How the Google-Apple Cloud Computer Will Function

In his book, "The Big Switch: Rewiring the World, from Edison to Google," Nicholas G. Carr, a writer in the computer industry and former executive editor at the Harvard Business Review, examines the future of computing. He highlights a major shift toward cloud computing, where applications and files are housed on powerful, centralized supercomputers or networks. Users will access these files through more simplified, yet less powerful, devices than today's typical computers.

On October 17, 2007, Carr took his thoughts further with a post on his Rough Type blog. He pointed to Apple and Google as two technology powerhouses on the brink of a partnership. In this collaboration, Apple would create an affordable portable device, relying on the vast computing strength of Google’s data centers to manage and store applications and user data for millions.

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The concept of cloud computing is not a new one. Back in 2000, Oracle’s Larry Ellison launched the New Internet Computer (NIC) company to lead the industry toward this vision. The idea was simple: a low-cost device on your desk consisting of just a processor, a keyboard, and a monitor, with no hard drive or CD/DVD drive. It would connect to the Internet, linking to a central supercomputer hosting all your programs and data. However, the idea was ahead of its time, and the NIC struggled to sell due to limited broadband availability in the U.S. The company shut down in 2003 [source: PCWorld].

By 2006, nearly 75% of Americans had broadband access at home [source: Neilsen/NetRatings]. Could a partnership between Google and Apple bring cloud computing to the masses? And if so, what would be the benefit for Google and Apple? The biggest question remains: if they build the cloud computer, will anyone actually use it?

Read on to discover more about the future of computing.

A Googol of Power

A googol refers to the number represented by a one followed by 100 zeros. Google's name was inspired by its founders' ambition to track the vast amounts of information on the Internet [source: Google]. As the company evolved, it began offering a range of services beyond search, including Google Docs, a suite of Web-based applications that includes word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software. With Gmail, Google now directly competes with Microsoft in the corporate desktop arena. Unlike Office, Google Docs is entirely free.

These hosted services form the core of what a cloud computer would offer, making Google an ideal back-end partner for a hardware manufacturer. Google’s infrastructure, a network of powerful machines, provides incredible computing capacity. It also ensures redundancy—Google keeps multiple backups of its data, and if one machine fails, it can be swapped without losing information [source: Baker]. Storing data on Google's vast network means you wouldn't need to carry physical storage devices like thumb drives, laptops, or CDs. You could access and work on your files from home, work, or on the go using your mobile computer.

With a cloud computer, you likely wouldn't need to buy software. Hosted applications would provide everything your local device needs to function, without the need for local storage. There would be no need to update to newer versions, and everyone would be using the same cloud-hosted software, eliminating compatibility issues.

But what about those frequent travelers who need to work while flying? Cloud computing relies on an Internet connection, which is often unavailable on current flights, though some airlines plan to offer in-flight connectivity. In those cases, you might find yourself watching an in-flight movie or reading. You'd also need to be comfortable with Google, or another provider, hosting your documents online. Many corporations restrict their documents to internal networks, but would they change their policies if most business operations shifted to a cloud computing model?

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One of the major challenges in developing a cloud computer is the vast amount of electricity required to keep it operational. Google chose The Dalles, Oregon, for its data center due to the high-speed Internet powered by fiber optic lines and the nearby The Dalles Dam [source: Gilder]. The company needs enormous amounts of energy to run the cooling systems that maintain the thousands of servers. In fact, the two massive data centers each feature cooling plants that rise four stories high [source: Markoff and Hansell].

If Google hasn't already mastered the computing power needed to support a global cloud, it is certainly well on its way. But why would Google collaborate with Apple for the end-user hardware? Keep reading to discover Carr’s predictions and the opinions of his critics.

Why Google and Apple?

­Why are Carr and others convinced that Google is keen to create a cloud-computing network for the public? It’s not far-fetched. Google has become one of the world’s largest computing companies, and its interest in emerging technologies and business ventures is certainly no surprise.

In August 2006, Google CEO Eric Schmidt joined Apple's board of directors. When asked about the possibility of a collaboration with Apple in a December 2007 interview with Wired Magazine, Schmidt was clear: "Google's architectural model around broadband and services and so forth plays very well to the powerful devices and services Apple is doing. We're a perfect back end to the problems that they're trying to solve" [source: Vogelstein].

