Mainly comprised of entertainment and other personal content, the Personal Cloud resided primarily in a PC or server in the home and was generally accessible only to its owner and, in some cases, a small number of family members over a home network.
As social media applications and smart phone usage exploded towards the end of the decade, people started shifting their attention towards building up their Social + Mobile Cloud by posting their comments, photos, videos, and other content on online social networking sites either through their PC or mobile device.
As it continues to dramatically expand, fuelled by the rise of Big Data and the growing ubiquity of tablets, smart phones, and other smart devices, the Social + Mobile Cloud will see an exponential increase in the capture, production, and display of data and enable a new generation of richer, more personalized applications, services, and experiences. As a result, it has the potential to drive the emergence of a new class of intelligent embedded devices based on the Mini-ITX platform.
Social + Mobile Cloud
The proliferation of the Social + Mobile Cloud is being driven by the convergence of number of key trends that will enable an almost seamless relationship between people and the massive data storage and processing capabilities that are being brought online.
In addition to PCs, notebooks, smart phones and tablets, a new wave of smart devices equipped with increasingly sophisticated sensors will capture, process, and transmit an exponential amount of data between each other and to the Cloud. They will also convert and send it back to people in myriad useful ways that will enhance their daily lives, for example though smart phone or tablet apps or the growing number of screens in public spaces and homes.
Here is a brief overview of the key trends driving the proliferation of the Social + Mobile Cloud:
Big Data
The rapid growth of huge datacenters is providing massive Cloud-based data storage, production, and processing capabilities on an unprecedented scale. In addition to allowing people to post all their digital data online and access it anywhere from any smart device at any time, Big Data is using its raw computing muscle and software smarts to slice and dice increasingly huge volumes of data in ways that were never before possible - opening up the development of sophisticated new applications, services and experiences.
Appification
At the same time as Big Data is processing increasingly huge amounts of information, the profusion of apps is enabling people to consume and interact with it in convenient byte-size portions on their smart phone or tablet. Designed to enable people to do anything from reading their favorite magazines and recipes to tracking their diet and exercise regime, apps are becoming increasingly richer as more information is fed into them and they more closely understand people’s needs and preferences.
Smart Devices
The explosion in tablets and smart phone usage is just the first wave of a new wave of smart devices that will make the capture, processing, and display of data easier and more powerful than ever before.
These devices will include everything from smart clothing and jewelry that will capture and display data about the wearer and their surrounding environment (such as their heart beat, exercise levels, and location) to intelligent home appliances such as smart meters, refrigerators, wardrobes, and even beds that will help people better manage their home energy consumption, diet, health, and style choices – not to mention getting a better night’s sleep.
Sensors
Another key driver is the integration of increasingly powerful sensors in smart phones, tablets, and other smart devices that allow the automatic capture of a wealth of location, environment, health, and transaction data and transmit it to the Cloud for processing.
Accelerometers, touch interfaces, image sensors, video sensors, audio sensors, GPS controllers, QR codes, compass centres, and thermometers are just a few examples of sensors that are adding a new layer of functionality to smart devices and creating new ways for people to effortlessly capture and share data about themselves with each other and the Cloud.
Screenification
Along with the explosion in smart devices and sensors, screens of all shapes and sizes are being integrated into all manner of locations and devices, ranging from personal devices such as your smart phone, tablet, and notebook to much larger displays in public spaces and ultimately virtually every room in people’s homes.
Shopping centers, shops, tourist attractions, train stations, and other public spaces will play host to smart digital signage systems showing the latest promotions, schedules, events, and other information, as well as smart kiosks giving people immersive demonstrations of new products and services. When the smart kiosk recognizes the shopper through their mobile phone, it will, for example, not only display the latest special offers for clothes but also show how the person will look wearing a particular garment from multiple angles, and how it will coordinate with the other clothes in their collection, all in glorious high-definition video or 3D graphics.
New Applications, Services, and Experiences
The proliferation of the Social + Mobile Cloud opens up a myriad of possibilities for the development of innovative new applications, services, and experiences that will be automatically customized to meet the specific needs of each and every person.
By synthesizing multiple threads of data from multiple points of capture, these applications and services will not only be able to help people improve the way in which they manage their health, diet, exercise regimes, and other aspects of their daily lives but also create unique new experiences when shopping, traveling, or spending a night out on the town.
Smart Living in the Social + Mobile Cloud
So what will the proliferation of the Social + Mobile Cloud mean for you in your daily life? What experiences will it enhance and how will it change and affect your life in positive ways? Here are some examples.
A Smart Night’s Sleep
Waking up in the morning one day in the not-so-distant future, you’ll be blissfully unaware that you’ve been nourishing the Cloud all night as you slept. The amount of time you spent in deep sleep, your body temperature and weight, and your movements throughout the night will already have given the Cloud subtle clues as to the right vitamins you need to take and the breakfast choices you need to make to start your day on the right foot.
A smart bed might be just one way to permit you to share data with the Cloud using sensors embedded in your pillows or mattress that make transmitting information about your health as easy as taking a snooze. Other smart devices and apps that track everything from your heart beat rates, blood pressure, and other vital signs to your daily diet and exercise will enable you to build up a complete picture of your health that you can securely share over the Cloud with your doctor and other health professionals.
