	Mobile Ads	Iad	Mobile Ads
5)	App Store	App Store	Android Market
6)	Architecture	Client Based	Web Based

6 Battlefronts- According to Bloomburg/Businessweek

		Apple	Google
1)	Smartphones	iPhone	Android / Nexus One
2)	Mobile Software	125K apps	18K apps
3)	Advertising	Iad	Mobile Ads
4)	Personal Computers	Mac OS	Chrome OS
5)	Entertainment	iTunes	YouTube
6)	Acquisitions	LaLa Media	AdMob

For some, this is the way the marketplace was meant to be - Competitive! For others, this is setting off warning bells that suggest that it may be the consumers instead of the competitor who will suffer. With all the rivalry involved, there's risk that they may forget the end users needs. Particularly in the smartphone and tablet arenas.

I side with an open marketplace. Competition compels big businesses to stay on their toes -offer quality, cutting edge products or risk losing their customers to their competitors.

Should be interesting to see who makes the next move!

Do you think there is cause for concern?

American Expat Ramble - Down Come the Winter Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:35:00 +0000

I was on my way to a coffee shop yesterday when I noticed that city workers were beginning to take down the Winter Lights.

Winter Lights- A 5 km long stretch of creative light installations that are displayed from November until January in my hometown - Linkoping, Sweden. This annual tradition began 7 years ago in 2005 and started off under the name, November Lights. It was so popular that the number of light displays was increased as well as the length of time they remain up. (The above picture is from Ivan's blog where you'll find many more great pictures.)

I moved to Sweden in 2003 so I've lived through 2 very dark winters without a city-wide light display. Believe me when I say that Winter Lights is well appreciated. When the sun rises around 8:30am and sets around 2:30pm in the winter here, that means there's on average 18 hrs of darkness! You REALLY notice the lack of sunlight. Most Swedes will begin to light candles in their homes and put candles in their windows at the beginning of Advent - which was the last Sunday in November last year, 2010.

Even though I never encountered an official, city-wide, Winter Light display while living in the US, I don't think it is necessary in the same way as it is here in Sweden. In a way, Americans have an unofficial equivalent - Christmas! Starting the day after Thanksgiving, fourth Thursday in November, up go the Christmas decorations in the US. (I think I've actually seen some people start as early as November 1st, the day after Halloween!)

Ok, hold your horses. Yes, Sweden does celebrate Christmas but in an elegant, understated way. Think less is more. :-)

For an American Expat living abroad in Sweden, this was a bit of a dissapointment my first Christmas in Sweden. I'd grown accustomed to the lavish amount of Christmas lights displayed in the home and in public. Those first two winters in Sweden before the launch of Winter Lights were a serious adjustment for me. I think I had a case of Christmas light withdrawal (Is that even a disorder?) I'm so pleased my withdrawal was cured by Linkoping's Winter Lights. Thanks city of Linkoping!

Now that the sun is rising as early as 8am(!) and setting as late as 4pm(!), I can deal with the removal of the Winter Light installation. You can even see people's moods improving as we gain a few more minutes of daylight each day. Isn't it amazing how our attitudes and norms change based on where we live?

So, what are winters like where you live?

You can go sort of cloud with Dropbox and Gmail or Really go cloud with ICLOUD!

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:03:00 +0000

I wish I could take credit for the above cloud computing statement but I came across the idea when I read, Icloud Is Your Cloud, by Martha Sperry at Advocate's Studio.

Updated April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

Her full quote is as follows:

"You can go sort of cloud by using cool tools like Dropbox and Gmail. Or you can REALLY go cloud and move your entire desktop up there. If that concept intrigues you, check out iCloud – a virtual computer on the Web."

As you all know, I am a cloud computing supporter and an icloud online computer enthusiast. I've written several reviews of icloud and have read just about every other icloud review written. Martha Sperry has beaten me to the punch by summarizing so concisely the fact that there are so many cool cloud tools out there like Dropbox and Gmail but only one company has managed to pull together all the disparate services and put them on one cloud - icloud!

Let's take a detailed look at that idea..

