Microsoft Windows 8

Microsoft Windows 8 is expected to be available Wednesday February 29th in Beta for Consumer Preview to download. Windows 8 has adopted the tablet style interface similar to Windows Phone 7 to go after the iPad / tablet market. You can still exit out to a traditional style interface. This may be what it takes for Microsoft to penetrate the tablet space and challenge the iPad essentially for the first time!

PC World Article “Microsoft Windows 8 Consumer Preview: What We Know So Far” by Jared Newman:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/250678/microsoft_windows_8_consumer_preview_what_we_know_so_far.html

PCWorld Slide Show, “Windows 8: A Close-Up Look” by Jared Newman: http://www.pcworld.com/article/239896/windows_8_a_closeup_look.html

IT Trends: Cloud Virtualization Growth

1. Increased usage of tablets and smartphones has dramatically changed internet access patterns. The percentage of internet usage by PC’s has dropped by 50% in three years. The proliferation of smartphones and tablets will continue for the foreseeable future.

2. Gartner estimates that 76% of enterprises will be pursuing a private cloud strategy in 2012.

3. Gartner projects that by 2015, business will broadly adopt a “hybrid cloud” infrastructure, and interoperability through virtualization is a key cloud driver.

Gartner Research
http://www.gartner.com

IT Priorities in 2012

Gartner recently survey CIOs and IT budgets are not growing so doing more with less will be the theme for 2012. When Businesses do spend the priorities are business intelligence and mobility.

Newsfactor Article: “CIO Spending Survey Spotlights Business Intelligence, Mobile Tech”By Jennifer LeClaire

http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=120003X2FMA0