By Staff Writer – Boonsri Dickinson (@boonspoon)

Cloud computing. Get familiar with those words. You probably already use a cloud computing service. If you use Gmail, you know what it is. And programs like Salesforce.com operate on a cloud.

In general,  cloud computing is any program or service that is run on an Internet connection. The servers and software are taken care of externally, so small business owners don’t have to worry about storage issues in their headquarters.

There are choices. Some businesses pay a company like Verizon — so they are basically buying power from a utility. Or companies can purchase computing power on a cloud service to cut down on some costs. The Wall Street Journal reports:

Two years ago, HotSchedules Inc., of Austin, Texas, a privately held provider of online work-force-management software for restaurants, moved to sales-force software provided over the Internet by NetSuite Inc. President Ray Pawlikowski estimated that it would reduce costs by roughly 20% over the next five years after factoring in software, hardware, personnel and training expenses. The result was steady costs despite the company tripling its business, according to Mr. Pawlikowski. “For a small business where every penny counts, you have to look at this seriously,” he says.

But cloud computing isn’t for everyone. Some companies prefer to keep their information behind their own internal firewall.

Still, storage systems are the most expensive IT problem and when starting a business, one must consider all their options.

Cloud computing is becoming the preferred choice. However, the technology used for storage is like a dinosaur. Kevin Brown, the CEO of Coraid wants his start-up to change that. Brown wants to do for storage, what Dell did for servers.

Still confused? Watch the black and white video below:

Coraid is even storing our DNA. Our appetite for data will only grow.

Should You Use Cloud Computing For Your Start-up? is a post from: TechStartups.com

The hardware comes with something that everyone’s been asking for: more USB ports. (Four to be exact.) It’s sole network interface is still Ethernet, so you’ll need to have an extra port on your switch or router to link it up. The unit does have a nice design to aid in cable management, which is a plus, and it’s attractive enough that you won’t mind having it on your desk.

You can have it in any color you want, as long as that color is pink.

The software update includes a new drap-and-drop UI, multimedia slide shows, social media connecivity with Facebook, Twitter and MySpace and autosync with iTunes, Windows Media Player and iPhoto. You can play video right from the browser interface and access from the iPhone – a feature that many liked about the original PogoPlug, is still there.

The device costs $129 and is available for pre-order now. (Full press release below)

The one feature I want that didn’t make it into this model is RAID support – particularly RAID 1 drive mirroring. RAID 1 keeps two drives in sync, so you always have a live backup.

Bonus for Current PogoPlug Owners

Current PogoPlug owners will be able to upgrade to the new software giving it feature parity with the new model (sans the USB ports, of course.) Engadget has a hands-on photo gallery.

Second Generation Pogoplug™ Unveiled Today
Next-generation Hardware Design and Software Provide Enhanced Storage, Multimedia and Social Media Capabilities

San Francisco, Calif. – November 20, 2009 – Cloud Engines, Inc. unveiled the second generation of the award winning Pogoplug multimedia sharing device today giving consumers more flexibility to store personal content safely in the home and access, manage, and share it from anywhere on the Internet. The new Pogoplug hardware sports a new design boasting multiple USB ports supporting up to 4 external drives for expanded data capacity. The new Pogoplug also gives users improved sharing capabilities, an easy drag-and-drop interface to create engaging multi-media slide shows, seamless media playback, and enhanced sharing with friends on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Pogoplug acts like a gateway from your home or office through the Internet. It allows you to access, share and even stream your personal digital media directly to anybody, anywhere in the world. Your content always remains physically in your home or office, making it secure, convenient and available on your terms. Pogoplug is perfect for those individuals with increasingly mobile lifestyles and small businesses in need of simple, inexpensive mobile data access solutions.

“The reaction to the Pogoplug has been incredible. By listening to user feedback and following our own product roadmap, we are bringing a great second-generation product that gives our customers access to a host of new features that both improve the function of the Pogoplug, and add to the fun of using it as well.” said Daniel Putterman, CEO of Cloud Engines, Inc. “We are committed to giving our customers the best way to access their data from anywhere in the world, pushing the envelope with both product quality and design aesthetic. The result is what you see here today.”

NEW HARDWARE
The new Pogoplug design retains the simplicity and ease of use of the original while listening to consumer feedback and adding the ability to directly connect up to 4 external hard drives at once. The resulting product boasts an improved design with greatly improved functionality for users with multiple drives and an increasing need for easy synching and sharing of their digital libraries. This upgrade turns the Pogoplug into an even more prominent feature in the modern digital home or small business.

NEW FEATURES

Automatically Synchronize Photos, Videos, Music and Other Selected Content
Users can synchronize their Pogoplug with their PC or Mac to automatically import new content from popular applications such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, and iPhoto. This feature allows Pogoplug owners to “set it and forget it” and always have access to new photos, videos and music from anywhere on the Internet.

Drag-and-Drop Music and Photo Slideshows
Users can easily create and share fun and engaging slideshows using their stored photos, videos and music. Creating a slideshow with Pogoplug is as simple as drag and drop, and sharing these slideshows is just as easy as ever. Once a user’s link is shared and viewed, their slideshow will immediately begin with the photos, videos and music they selected, playing seamlessly in the viewer’s browser.

Easier Sharing with Pogoplug Address Book
Pogoplug Address Book greatly improves the speed and ease of use of sharing with a user’s friends and family. Pogoplug automatically remembers all email addresses entered in a user’s previous shares – even if that share no longer exists – and makes them available in an easy to use address book to make sharing truly one click away.

Global Search Across Multiple Drives and Pogoplugs
With support for multiple drives on a single Pogoplug (and multiple Pogoplugs on the same account) Pogoplug has added “global” search support across all of a user’s Pogoplugs and drives. Search filters are now a distinct feature, allowing users to view all of their photos, videos and music in a single organized view, or to search for a specific file across all Pogoplugs and drives.

Organize Your Music, Photos and Videos
Pogoplug automatically displays music by Album, Artist and Genre, and shows cover art for quick access to a user’s favorite music. Photos are now displayed by photo timeline and videos are only a click away, including the ability to watch a preview in the thumbnail itself.

Play movies directly from my.pogoplug.com, or even to the iPhone
Pogoplug now supports the playback of videos directly from a Pogoplug, with support for the most popular cameras, video cameras and mobile phones. Movies can be shared and viewed directly from the Pogoplug website – or even from an iPhone!

Pricing and Availability
We are currently taking Pre-Orders for Pogoplug at www.pogoplug.com Units will ship before the end of the year – just in time for the Holiday Season. The Pogoplug has a suggested retail price of $129, with no additional service fees.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/0

Second Generation PogoPlug Arrives, Sports More Drive Sharing Utility is a post from: TechStartups.com