One Stop Cloud Shopping

Cloud Tool Available
on icloud OR
Online Storage Yes Dropbox
Email Yes Gmail
Productivity Suite Yes Open Office
Photo Storage Yes Picasa
Streaming Music Yes Spotify
Movie Viewer Yes YouTube
Calender Yes Famundo
RSS Reader Yes RssReader
Instant Messenger Yes MSN
Bookmarking Yes Delicious
Etc......

Martha closed her article with the following comments:

"For free, you get 3gb of storage space. A 100 gb superdrive is available for $39.95 per year – not too shabby for cloud space plus virtual desktop and integrated apps.

Intrigued? I know I am. Offering a free version gives you and I the opportunity to check out iCloud with little commitment. If it is impressive as it sounds, the paid version is not a lot to shell out for a lot of functionality and virtual, cloud space. Thanks, iCloud!"

She has definitely written one of the best reviews of icloud to date. (The New York Times / GigaOm article, Icloud Adds Mobile Access, comes in a close second) I don't know if it is because she is so tech savvy, insightful or maybe just because she is another female American technology geek ;-) but I like her writing and am going to add her to my RSS reader. Hope you all take a moment to swing by her site, Advocate Studio.

Have a great weekend. See you all in the clouds!

Back from the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 10:05:00 +0000

Hi all! I'm back after a nice long holiday break. Totally enjoyed it and didn't feel the slightest bit guilty for taking a break from the web.

On the other hand, I did miss it.

Now admit it, keeping up on the latest in Cloud Computing is addictive. Right? No? You're not all Cloud Computing junkies? That's all right. It's fun to keep up with the latest in technology, too.

Give me a chance to get back up in the saddle (ie. catch up on emails and read a backlog of articles and blogs) and I'll be regaling you with my opinions on the latest and greatest again in no time.

Are you back up to full speed yet?

Cloud Computing has Crossed the Chasm - Both the Consumer and Enterprise Cloud

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:50:00 +0000

I found it! The first reference to Cloud Computing having crossed the chasm and no less than from the mouth of

Neil Ashizawa, Manager of Products, at HP Software as a Service.

"About a year, year-and-a-half ago, people were still trying to get their minds wrapped around this idea of cloud. We're at a stage now where a lot of organizations are actually adopting the cloud as a sourcing strategy or they are building other strategies to adopt it. We're probably past early adopter and more into mainstream. I anticipate it will continue to grow and gain momentum."

Back in May, I was wondering how well Cloud Computing was crossing the chasm. I quoted the survey conducted in 2008 by the IDC Exchange that predicted Cloud Computing would cross the chasm by the end of 2011. It's hard to believe that back in May, Cloud Computing was still a suspect term and considered a bit dodgy type of service. It was definitely not a given that Cloud Computing could cross the chasm this quickly.

In fact, I think that my commenter, Dre, Andre Fredericks, hit the nail on the head when he stated:

"I think the timeline for crossing the chasm will differ based on the type of customer, the respective cloud service and the cloud deployment model."

Let's break it down and simply divide Cloud Computing into:

Consumer Cloud vs Enterprise Cloud

Consumer Cloud Computing- Consists of widely used services such as:
   Email - Google Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail...
   Social Networks - Facebook, Twitter, LinkIn...
   Photo Sharing - Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa...
   Productivity Suites - Open Office, Zoho...
   Bookmarking - Delicious, Digg, Slashdot...
   Blogging - Blogger, Wordpress...
   File Storage - CloudMe, Dropbox...
   Ad infinitum.....

In my opinion, Consumer Cloud Computing crossed the chasm months ago if not already last year. Who here does not or has not used one of the above Consumer Cloud services? Consumer Cloud Computing crossing the chasm is no longer a question but a fact in my mind.

I think the widespread use of Consumer Cloud Computing has given us a better understanding of Enterprise Cloud Computing as a whole.

Enterprise Cloud Computing- As defined by Cloud Computing's 3 Primary Services:
   IaaS - Amazon Web Services (AWS), Proofpoint, RightScale...
   PaaS -TrackVia, BlankSlate, Zoho Creator...
   SaaS - NetSuite, Rackspace, Salesforce...