Shopping the Smart Way
While some people love to shop others only ever want to step into a store when they absolutely have to. So shopping smart will mean something different to everyone in the Social + Mobile Cloud.
If you are someone who enjoys visiting the shopping mall, instead of having to rely on advice from the store assistant about a sweater you are interested in, you will be able to step into a smart kiosk and see on a high-definition touch screen exactly how you will look wearing it from multiple angles and how it will coordinate with the other clothes in your wardrobe.
If you still can’t make a decision on whether to buy the sweater, you will be able to check your friends’ opinions and look up other people’s reviews and recommendations. And of course if you’re still not satisfied by then, you will be able to browse through other items and discover the hottest new fashions and trends.
If, on the other hand, you are in a hurry to make an urgent purchase, for example of a new suit for a business dinner that has been unexpectedly scheduled for that evening, the Social + Mobile Cloud will immediately provide you a shortlist of recommendations that match your style and purpose and m
ake sure it is delivered to your office in the afternoon. Based on the information it has about the people you are meeting, the company they work for, and the ambience of the restaurant itself, it might even recommend that you go California Casual rather than wearing more formal attire in order to avoid an awkward start to the dinner.
The Smart Way to Get There
Before leaving for the office in the morning, you will be able to find out the best options for getting there based on the latest traffic and public transportation conditions and forecasts and other parameters such as your budget, exercise regime, and whether you need to pick up some shopping on the way.
No matter whether you decide to take public transportation, walk, or drive, your daily travels are also about to get a lot more efficient and interesting thanks to the Social + Mobile Cloud. As a result of the process of screenification, information about the latest train, subway, and bus schedules will never be far away, and you will constantly receive the latest location-specific news, weather, entertainment, and personalized promotions on your smart phone or tablet.
Mini-ITX Platforms and the Mobile + Social Cloud
With its low power consumption, compact form factor, and advanced multicore processing and high-resolution video capabilities, the VIA Mini-ITX provides an essential platform for building intelligent, high-performance embedded systems that will take full advantage of the exciting new opportunities being created by the rapid expansion of the Social + Mobile Cloud.
Already widely adopted in POS and digital signage systems, the Mini-ITX platform will be at the heart of a growing number of innovative retail installations such as smart kiosks and multi-screen displays that provide consumers with highly interactive experiences in immersive environments. The Mini-ITX will also be the platform for similar interactive display systems in other public spaces, including train and subway stations, restaurants, parks, museums, and sports stadiums, where multiple threads of rich multimedia information are required.
Other segments in which the Mini-ITX will play an important role include in-vehicle transportation systems, logistics and fleet management systems, advanced medical devices, and of course in the home, where small, quiet systems will ultimately be required in virtually every room to run a host of richer entertainment, educational, health, shopping, and home control applications enabled by the Social + Mobile Cloud.
Conclusion
In its first ten years, the VIA Mini-ITX sparked a tremendous wave of innovation, leading the way in the development of smaller, more stylish, more powerful, yet more energy-efficient PCs, Thin Clients, and embedded systems. Over the next ten years, the pace of innovation around the Mini-ITX promises to be even faster as exciting new applications are developed around the platform to harness the almost unlimited potential of the Social + Mobile Cloud.
Table of Contents
Thanks and Acknowledgements
VIA would like to thank the following people for all their wonderful support and generous collaboration in the creation of this eBook, without them this would not have been possible.
Modders:
Luca Barzelogna, David Benz, Russ Caslis, Elliott D. Cooper, Ran Diyer, Geir Ergoy, Steve Goodman, Micke Gustafsson, Mark Harris, Will Hatcher, Travis Hydzik, John Kanemura, Lennie Moore, Steve Olsen, Mark Pepper, Brain Shoemake, Hayden Smith, Lincoln Stein, Jeffrey Stephenson, Graham Thonpson, Marco Venezia, Sean Wachob, Peter Watson, Jim Wiggins, Alex “Qtip 42” Wiley, Anthony Winn, Nick Young
Ewan Wilcox and Steve Randall of mini-ITX.com for sharing their passion for the Mini-ITX form factor and granting permission to their vast library of images and content.
Sascha Pallenburg of netbooknews.com for sharing his past experiences and enthusiasm for the Mini-ITX form factor.
Authors and Content Collection:
Richard Brown, Tim Brown, Fiona Gatt, Michael Fox, Pat Meier-Johnson, and Julia Hsiao.
Illustrations:
Edward Lin
Formatting and Publishing:
MetaPlume Corporation
Table of Contents
About VIA Technologies, Inc.
www.via.com.tw
VIA Technologies, Inc is the foremost fabless supplier of power efficient x86 processor platforms that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Combining energy-saving processors with digital media chipsets and advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon enables a broad spectrum of computing and communication platforms, including its widely acclaimed ultra compact mainboards.
Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA's global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world's top OEMs and system integrators. VIA is registered on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE 2388).
Table of Contents
(Disclaimer)
This eBook is designed to provide information about the subject matter covered, distributed with the understanding that the authors and the publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, fitness, weight loss, medical, or other professional services. If legal advice or other professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Every effort has been made to make this eBook as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes both typographical and in content. Therefore, the texts should be used only as general guides and not as the ultimate sources of the subject matters covered.
The authors and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information covered in this eBook.
Product names used in this eBook are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Table of Contents
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends