Must Read: Sorry, but bringing back the Start menu won't help Windows 8

Topic: Lenovo

Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

Summary: Lenovo wants to be seen as a "personal cloud solution" provider more than a PC manufacturer. Acer also gets cloud happy.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

The Consumer Electronics Show has barely kicked off and the outlook is decidedly cloudy.

First Acer outlined its cloud plan, which revolves around basically copying other services. Sync your documents and pictures across devices---as long as they're Acer. Sound familiar? You bet. Acer cribbed everything that Apple, Amazon, Google and others do.

Right after Acer's move. Lenovo launched its "personal cloud" vision. Lenovo's pitch: Bridge four screens including TVs, smartphones, tablets and PCs. Of course, your mileage will vary. For instance, Lenovo's smartphone footprint is limited to China.

Also see: CNET's CES coverage and Join us for Lenovo's CES 2012 press conference (Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. PT) | Lenovo IdeaPad Z, G, and Y series updates focus on better graphics, not much else

In Lenovo's statement, the company pretty much outlines the deal with its cloud service. Hardware companies can't merely make laptops that are a toaster-like commodity. Lenovo wants to be seen as a "personal cloud solution" provider more than a PC manufacturer.

Lenovo's Liu Jun, senior vice president and president of the company's mobile internet and digital home unit, said:

“Lenovo is breaking down the barriers of device differentiation and weaving together hardware, software and cloud services that are connected, experiential and dynamic. We understand our users need more than just the traditional keyboard and screen for a truly satisfying digital experience. Our Personal Cloud vision integrates all devices, from tablets to TVs, for a comprehensive mobile Internet experience anytime, anywhere."

The challenge for Lenovo is simple: CES is already looking cloud happy. These hardware vendors---err personal cloud service providers---are going to cancel each other out.

Topics: Lenovo, Hardware

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

22 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Forget it

    Any vendor who says 'my idea of a personal cloud is that you the customer are locked into my products' ...
    ... is going to find blue skies over my computing.

    All that is great (or at least tolerable) in computing has been achieved by interoperable standards:
    - the Internet
    - the x86 architecture
    - even Flash!
    ...
    - down to the simple USB connector and specification
    - and the supply of electricity

    Acer, Lenovo, ..., Apple - take a hike!
    johnfenjackson@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @johnfenjackson@... Great comment. Spot on.
      micklej
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @johnfenjackson@... Great comment. Spot on.
      micklej
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @johnfenjackson@... I totally agree. I'm also concerned with the word "cloud" as a marketing gimmick that makes you believe your data lives in heaven. What happens to all of the data if any of these organizations go out of business?
      rsavage@...
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @johnfenjackson@... Boom! Dead on. These companies can sell that cloud drivel to the 'average cat'; but as for myself, I can handle my own backups and create a cloud solution that works for me!
      C. Imanon
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @johnfenjackson@... I believe you are precisely correct. Universal access through non-proprietary standards IS the future...now.
      Apple may win the short term battle with it's "family" of products, and I certainly admire the integration vision that Jobs brought to the marketplace, a vision which needs adoption and furtherance by ALL the other players.
      In the end, there can be, and there will be NO proprietary standards which limit universality; product manufacturers and designers will have to produce features and applications based on recognizing this fact. Manufacturers have always yearned for the "holy grail" a patented, un-copyable product so useful and in demand that they could write their own ticket, price for enviable, jewelry-store-like margins, and enjoy the rewards forever. Sounds like fairyland, right? Well, that's kinda how Microsoft started, isn't it? Perhaps in specialty markets and specialty applications such products and usage can survive and prosper, but not in mass markets.
      BaltimoreBarry
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

        @BaltimoreBarry And that is how Apple still does it
        dundee60
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

    No one really cares what Acer makes...yea, I said it.
    dtdono0
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @dtdono0

      Why is it that everybody likes to bash on Acer. I've only had good computing experience with their computers. In my experience as being the "support guy" for my friends, I've seen much more problems with HP/Compaq computers than with Acer.
      lepoete73
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

        @lepoete73 Let Acer and Lenovo earn the reputation that they want (wish) to have. For one thing, show me an Acer or a Lenovo 10 inch pad with ICS android and working java browser so I can do real work, connected to REAL websites that run more than just flash and youtube. Oh, it has to be less that $150, battery last for more than an hour, decent graphics res (for real work, see). One more thing: I have to be able to actually try it out before I buy it. Any questions?
        tavent
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

    I really wish everyone would stop using "Cloud" as a catch-all for every bit of data that a device sends to the internet that then stays there for an indeterminate period of time. That pretty much could be said of any "connected device" -- and every connected device is singing "cloud"

    Dumb.
    genewitch
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @genewitch
      Blasphemous!!! I tells ya'... Just blasphemous !!!