I have reserved the most doubt when it comes to Enterprise Cloud Computing crossing the chasm. Corporations are notorious for being conservative in adopting disruptive technology. Yet, I feel due to the significant benefits offered to corporations in the form of cost savings, efficiency and flexibility(just to name a few), moving to the Cloud was inevitable. Salesforce is a prime example of this. They have cornered the market on building the leading cloud computing platform that delivers enterprise friendly SaaS (Software as a Service).

After having found the first indication that Cloud Computing has crossed the chasm, I can now settle into relaxing and enjoying my holidays. In a way, I see it as an early Christmas gift. I'm really glad I got to open it today. I have a hard time waiting to open my gifts until Christmas Day! ;-)

Hope all your Cloud wishes come true. Happy Holidays!
See you again in the New Year :-)

Android Devices are Hot this Holiday Season - icloud Android App Released Just in Time

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:40:00 +0000

Mashable came out over the weekend with a poll that revealed that Android devices are hot this holiday season.

Updated April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

Over 1500 people were polled and asked what they planned to purchase or receive this holiday season. Hands down, Android devices are the preferred holiday purchase. A whopping 41.2% expect to purchase or receive an Android Device. It seems that the popularity of iOS (iPhone, iPad...) may have already peaked. Android seems to be the new ruler of the device market. Very prescient of the mobile platform developers to predict the future swing in popularity of the Android device!

Even my husband who is thinking about purchasing a new smartphone soon is leaning towards purchasing an Android. Should be interesting - we'll then have an Android and an iPhone in the family :-)

This poll did not break it down further into smartphone or tablets so we'll just have to wait for that breakdown of results in the New Year. Guessing the 41.2% is mostly made up of Android smartphone purchases.

With Android devices being sooo Hot this holiday season, I'm pleased to report icloud's release of its new Android app.

icloud Android App:

Features:
-Access to all your files in icloud
-Up to 100 GB of file storage, accessible directly in your device
-View photos, videos, and documents wherever you are
-Upload your files from your device to icloud

The icloud app requires an icloud account. If you don't have one, you can sign-up for free within the app.

For a detailed description of the features of the icloud Android app, please read my post - icloud iPhone App for Mobile Cloud Computing. The apps features are identical.

With Android devices being hot this holiday season, the icloud Android app is sure to be appreciated!

Just in time for the holidays, icloud has released 3 New Apps.

3 icloud Apps Recently Released:

icloud Easy Uload
icloud iPhone App
icloud Android App

I don't know about you all, but my holidays are now complete. No matter which device you end up owning this holiday season, access to all your files, photos, music and documents is now easily and conveniently available at your fingertips.

Happy Holidays!

Security Breach at Gawker, Lifehacker, Gizmodo etc.

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:28:00 +0000

Wow! Gawker Media's email detailing the security breach of their site over the weekend was a like a bucket of cold water in my face yesterday morning.

How many of you received the following email?

This weekend we discovered that Gawker Media's servers were compromised, resulting in a security breach at Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Gawker, Jezebel, io9, Jalopnik, Kotaku, Deadspin, and Fleshbot. As a result, the user name and password associated with your comment account were released on the internet. If you're a commenter on any of our sites, you probably have several questions.

We understand how important trust is on the internet, and we're deeply sorry for and embarrassed about this breach of security. Right now we are working around the clock to improve security moving forward. We're also committed to communicating openly and frequently with you to make sure you understand what has happened, how it may or may not affect you, and what we're doing to fix things.

This is what you should do immediately: Try to change your password in the Gawker Media Commenting System. If you used your Gawker Media password on any other web site, you should change the password on those sites as well, particularly if you used the same username or email with that site. To be safe, however, you should change the password on those accounts whether or not you were using the same username.

We're continually updating an FAQ (<a target="_target" ref="http://lifehac.kr/eUBjVf)">http://lifehac.kr/eUBjVf) </a> with more information and will continue to do so in the coming days and weeks.

Gawker Media

As with everything in life, this security breach can be seen as a glass half full or half empty scenario.

