We’ll call that the good news. And the bad? The cloud computing options are seemingly limitless. That a list of just the “top firms” in cloud computing runs to 100 is a sign of just how big this latest top-down paradigm shift might be. For now, though, the whole thing still seems big and a bit unwieldy – and hard to explain in the desktop computing vocabulary most people have learned via basic home and office use.

The real problem with “the cloud”

There is a dizzying array of activities surrounding “the cloud,” but that’s not really the problem – having choices is a good thing. But it gets complicated when you have to decide on vendors, choose commercial vs. open-source solutions, ensure the “portability” of applications among various clouds and so on. For individuals and firms exclusively using the Mac Pro or other Macs, Apple has a top-down solution in iCloud. But for PC users and mixed environments (like most companies), it can be messy.

Running a business has never been more complicated than it is now. Everyone is talking about “cloud projects” but your IT manager (or outsourced service) spends 70-80% of the time (and budget) just keeping things running. Now, if you’re a small post-production firm handling your own IT you may be comfortable with high-tech gear like a Xserve RAID rental but confused by all these cloud offerings. And it’s expensive to acquire the right skills whether you promote internally, retrain, cross-train, get a consultant or hire a full-time expert.

Public or private?

For larger firms a Private Cloud may be worth a look, so study the best practices of current Public Cloud operators like Netflix to see what you can implement. And it’s not just about what happens in the office. If you outfit your conference team with  iPad rentals you’ll want access to your cloud for PDF brochures and other data. Universal access is one of the main reasons to have a cloud.

From chaos and confusion comes opportunity, as long as you’re open to change, new ideas and an incremental (read “cautious”) approach. We’re experiencing an historic change in computing and communications that will affect businesses on many levels. How inventors, vendors, businesses and individuals handle the challenges will chart the course of IT for the next decade or two. It should be interesting!

For event production rentals or post-production gear, CRE is your one-stop shop. We can support your cloud project with a room full of iMac rentals or mass storage. One call or e-mail does it – and if you know what you need already, use the Quick Rental Quote form.

The three screens are PCs, tablet/game devices and phones, all with online storage and apps in the “cloud.”

PCs – Microsoft’s “first screen”

Microsoft is doing great with the “first screen” – PCs. Windows 7, which powers all of CRE Rentals’ PC desktop computer rental units and PC laptops, has shipped over half a billion copies since 2009 and is solidly ensconced in both homes and businesses.

Games & Tablets – “second screen”

Following the introduction of Kinect, the Xbox 360 has overcome its slow start to become a billion-dollar success. With new film and TV partnerships, Xbox is becoming a media hub for moms and dads, at least when they can get the kids off the thing. Chasing the success of iPad rentals are hundreds of Android tablets, but Microsoft can’t field a tablet product until later in 2012, after Windows 8 ships. Hardware details are nonexistent at this point but it’s fair to say that Microsoft is moving in the right direction with the “second” screen.

Smartphone – “third screen”

The firm’s biggest problem is with the third screen – smart phones. Windows Phone got mostly positives reviews, but market share is tiny after more than a year and attempts to use it on devices like tablet PC rentals didn’t work out. Apple and Samsung products dominate phone hardware, while iOS and Android own the software side. Windows Phone has a big challenge ahead.

The big question…what about the Cloud?

With little information about how and when Microsoft and its partners plan to roll out Windows 8 tablets, even the rosiest scenario puts the company in a distant third place at the end of 2012. So much for the three screens – what about the cloud that ties them all together, like Apple’s iCloud? For consumers, Microsoft has steadily refined SkyDrive and Windows Live, introducing new features and planning much better Windows 8 integration. For business users, Office 365 is doing well against Google Apps as Windows Azure continues a slow but steady growth.

Since the company’s cloud strategy requires customers loyal to Microsoft on all three screens, can Microsoft bring smart phones into the mix? The firm has been slow to deliver solutions for Android or iOS, and there are no Office apps on non-Microsoft devices. Microsoft already has a presence on the iMac and other Apple computers – as Macs run the Windows OS natively. If the company dedicates itself to “invading” the iPad and iPhone, this will be a very interesting year.

One call or e-mail puts an expert Account Executive on the job for you, or use our Quick Rental Quote if you know what you need!