      Now; Get inline online, kneel down on your CC prayer mat before the Cloud Gods and ask to be forgiven. Then; Buy some Cloud Gear and attend some Cloud Services (Most are held on Black Fridays...) so that you might be saved and spared from a smiting by the Almighty Prophets of Marketing.

      Long Live the PC. (In whatever form, shape, size or color I prefer....) Long Live the PC !!!
      ACSPCTECH
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

    Very nice, your post is outstanding. Thanks for sharing this post i will share with my friends too. http://www.chatde.net
    sohbetodalari
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

    the cloud you my info in the cloud and i will sue you
    ttx19
    Reply Vote

  • Cloud computing: bogus

    Cloud computing is a big benefit to corporations, but little benefit to it's users.<br>1. If corporations can get us all, like sheep, to switch from desktop applications, then...<br><br>a. they won't have to spend all the time and money it takes to produce useful programs for PC's (& Macs, & phones, & tablets) all with different OS's, different hardware, etc.<br>b. Corporations can then just create this 'cloud' where their programs reside: Spreadsheets, word processors, databases, etc. that don't need tweaking to all our different needs and systems.<br>c. They can just sit back, collect money as usual, but with very little effort or work on their part. <br><br>2. Benefit to users is:<br><br>a. We won't have to buy expensive programs for our PC's, and will have access to our data from anywhere, any computer. hehe... until they close the door to this cloud. when they decide to shut it down, or trade it to another corporation, who decides it's not worth the little trouble it causes... and shuts it down. Or it gets hacked, or the power fails, or they sell our data we have stored there to other corporations as another source of income without having to do anything to earn it.<br><br>Sounds like a slam dunk... for corporations; OF COURSE they are all jumping on the CLOUD bandwagon...
    billtech66
    Reply Vote

    • Cloud Computing: bogus

      @billtech66 <br> computers are believed to be more important in human history than the invention of the wheel was.<br><br>Look how computing & the internet has empowered us:<br> we can communicate like never before.<br> we can see what is really happening everywhere in the world.<br> Inspiring revolution...<br> Corporations don't like that.<br> They want to continue to manipulate and control us.<br> They produce devices to distract us: iphones, tablets that are mainly for news (propaganda, brainwashing), Movies, Games, texting friends about the news (propaganda, brainwashing), Movies, games...<br> AND distract us from the fact that only one percent of the world holds over 90% of it's wealth.<br><br>So, cloud computing is them taking more control. Or trying to...
      billtech66
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

      @billtech66 Some of what you offer is indeed worrying. I suspect however, that if government and the markeplace do their jobs through competition and transparency,we'll wind up with greater product and application choices, more access at greater speeds, more efficiency in health, education, and personal life to live as we choose.
      And, if I were to pick the greatest threat to all that, it would be government or monopiolistic control. This is one of the reasons that I have advocated for separaion of Content from the Broadband marketplace-the lack of which has resulted in the geo and marketshare monopolies now enjoyed and lobbied so strenously be Cable and Telco, and Wireless is also coming on strong.
      This lack is also the reason that the U.S. ranks 17th, even behind third-world countries which have prevented this.
      Second greatest threat? Personal security.
      BaltimoreBarry
      Reply Vote

  • Lenovo? [Laughing] No way.

    I read about Chinese manufacturers stealing and infringing on U.S. patents, and about all the hacking the Chinese are doing to get access to U.S. corporate and government data...

    What dimwit would then PAY to give his data to the Chinese?!
    Tom007
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Commodity hardware makers get cloud religion at CES

    All of these posts have been spot on! It becomes patently obvious that in a market economy it's consumer control that serves individuals. The moment the provider assumes more complete control we immediately begin to experience exploitation. If the providers want to present themselves as beneficial to users then provide the backbone as an Opensource initiative. That might fiegn a more realistic beneficience.
    toodevastate
    Reply Vote

  • I look at clouds from both sides now...

    I can imagine what this would mean for hackers, we could name viruses after hurricanes... maybe.
    newdawn20042001@...
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close