Security Breach Scenarios

3 Glass Half Full Scenarios:

I was notified of the security breach- As every company worth its salt would do.
Turns out that my password was not compromised - that is if you trust Slate
Gave me the opportunity to clean house and go ahead and change passwords across the board

3 Glass Half Empty Scenarios:

Why did Gawker Media wait until Tuesday to email me something this important?
What a fright it was to receive the email. Think of all the damage that could be done to other people in your name?
And finally, it was time-intensive yesterday to change passwords on other accounts, just in case. Not how I had expected to spend yesterday.

In general, I'm an optimist so I choose to see yesterday from a glass half full perspective. :-)

And how as your day? Did you experience any security breaches?

Xcerion (icloud) Christmas Party Pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:02:00 +0000

Didn't want to leave you all hanging in wait for the Xcerion (icloud) Christmas Party pictures anymore! Here is the best of the lot.

Updated April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

Please excuse the poor quality of the images. I used the camera on my iPhone 3 and as I've b%tched before, I'm not pleased in the least when it comes to camera quality. I read that the iPhone 4 takes better quality images but without flash, so I would think that it would still be difficult to take evening pictures. (Please chime in and let me know what you all think about the camera of your new iPhone 4!)

Ok, back to the Xcerion (icloud) Christmas party (Julfest)!

The picture above shows the large table (Julbord) groaning under the weight of all the delicious Christmas food. This table holds all the cold food. You might be able to make out the Jultomten (Sweden's version of Santa Claus)given a prominent decorative spot in the middle of the table. To my American expat eyes, he bears a remarkable resemblance to a garden gnome in the US;-)

Above is a picture of the warm food.

And of course, a picture of the desserts!

Finally, a picture of the two tables worth of Xcerion (icloud) Christmas party goers. If my camera had flash, you might get a better idea of what a great group of handsome, intelligent men and woman I have the pleasure of working with each day. Alas, I was taking the pictures so I am not shown at the tables. :-( I'll have to rectify that at the next function.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

icloud iPhone App for Mobile Cloud Computing

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:08:00 +0000

Icloud iPhone App raises Mobile Cloud Computing to the next level.

Updated April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

I am beside myself with excitement at yesterday's release of the icloud iPhone app. I've been as impatient in the wait for this icloud iPhone app as my fellow iclouders. ~~I won't name names now~~, Jocelyn! ;-)

Let's take a quick peek shall we?

icloud iPhone App Features:

Appointments - A calendar that helps organize appointment. It allows you to have multiple calendars that individually can be shared with friends, family and coworkers. You can view calendars overlayed or separately, as well as manage access to your individual calendars.

Bookmarks - Bookmark all your favorite websites.

Contacts - Contacts enables you to organize your contacts into multiple folders. Easily share contact folders with friends, family and coworkers. The icloud email application (Mail) uses contacts from this application for its automatic lookup of email addresses.

Documents - Access and view all your documents from a file manager format.

Feeds - Get the latest news and updates from your favorite sources. News supports both RSS and ATOM feeds.

Mail - Access and read your mail on the go. Don't forget, with icloud Mail you will are able to handle all your various email accounts/providers (ex. Gmail) in one place.

Movies - Movie enables you to find, watch and organize movies. It is integrated with YouTube and the MetaCafé services. It also allows you to organize your own movie files. Playlists or movies are easily shared with friends. In addition, Movie enables you to watch a movie while searching for another - perfect when watching music videos.

Music - Upload your whole MP3 music library and access it through any device. You can organize your music, create playlists and share music and albums with friends and family.

Notes - Jot down your notes and later organize them into projects.

Pictures - A full organizing software. It enables you to create albums, slideshows and easily share your memories with friends. Shared albums can be created for instant sharing of all photos added to the album.

Tasks - Manage your ToDo lists through projects that can be shared with other icloud members. You can also assign tasks and monitor progress for ToDo lists.

The icloud iPhone App replaces icloud Mobile for all iPhone, iPod and iPad owners. If you own an Android, don't despair. Icloud Android App is in the works and will be available shortly!

The icloud iPhone App is in Alpha so stay tuned for further developments. ;-)

American Expat Rambles - Time for the office Xmas party. Julbord anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:15:00 +0000

Tomorrow is the office Christmas party and as an American expat, this will be my first official office Christmas party (Julfest)

I'm really looking forward to joining my coworkers at tomorrow's Christmas party (Julfest) and dig into the lavish Christmas feast (Julbord). If you've never had the privilege of eating Julbord before, you are definitely missing out. Especially if you are into buffés.

Swedish Julfest with Julbord

The direct translations are Julfest=Christmas party and Julbord=Christmas table. Think along the lines of a buffe.

I thought I might just let all you non-Swedish residents know what you are missing. ;-)

Julbord Offerings (A sampling)

Starters-

Cold Dishes:

Several different kinds of marinated herring

Cured Salmon

Smoked Fish

Julskinka (Swedish ham)

Deviled Eggs

Liver pasté

Main Course-

Warm Dishes:

Janssons Frestelse (a creamy potato/anchovy casserole)

Swedish Meatballs

Cabbage Rolls

Christmas Sausage

Fish Balls

Dilled New Potatoes

Dessert-

Several different types of cheese and crackers

Several different types of cookies

Tårta (Swedish cake)

Yummy! So what do Swedes think of their annual Christmas party?

I just read this Swedish Tweet a couple minutes ago on Twitter:

I Iran är det förenat med dödsstraff att ha utomäktenskapligt sex, äta griskött, och dricka sprit ...i Sverige kallas det julfest med jobbet via @Sormlam

English Translation

In Iran, having sex out of wedlock, eating pork and drinking alcohol is punishable by death. In Sweden, it is called an office Christmas party via @Sormlam

As an American expat, I don't think there are so many differences between the US and Sweden after all! ;-)

Sync Your Files Online in the Cloud - Introducing icloud's Easy Upload

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:54:00 +0000

Looking for an easy way to keep your files synced online in the Cloud?

Updated April 19, 2011 icloud is now CloudMe

Icloud introduces Easy Upload

Easy Upload helps you sync

"The all-new "Easy Upload" let's you select folders on your computer that are automatically uploaded to icloud. New files are uploaded in the background at an interval of your choice. Sit back and relax knowing that your files are always secure and accessible from icloud.

Every time your computer is started, Easy Upload is automatically started, and checks if some new files have been created. Next time you login to icloud, your files will be available from any device; Web Desktop, WebDAV or icloud Mobile. Easy Upload makes it really easy to always have access to your files. Never forget files at home or work. Never forget your USB memory stick. Easy Upload always makes sure the latest version of your document is reachable, even from your mobile phone. Access your files at home, at work and in between while you are on the move."

Click here to download Easy Upload

It has never been easier to upload, access, sync and share your files.

Don't forget, Xcerion (icloud) Hybrid Cloud Computing offers Offline Capability. Icloud's applications are run in your browser so even if you temporarily lose internet access, you are still able to work on your document. Once reconnected to icloud's secure online storage, your document will be updated and saved.

This is Cloud Computing at its finest! Don't you agree?

Cloud Computing's Xmas Miracle - Santa in the Cloud

noreply@blogger.com (Lingon Life) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:13:00 +0000

Santa Claus is Coming to Cloud!

Even though I sent a Tweet out on this yesterday, I though it was worthy of a quick mention here as well.

It seems that Santa Claus has teamed up with KnowledgeTree.

"In order to more efficiently manage the millions of letters he receives from children, Santa is working with KnowledgeTree to implement a new cloud-based document management system. This will enable Santa to create a more streamlined work environment for his incredibly busy and merry teams of elves, and simplify what can be a chaotic toy specification, manufacture and delivery process. KnowledgeTree will contribute $1 for every letter to Santa uploaded between now and December 23, 2010 to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina."

I love this marketing idea. Wish I had come up with it myself! Nice to see Cloud Computing mentioned in the same breath as charitable donations to a worthy cause.

I plan to sit down with my son this week and compose his letter to Santa. We'll be uploading it to KnowledgeTree so that the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina benefits. I think my son will love sending his electronic wish list to Santa.

Will you be sending your letter to Santa via the "Cloud"?