Zencoder performed some initial comparison tests of Google Compute Engine versus Amazon EC2 for transfering and transcoding video.
“On EC2, we use Cluster Compute instances, which are fast dual-CPU machines in two sizes: 4XL and 8XL. We compared these with the fastest GCE instance type, which is currently a single-CPU 8-core server.”
Here’s one of their resulting charts:
Read the full post for details.
CaptureToCloud is announcing the launch of its new Social Workspace that, for the first time, allows users to capture any type of digital content to share or collaborate with anyone on any device in the cloud. CaptureToCloud was developed for professionals and SMB’s to deliver a unique Social Workspace and is tightly integrated with Google Apps. CaptureToCloud offers both a free and premium service and is available in the Google Apps Marketplace, Google Chrome Web Store, Google Play and at www.capturetocloud.com.
“Digital content is evolving rapidly, packing more information and coming in many different forms; yet the tools to capture, organize and share content have not progressed at the same pace,” said Ramon Nunez, CEO, CaptureToCloud. “Successful organizations and individuals rely on timely and relevant information and need a practical and efficient method to capture any digital content in their normal workflow, retain its original form and structure, and include it in private social conversations.”
CaptureToCloud changes how people work with content and moves beyond the traditional file-centric mentality. There is no longer a need to convert content from its original format into a file or to keep important but different types of content in different places. With the click of a button, users can capture Internet content or drag and drop items from Google Drive or files from Dropbox into their Social Workspace. Users can then organize content into topical or thematic collections and share them with anyone via email, Facebook, Twitter or CaptureToCloud while retaining control of their content. Users can engage others in private conversations that include people from inside and outside the firewall and integrate relevant content to work smarter and transform information sharing and decision-making.
“We deployed CaptureToCloud across our organization to make our team more productive,” said Oscar Garcia, CEO of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. “CaptureToCloud makes it easy to capture virtually any type of content in our normal workflow and work collaboratively with anyone in or outside our organization. The integration with Google Apps is a huge plus and being a cloud app makes it easy to install and manage.”
CaptureToCloud is also mobile and is the first app to capture mobile web pages. Mobile users not only have access to their content libraries, but can send, share and comment from their mobile devices while on the go.
“CaptureToCloud has fundamentally changed how our team works with digital content when collaborating with others,” said Jim Weldon, managing director of ePopDev. “Having all the relevant content for a project in one place and integrated with Google’s real-time document collaboration suite is genius.”
For more information visit www.capturetocloud.com.
CaptureToCloud is announcing the launch of its new Social Workspace that, for the first time, allows users to capture any type of digital content to share or collaborate with anyone on any device in the cloud. CaptureToCloud was developed for professionals and SMB’s to deliver a unique Social Workspace and is tightly integrated with Google Apps. CaptureToCloud offers both a free and premium service and is available in the Google Apps Marketplace, Google Chrome Web Store, Google Play and at www.capturetocloud.com.
“Digital content is evolving rapidly, packing more information and coming in many different forms; yet the tools to capture, organize and share content have not progressed at the same pace,” said Ramon Nunez, CEO, CaptureToCloud. “Successful organizations and individuals rely on timely and relevant information and need a practical and efficient method to capture any digital content in their normal workflow, retain its original form and structure, and include it in private social conversations.”
CaptureToCloud changes how people work with content and moves beyond the traditional file-centric mentality. There is no longer a need to convert content from its original format into a file or to keep important but different types of content in different places. With the click of a button, users can capture Internet content or drag and drop items from Google Drive or files from Dropbox into their Social Workspace. Users can then organize content into topical or thematic collections and share them with anyone via email, Facebook, Twitter or CaptureToCloud while retaining control of their content. Users can engage others in private conversations that include people from inside and outside the firewall and integrate relevant content to work smarter and transform information sharing and decision-making.
“We deployed CaptureToCloud across our organization to make our team more productive,” said Oscar Garcia, CEO of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. “CaptureToCloud makes it easy to capture virtually any type of content in our normal workflow and work collaboratively with anyone in or outside our organization. The integration with Google Apps is a huge plus and being a cloud app makes it easy to install and manage.”