Microsoft has leading products in a number of other categories and 2012 promises new versions of many of them. The enterprise market (read “big business”) is huge for Microsoft, and in the coming year the company will release SQL Server 2012 and System Center 2012. IT executives and managers will need to stay on top of these changes, especially as they will be rolling out while the whole “cloud” thing is being settled.

Windows 8 at the gate!

It is the upcoming Windows 8, though, that will affect most people directly. Last Thursday’s blog addressed the fact that the look and feel of “tablet tech” is coming to the desktop OS, and this is nowhere more controversial than with Win8. Microsoft is quite conscious of the “consumerization of IT,” realizing that people want to use a tablet, smart phone, iPad rental or other web-connected device in the office. People also want safe, simple access to their business documents, apps and e-mail when they are not in the office.

Microsoft wants to be in the middle of all of this “cloud action.” The company is positioning itself as the go-to cloud provider, both public and private. Push-button simple, with built-in access and control – that’s the idea. With Windows, SQL Server and the rest, Microsoft provides an inter-operating set of technology services to connect private and public clouds, and enabling easy transitions between them. Users of the Mac Pro and other Apple CPUs can join all the fun by running Windows on their computers, too.

System Center – technology bridge to the future

System Center 2012 will be a core part of the “technology bridge,” with such new features as App Controller for cross-cloud monitoring. Microsoft is developing a major security feature for IT managers, namely, how to ensure access to business documents via cloud-ready devices, whether they’re tablet PC rentals signing in over WiFi or phones on 3G/4G networks.

Maintaining tight security during diverse connections has been problematic, but System Center 2012 holds this promise. In fact, top tech pundits are saying that System Center 2012 is “looking like the real deal.” It may be a few weeks until 2012 but it’s hard not to get excited if you use Windows or Microsoft enterprise software. Remember, when the New Year arrives, the game is afoot!

One call or e-mail puts an experienced Account Executive on the job for you – or use our Quick Rental Quote form to get things going right now. From event production rentals to the latest in high-end post-production gear, CRE is your one-stop shop!

Tablet tech…small is (now) beautiful

When the first practical tablet devices debuted in the early 1990s – Apple’s Newton, the Palm Pilot and other Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) – they weren’t ready for prime time. The CPUs were slow, handwriting recognition was spotty and wireless didn’t exist. Just making room for batteries required a larger form factor, the predecessors of tablet PC rentals. It wasn’t until the first decade of the 21st century that WiFi, faster processors and new battery technology got small and inexpensive enough to usher in the “mobile computing era.”

In the mobile universe, screen space is limited (compared to your desktop’s monitor) so icon-based operation, whether via touchscreens like on an iPad rental or smart phone buttons, is a sensible approach. Apple’s iOS, Google’s Android and Windows Phone (7.5 was just released) were all developed with ease of use in mind.

Icons, apps, constant connection

As devices began to proliferate and improve, special software programs (“apps”) were developed to do specific, focused tasks. While WiFi didn’t become a standard feature until just a couple of years ago, every device of every kind (and size) is now built to be “always on.” Expect your desktop OS – Mac, Windows and, to a lesser degree, Linux – to continue making communications and connectivity as easy, simple and fast as a phone. You will get a familiar “look and feel” whether you’re on a phone, a tablet/ipad or an iMac. At long last … convergence!

Many more small-device developments will find their way into both Windows and Mac OS X, but some are already visible in current releases. The latest Mac OS X release is Lion, 10.7, but it’s not the first to use elements of Apple’s iOS (now at version 5). The App Store is now, well, an app, permanently situated in the Dock, and like others in Lion it opens into “full screen” mode. With the newly inaugurated iCloud, which we wrote about recently, you can synchronize everything from work documents to iCal entries among all your devices, from the Mac Pro at your office to the iPhone in your pocket.

Mobile advances really are changing your desktop, and fast. Whether you need high-tech advice, high-tech gear – render farms, mass storage, A/V equipment – or the best trade show convention rentals, one call or e-mail (or a few clicks on our Quick Rental Quote form) will put you on the fast track to a solution!

Solid State Drives (SSDs)

Plus: Speed and Performance

SSDs connect to your computer the same way other drives do – from good old SATA to the new Thunderbolt on the Macbook Pro and other new Macs – so where do the performance gains come from? Simple: No moving parts. It’s almost (not quite) like having your data in RAM all the time, that’s how fast the electronic read/write speeds are. (Here’s a technical discussion if you want it.)

Plus: Ease of Transition and Use

Whether you have a VAIO or an iMac, your computer treats the SSD like any other drive. Some people use SSDs as a boot drive for the operating system (OS) and applications, keeping documents on another drive. Other users have an SSD as their only drive, although prices will have to come down before the average computer owner can do that. The biggest selling SSDs right now are 64GB.

Plus: Innovation

SSDs are larger versions of the flash memory in our iPad rental. Fast, light, dependable and nearly immune to vibration,  SSDs are already better than hard drives, and will keep coming down in price (see below), so there may be much greater storage capacity in the iPad 3. We’ll see!

Minus: Cost

A price check done this week found a cost of $1-2 per GB for a bare SSD drive, depending on size and model. A 2TB hard drive sells for as little as $70, or 3.5 cents per GB, so we could outfit a Mac Pro with multiple hard drives for very little money. With volume, the price will come down, but right now SSDs are not economically viable for many users.

Minus: Capacity

Right now, SSDs have far less storage capacity than similarly priced hard drives. There are 500GB models, but they cost up to $1,000. Still, for the time being, any modern computer like CRE’s PC desktop computer rentals can be outfitted with the OS and applications on a (smaller) SSD and store lower-priority files on a different (larger) hard drive.

Bottom line

Gamers, artists, A/V engineers and the kind of post-production professionals that use our render farms can benefit from using SSDs as a boot-and-app drive. Speed gains are impressive for heavy users, so an economic case can be made for their use of SSDs. For everyone else, SSDs will be a viable option when today’s high-end systems become the low-end ones of tomorrow.

For the best of today’s (and tomorrow’s) technology, CRE is your one-stop shop. Call or send an-mail, or, to speed things up even more, use the Quick Rental Quote form. Remember, we’re here to solve problems – yours!

Some major findings

• PC users like well-defined, structured jobs. Mac users like flexible, fluid ones.

• PC users consider “works of art” to be paintings of people or nature. Mac users choose objects or architecture, and consider the award-winning designs of the iMac and other Apple computers “good art,” too.

• PC users think “There’s Something About Mary” is a good comedy. Mac users like “Little Miss Sunshine.”

• PC users consider themselves rational and are oriented toward numbers. Mac users are intuitive, conceptual and geared toward words and images – among the reasons that iPad rental has the new, icon-based iOS.

• PC users typically buy clothes at department or discount stores. Mac users like unique/boutique shops.

PC people: Genetic or tribal?

Some of these differences may arise from the nature of Microsoft’s and Apple’s founders, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Gates was a child prodigy, scored 1590 on his SATs and went to Harvard University (but dropped out). Jobs wasn’t a brainy type, as Steve Wozniak had that role, but his marketing genius and design sense – from the looks of the original Bondi Blue iMac to the uniquely efficient interior of the potent Mac Pro – account for a huge part of Apple’s success.

Many PC users originally came from a programming background, and PC users still tend to be more down-to-earth if a bit “tribal” or insular. Whether using a standard desktop PC or an all-in-one multitouch display PC, they prefer function over form, like to get the job done and don’t need flash or gimmickry. Practicality reigns in their choice of such things as cars and clothes, too, and the Windows 7 “I’m a PC” commercials suggest a certain ordinariness that some find reassuring.

Mac folks: Just different?

One of Apple’s longtime slogans, “Think different,” urged Mac users to avoid conformity and be themselves. They are more attentive to modern art, independent films and whatever helps them express their unique identities, which are nicely displayed in a Hunch.com infographic.

If Apple continues its mainstream growth, but doesn’t give its loyal customers the feeling of individuality that they want, then all bets are off. On the other hand, CRE is a sure bet. We’re experts in everything from trade show conventional rentals to high-end post-production computer gear. One call (or e-mail) puts an experienced Account Executive on the job for you, or you can use the Quick Rental Quote form if you know what you need. PC or Mac — we’re ready with the right solution, right now!

