In response to http://on.mash.to/iaMoCH : Putting all our needs in the “cloud” and the drive to have a model such as Google Chrome is purely Corporate Self Interest and NOT beneficial to the Consumer. Hype and the search for the next big thing is killing our industry.  I would like to see us all connected ubiquitously at a reasonable cost first because that is fundamental to any ‘cloud strategy’.    Clearly the connection costs are not Google’s problem so their model has nothing to do with the populous.  Why?  Well this Chrome-Cloud strategy assumes that we are all ALWAYS connected to the Internet and the www is always available to us.   In Europe this is not the case.  Just one example would be this:  I get up and check my morning email on my Mac Book Air downloading them to work on later.   I am off on a business trip so I get in the car for the airport and always have an hour margin before the flight leaves.  I want to connect to the Internet.  I have to pay 20euros access fee at the airport so do NOT get access.   I fly to Munich with a 2 hours layover and if I want access to the “cloud” it is another 20euros.   I dont connect.  The next flight takes me on to Poland and my Hotel wants 20euros per day connection fee.   The office the next morning in Poland is my next point of connection.  During the journey my Smartphone is available all the time BUT only active for data (included but limited) in the country I live.  Roaming charges are horrendous so I dont generally connect unless its an emergency.   A simple trip that many business people do on a daily basis to multiple destinations is all said and done, in Europe, cost prohibitive.   My trip to Poland would, to be connected, have cost me 60euros for a mere 3 hours of connectivity.  So who really wants the “cloud” strategy?  It is most definitely the Telcos and ISPs who need it in order to make money from the “need” to be connected.  If we move it all on the cloud we all pay more…I worked during that journey on my Mac without the need for Internet. Locally not in the “cloud”… Read 3 Newspapers for the news in 2 diffetent languages. Watched TV in the airport lounges and my hotel for business news and entertainment and all it cost me – nothing extra – as the TV and newspapers were given out by the airlines, airports and hotels as part of the service … the flights are starting to offer or might do internet access but at another “connect to the cloud cost”.  Putting it all on the web suits only Corporate Self Interest not the Consumer.