Recent advances in mobile Cloud Computing

Mobile cloud computing is anticipated to be an overwhelming success. According to the statistics there were over four billion active mobile phones by the time that 2009 came to a close. And that figure has grown by a billion or more with even more projected growth coming in the years to come. In the last couple of years the demand for browser capable mobile devices has skyrocketed and shows no signs of slowing down. The limitation with these devices has always been hardware space. While newer, smaller and faster components are constantly being developed and implemented, the simplest solution is right in front of our noses; Mobile cloud computing. Because cloud computing is not hardware-intensive (from the user end, anyway) it only makes sense that it would eventually be incorporated into mobile computing. This will make it possible for individuals to carry around (even smaller) devices that are just as powerful as their new computers at home.

HTML5

The web's new markup language is a perfect fit for cloud computing. It allows for device-caching, plug-in support for web pages, and advanced data processing capabilities. HTML5 will allow devices to store pertinent information temporarily in order to alleviate mobile connection drop-offs. Forget about having to load and install a thousand plug-ins, HTML5 will allow users to distribute and access media in even more convenient ways. And how about loading times that are slowed down by JavaScript? With HTML5 there is a smaller number of data transfer events to deal with, which greatly enhances performance capabilities.

4G

Transfer speeds and cloud computing are largely symbiotic. The evolution of 4G networks with their bandwidth capacities of around 100Mbit/s downlink and 50Mbit/s uplink are going to provide the fuel that makes mobile cloud computing practical. And as data transfer capabilities increase even further, so will the possibilities inherent within cloud computing in general.

Frenzied Software Providers

Every major software development company is currently (or at the very least contemplating) working toward developing new products (specifically designed) for the cloud. And for good reason, once everyone begins transitioning toward cloud-based networks it will be too late to cash in on the uniqueness of the whole situation. This is great news for consumers; as they won't have to wait for exciting new apps

Browser Evolution

Currently, there are a whole host of companies working toward developing the ultimate browsing engine for mobile cloud computing. Some are open source projects, others strictly managed. Many of the recent advances in conventional browser technology are being adapted for cloud computing as well (Google Chrome's JavaScript features, for example). It is highly unlikely that an all-purpose multi-platform browser will be developed for use in all future devices; it is much more likely that individual manufacturers will release their own. Nevertheless, there is an extremely energetic and knowledgeable community out there working on various mobile computing browsers right now (sans the corporate support).

This is an exciting time for cloud computing, it's literally about to go global, and its biggest campaigner is probably going to be some form of mobile cloud expansion. This is all provisional of course, but all signs seem to point toward mobile cloud computing becoming an 'extremely' big deal.

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