Cable standbys

If you still use an older computer as a server or mail station, you still need parallel, serial and SCSI devices. Many PCs still have PS-2 type keyboard and mouse ports. And, there are the Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) connectors (for keyboard, mouse, modems) that Apple abandoned in favor of USB.

Today’s major Cable players

Despite the rise of wireless everything there are still physical RJ-45 ports for Ethernet on most computers.

USB has gone from 2.0 to 3.0 with the peripheral-connector looking the same, but it has five hidden pins for SuperSpeed 3.0 capability. The computer end of the cable, however, gets a new piece above the existing, square-ish Type B connector.

FireWire will not likely develop beyond its current 400Mbps and 800Mbps forms, using the connectors/cables shown in Illustration below. It is much less widespread than USB, but it’s been around since our Macintosh laptop rentals came in rounded, candy-colored cases.

Monitor connections

VGA is the oldest, most prevalent monitor connection, while today’s other popular protocols are DVI, DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort. A variety of adapters are available to connect most kinds of computer rentals to most kinds of monitors, regardless of what ports are built in.

I/O for tomorrow

New Apple models like our iMac rentals have Thunderbolt, which uses the same connector as a Mini Display Port to carry audio, video, user data, network data and power. You will see Thunderbolt adapters with audio, Ethernet and other connections, as well as cables that use some or all of the available 100W of power to run external devices.

On iMacs or MacBook Pro rentals, a single Thunderbolt port provides two channels with 10Gbps of two-way throughput each, twice as fast as USB 3.0. You can connect Mini Display Port-equipped displays directly, or other kinds with appropriate adapters. Thunderbolt handles data, too, so  firms are also developing adapters to connect FireWire 400/800 and USB devices to the new ports, with the peripherals working at the same maximum speed as on their own native buses.

At CRE Rentals, we work at maximum speed all the time, too, with maximum effectiveness to meet your need for computers, plasma rentals, conference gear and post-production technology. One call or e-mail puts our experienced Account Executives on the job just for you, finding the solution you need – now. (Need it even faster? Use our Quick Rental Quote form.)

Solid state control

Solid State Drives (SSDs) are increasing in size while decreasing in price. The secret to their speed is the “drive controller,” the best of which is made by SandForce. They sell controllers and “SSD Toolbox” firmware kits to manufacturers who then supply SSDs to computer makers like HP and Dell.  SSDs are mainstream enough now that CRE could install them in a variety of computer rentals depending on customer need. One day all drives will be solid state (but don’t hold your breath, we’re talking years not months).

USB is up to 3

The Universal Serial Bus (USB) debuted in the mid-1990s and quickly lived up to the first letter in its acronym, connecting computers to everything from printers to external drives. About seven times faster than USB 2.0, USB 3.0 is fast, but is not as fast as the Thunderbolt technology on the new MacBook Pro rentals. Apple is not planning to add USB 3.0 to its models any time soon, and even Intel is favoring other technologies.

DDR4 memory chips

Everything from laptop rentals to Mac Pros pumping out video will work faster now. Developed by Samsung Electronics with a 30nm class process, the new DDR4 memory draws lower voltage (1.2v) than existing DDR3 chips (1.35v and 1.5v). Like new car engines that get more power with less gas, the lower-power DDR4 memory will run at up to 3.2Gbps, versus 1.6Gbps for DDR3.

New brainpower, too

“Bulldozer” is the code name for the new CPUs coming soon from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The chips will have 8 cores, and are said to be as much as 50 percent faster than the top-of-the-line Core i7 4-core CPU from Intel. Folks who can get their work done on tablet PC rentals don’t need this much power, but post-production pros using potent Mac Pro rentals and doing sample-accurate work (you know who you are) need all they can get.

Staying abreast of all the changes in technology is tough. At CRE, we specialize in technology so you don’t have to – and we can make it all understandable for you if that’s what you need. A simple call or e-mail is all it takes to connect with an experienced Account Executive whose sole focus will be solving your problems and giving you options. If you know what you need already, save time with our handy Quick Rental Quote form.

Interestingly, flash memory didn’t even make the list of “Top 10 ‘Star Trek’ Technologies that Actually Came True” – check it out, it’s a cool list! And if you think that Mr. Spock’s Tricorder looks quite a bit like one of CRE’s iPad rentals, well, you’d be right.