CaptureToCloud is also mobile and is the first app to capture mobile web pages. Mobile users not only have access to their content libraries, but can send, share and comment from their mobile devices while on the go.
“CaptureToCloud has fundamentally changed how our team works with digital content when collaborating with others,” said Jim Weldon, managing director of ePopDev. “Having all the relevant content for a project in one place and integrated with Google’s real-time document collaboration suite is genius.”
For more information visit www.capturetocloud.com.
There have been some exciting announcements and fascinating news articles recently regarding cloud services and service providers. Every week we will round up the most interesting topics from around the globe and consolidate them into a weekly summary.
Hitch a Ride Through Google’s Cloud
Your Gmail box lives somewhere in the jumble of servers, cables, and hard drives known as the «cloud» but it often migrates in search of the ideal location. Find out what happens when you hit send.
The Future of Data Centers: Is 100% Cloud Possible?
Guest blogger Robert Offley explains how the market is shifting today, what barriers remain for total cloud adoption, and if an evolution to 100% cloud is likely to occur.
Big Data is Worth Nothing Without Big Science
As with gold or oil, data has no intrinsic value, writes Webtrends CEO Alex Yoder. Big science, which bridges the gap between knowledge and insight, is where the real value is.
The Hottest IPO You’ve Never Heard Of
With an expected valuation of close to $100 billion, it’s understandable that no one can stop talking about Facebook’s initial public offering this week. But while Facebook basks in the social media spotlight, companies tackling tough business problems are exciting investors, if not consumers. Workday, for example, is expected to be among the largest IPOs this year in the business software market.
Five Busted Myths of Cloud Security
“Cloud” is one of the most over used and least understood words in technology these days, so it’s little surprise that there’s so much confusion about its security. This article busts 5 myths about cloud security.
Also in the news:
Guest Post by Sharon Shapiro of Cloud Sherpas
Although it only entered the cloud computing market in July 2011, Microsoft has already made a name for itself with Office 365, its hybrid cloud solution available to businesses. But despite its initial climb, Microsoft has yet to catch up to Google when it comes to cloud computing.
Google has worked as a cloud service provider, with its fully-based cloud solution Google Apps, since 2006. Google offers customers four different cloud computing platforms (business, education, government, and non-profit) and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, including service and updates, that it regularly exceeds. In contrast, Office 365 is currently available only for businesses and has had issues meeting its promised 99.9% uptime, which does not include service and updates. Google Apps pricing is also much lower than Office 365 pricing, with the highest priced Google Apps platform (business) operating at $50/user/year and the lowest Office 365 plan operating at $72/user/year. But a lot of that is about to change as Microsoft has announced news that it hopes will bridge the gap.
First, Microsoft recently announced that it will be cutting the price of Office 365 by up to 20 percent. Microsoft says this is because it now costs less to run the hybrid cloud platform than it did when Microsoft first introduced Office 365 last July.
Second, Microsoft says it will soon add a new plan – Office 365 for Education – which will widen the customer base. The release of Office 365 is clearly an attempt to compete with the success of Google Apps’ free education platform.
Although lowering its prices and adding a plan for educational institutions are steps toward competing with Google Apps, Microsoft still has a big gap to close. Google Apps will still boast more platforms (government and non-profit, in addition to the free version that many people use in their personal lives) and five more years of experience in the cloud. With this greater experience, comes enhanced cloud service, as Google Apps is a fully cloud-based solution that offers its users complete universal access and proven reliability. In contrast, it is important to remember that Office 365 is still a hybrid cloud solution that requires on premises servers and that, when it comes to document creating capabilities, works best in conjunction with Microsoft Office installed on a desktop. Both of these necessities limit the mobile access that Office 365 users can enjoy. Additionally, Office 365 has already been plagued with a number of outages that have resulted in significant amounts of downtime for users across the world.
These key differences between Office 365 and Google Apps may be part of the reason why the governments of major cities, like Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, trust Google Apps for their communication needs.
While Microsoft’s price cut and addition of an education plan will definitely improve the Office 365 cloud suite, these changes will certainly not put Microsoft and Google on an even playing field, as Google still boasts more authority, reliability, and a wider range of services.