Carr suggests that Apple lacks the immense supercomputing power necessary to support the back end of this partnership. Few organizations possess such capability. According to Prabhakar Raghavan, Yahoo's head of research, only Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon have this level of power [source: Baker]. Google and Apple have maintained a longstanding partnership, and if Microsoft succeeds in acquiring Yahoo (as announced on February 1, 2008), the combined forces might be able to create a robust cloud-computing infrastructure.

Should Google and Apple form this type of partnership, Carr envisions the cloud computer they would create to look something like this:

In this arrangement, Carr suggests that Apple would sell the hardware, while Google would cover the cost of the servers through advertising, much like it does in other ventures. Schmidt stated that Google would provide as many of its services as possible for free, though advanced users may be required to pay for access to additional features.

Robert X. Cringely, the renowned technology reporter and columnist, concurs with Carr on the possibility of a Google-Apple cloud-computing alliance, but he also feels the partnership might be more complex than Carr envisions. Cringely suggests that Apple's former CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs' corporate philosophy could pose a challenge for Schmidt and Google. As Cringely puts it, "Schmidt (and Carr) see that Apple doesn't have the supercomputer, but Jobs just as firmly believes that Google doesn't know how to run the supercomputer it has, and besides, he can rent a supercomputer anytime he wants one, so there" [source: Cringely].

Cringely anticipates that Apple will produce the cloud-computing device that Carr envisions, but he believes Apple will also create various other cloud-computing devices at different price points. According to Cringely, Apple will take the lead in the partnership, with Google playing a secondary role.

Could Apple really find other partners to provide services to its customers? And if Google and Apple do team up, who could challenge them? Find out more about other efforts in cloud computing on the next page.

Other Cloud Candidates

The growing interest in cloud computing can be attributed to the efforts of various companies, not just Google. Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM are among the key players working towards making cloud computing a reality.

Two major competitors to Google, or a potential collaboration with Apple, may be joining forces. On February 1, 2008, Microsoft revealed its bid for Yahoo, which would strengthen both companies' efforts to challenge the search giant [source: Microsoft]. Yahoo brings substantial computing power, a popular web mail service, and the photo-sharing platform Flickr to the table. Meanwhile, Microsoft offers Windows Live, word processing software, and a calendar tool. With its Office suite already a fixture in offices nationwide, a Microsoft-powered cloud could become a formidable contender.

Another possible rival to Google could be Amazon.com, already a major player in online retail. Amazon's reach extends beyond retail, as Amazon Web Services offers cloud resources for small developers who need online workspaces [source: Amazon.com]. Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) provides users with computing power, while the Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) allows for file storage, and SimpleDB enables fast access to smaller files [source: Claburn].

In November 2007, IBM unveiled its Blue Cloud initiative, offering both hardware and software solutions to help customers build their own internal clouds [source: LaMonica]. The company had already joined forces with Google to deliver cloud services to six American universities a month prior. IBM aims to expand the program to include more universities, as well as corporate and government entities [source: Lohr].

Numerous companies, including Hewlett Packard, Dell, and Clear Cube, are designing hardware for use on cloud networks. However, you wouldn't necessarily need a traditional computer to connect to a cloud network; other devices like wireless phones can also link to the Internet. In January 2008, Google placed a bid for a U.S. government auction to obtain a 700 MHz radio frequency license that would allow them to operate a wireless phone service [source: CNET News.com]. Winning the bid would further propel Carr's vision. Google advocated for open-access frequencies for a range of devices, and the company succeeded: The spectrum became open-access when the bidding reached the $4.6 billion reserve price [source: Albanesius].

Despite Carr's optimistic view, as expressed in his blog post where he predicts the Google-Apple partnership will deliver results in "months, not years," no official announcement has come from either company. However, in January 2008, Apple introduced a product that shares some features with a cloud computer.

At the MacWorld San Francisco trade show, Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed its closest attempt at a cloud computing device: the MacBook Air. The device is less than an inch thick at its largest point, and Jobs famously removed the demo model from a simple manila envelope during the announcement. Weighing only three pounds, the MacBook Air achieves its slim profile by sacrificing the optical drive and some connections, including Ethernet. To keep it light, the battery is integrated in a way that prevents user replacement. Unlike a true thin client, however, the MacBook Air includes a hard drive, which can be either traditional or solid-state [source: Apple].

For the time being, Google and Apple have not officially partnered on a cloud device, and the MacBook Air is not exclusively tied to Google for storage and software.

To learn more about Google, Apple, cloud computing, and related topics, turn to the next page.