Flash review

Flash memory was introduced in the late 1980s. There are various form factors – CompactFlash, Sony MemoryStick, etc. – but the most popular appears to be SecureDigital. The latest generation of  SDXC cards have capacities up to 2TB. The popular SDHC cards hold from 4 to 32GB of data, and slots are built into many of CRE’s computer rentals.

These slots are turning up on most (not all) new Macintoshes, too. Apple may not be the earliest adopter of new tech all the time, but when the company adds a feature to the Mac line, you can be sure it’s been widely tested and is a true standard. These slots are now in CRE’s iMacs and MacBook Pro rentals, as well as Mac minis.

Flash forward

Due to its insanely successful products, Apple has passed HP and every other electronics/tech manufacturer to become the largest consumer of semiconductors on the planet. A market research firm reports that Apple spent $17.5 billion on semiconductors in 2010, an astonishing 79.6% increase over what it bought in 2009. And don’t get started on Apple dominating touchscreen purchases – that’s enough for a whole other blog (on its way soon).

Apple uses flash memory for Solid State Drives (SSDs) in iPods, iPhones and the crazy-popular iPads, making Apple the world’s top purchaser of flash memory. Measured against the total amount used, about one-eighth (11.9%) will end up in tablets and by 2014, tablets will account for 16% of all flash memory. After that, who knows?

Future flash

Who knows – and how? The way companies spend money yields clues about their plans. Where’s Apple headed? Well, the firm spent more than 60% of its 2010 semiconductor budget on wireless “iDevices” while Hewlett-Packard spent over 80% of its semiconductor budget on servers, desktops and notebooks. These are two very different approaches, but it may take both to build Star Fleet. We’ll keep you posted!

While you’re waiting for the 23rd century, CRE has your convention rentals and high-end post-production gear, too. Our expert Account Executives are ready to help you right now, by phone or e-mail – or use the Quick Rental Quote form for even faster service. We are ready to help, right now!

Microsoft has decided to think different, to coin a phrase. Following the botched Vista and the well-received Windows 7, Microsoft settled on a new tablet-style interface for Windows 8 and will deploy it for desktops, laptops and tablets. In the MS lineup, it will be phones not PCs, that have their own OS (now called Windows 7 Phone). Microsoft has to begin seriously competing in an insane tablet market of the iPad’s making.

Share and share alike

Windows has an installed base of some 93% of the world’s PCs. Sounds great, but it’s a big challenge: MS must keep existing Windows users happy on their desktops and laptops, while capturing (and satisfying) tablet users with the same user interface. Remember, too, that Windows 8 will be designed for touch functionality.

Blogger Mike Halsey runs the Web site Windows8News, where he recently likened the upcoming OS to a “mashup.” Programmers drafted bits and pieces of Zune, Windows Phone and Media Center Metro to fashion a tablet-type user interface, but “big chunks” of classic Windows are there to maintain the “MS look and feel.” Its designers must make it as efficient with laptops and computer rentals as with the various styles and sizes of wireless devices.

Shared OS…it just might work

Some pundits are dubbing Microsoft’s strategy a “have your cake and eat it, too” approach that will only work if MS can merge the two interfaces seamlessly. From recent peeks, official and otherwise, they may be getting close. In the Apple universe, it would be as if the iPad had a secret “stealth mode” for using OS X when needed. But that’s not how the story was written, and Apple’s astonishing success suggests Steve Jobs made the right call.

A shared-OS approach doesn’t make sense for Apple. Does it for Microsoft? Perhaps. If the company retains ties to Windows’ original, “old school” heritage as it moves into the mobile market – pads, phones, tablet PC rentals, etc. – it will have a potent OS offering real options. If users don’t like the Windows 8 “tile” user interface, for instance, they can easily switch to the “classic” Windows look. Windows 8 will be released in 2012, according to a Senior Marketing Executive.

Windows has always given users the freedom to choose software, hardware components and drivers, so providing a choice of interfaces builds on a core strength. CRE’s core strength is helping you break through challenges and workflow bottlenecks. Call or e-mail an expert Account Executive, or use the Quick Rental Quote form, and get hold of the solutions you need right now!