Cloud Computing is now an (un)official buzzword and every company and their granny is now making the foray. In some cases, the
attempt is completely half-hearted and half-baked, yes, we are talking about you, Best Buy, but in other cases, things are a little more serious and interesting. Tech giant Microsoft may not be the most nimble company around, but it is waking up to the newer challenges and does manage to throw a curveball every now and then.
Rumors are abound that the Redmond company is on the verge of introducing its Office Software in online version, which would mean that you would be able to access your Word docs, Excel spreadsheets and Outlook Email anytime, anywhere. Does this sound familiar? Well, it should, as that's exactly what Google Docs already do. Microsoft is expected to release new offering this Tuesday under the name of "Office 365".
Though Cloud Computing is gaining ground but so far most of the ventures are related to music storage only. Microsoft's Office 365 will be a major attempt for making Cloud more productive for enterprise level users. However, it would also raise concerns about the security of your data. Recent hack attacks have shown that even bigger companies tend to adopt lax attitude when it comes to secure users' data.
Google is already making ripples in this segment, however, the search giant is more popular with small and mid level businesses. Microsoft, with its long history and virtual monopoly, is likely to provide a stiff competition. Office 365 will also help Microsoft in grabbing a bigger piece of pie. The new product is expected to attract small business players who so far had been reluctant in installing Microsoft servers. Microsoft also said that it is looking to make Office 365 compatible with Non-Windows devices.