Dude, We’re Working in the Cloud

Last week, I wrote about the unpredictable software development landscape for tablet computers and smartphones. The iOS (iPhone/iPad) has firmly established its presence, Android is picking up steam like locomotive, and Windows Phone 7 is making its debut.

I heard from a few readers. One in particular was an employee in a larger enterprise. He bent my ear about “working in the cloud.” He said their office apps were all heading towards being cloud-based, and he suspected that mobile GIS apps were headed that way, too. Essentially, he said that if your tablet or smartphone or whatever runs a compatible web browser, you’re ready for mobile GIS.

“Dude, we’re working in the cloud.”

That said, let’s cover the basics…

What Is “the Cloud” and Where Is It?

The cloud is essentially internet servers (computers) that run the applications your computer uses. These servers reside at companies that offer cloud services. Users connect to those servers via the Internet. For example, instead of installing Microsoft Office on your computer, you would access Microsoft Office applications on the cloud servers using your web browser. All you would need on your computer is a compatible web browser. Essentially, it’s off-loading the IT tasks to someone else. There’s no need to install application software on each desktop computer. With cloud computing, a lot of IT department overhead just disappears. In a true cloud environment, all of your apps reside on servers similar to the diagram shown below.

Source: Wikipedia.org

Some of you may be working in “the cloud” already with some of your apps. In my case, the vast majority of the apps on my computer are resident on my computer (I installed them). However, I’m writing this article with an app running in the cloud. I’m not even sure where the server is located. I connect to the cloud server(s) and log in using a standard web browser (Google Chrome at the moment).

I’m still uneasy with using cloud computing.

In my limited experience, I’ve had a few negative experiences:

1. The application responsiveness is dependent on Internet connection and cloud server capacity. I’ve experienced occasions where the app was running very slow (especially when integrating images) due to the server capacity and/or my Internet connection speed. It’s even worse when I’m accessing the Internet using my wireless data card while traveling.
2. I’ve had occasions when I’ve accidently pressed the wrong key on my keyboad and the application backed up to the previous screen, losing my work.
3. I’ve accidentally used the web browser running the app to perform a Google search, again losing my work.

In all fairness, I think #2 and #3 are a function of the app software rather than cloud computing. It should have an “Are you sure?” warning before taking the user away from the app screen.

Another major concern is information privacy. With cloud computing, every keystroke is sent out into Internet land. That makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Now, I’m sure cloud app providers like Microsoft and Google have thought this out pretty thoroughly, but I’m still hesitant about this. A New York Times article published in 2009 summarized my attitude the best: “Don’t put anything in the cloud you wouldn’t want a competitor, your government, or another government to see.”

Lastly, the pricing structure is much different than purchasing a CD with your application(s). Cloud computing typically charges a monthly per user fee. For example, Microsoft Office 365 (targeted at small businesses) is US$6 per month per user.

How Is Cloud Computing Going to Affect GIS Data Collection (Mobile GIS)?

The readers who contacted me in response to last week’s article all believe that cloud computing will dominate mobile GIS in the future. For the most part, they said that the operating system of the device, whether it’s iOS (Apple), Android (Google), or Windows Phone 7 (Microsoft), won’t be a major factor as long as the smartphone (or other mobile device) can run a web browser. Notice I haven’t mentioned BlackBerry much. I’m not sure they are a long-term player in this game.

Esri has already made its push into GIS cloud computing with its introduction of arcgis.com earlier this year, and then subsequent introductions and updates of its iOS ArcGIS app and API and plans for an Android app, and I imagine, Windows Phone 7, too. Cloud computing was, obviously, a major topic at the Esri International User Conference last summer.

I believe there will be many, many GIS apps for smartphones. It’s hard to debate that. One of our readers, Larry Evans, manages the GIS unit, among other things, for the State of West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. He also teaches undergraduate- and graduate-level courses on GIS at Marshall University.

Larry was kind enough to send some compelling slides from his course that illustrate the emerging smartphone boom. It’s no secret, but certainly makes one think about where we will be in five years with respect to mobile GIS.

Mobile Devices: Next Computing Cycle? (Courtesy: Larry Evans)

Wireless data growth (Courtesy: Larry Evans)

Mobile data growth (Courtesy: Larry Evans)

New Kids in Town (Courtesy: Larry Evans)

Larry writes:

The one thing I’m certain about in all this is that as the mobile side technology matures we’ll see much more powerful mobile apps that bridge that gap to professional mapping/surveying. As mobile begins to tap better into the potential of sensory networks, things get really interesting in a hurry. Future GPS chips, as we all know, will be an order of magnitude more accurate because of the greater number of SVs (GPS satellites) overhead and our ability to improve antennas and receiver sensitivities. I seem to recall you did a great little write-up of that not long ago. To sum up where my head’s at, I guess I’m in the “they will build it and it will come” camp on professional geospatial apps. Once I have the tools, then I’ll build my own solutions customized for the kinds of things I want to do geospat
ially.

While I’m sold on the fact that mobile GIS apps will experience tremendous growth on smartphones over the next few years, I’m not so sure about professional geospatial apps like ArcPad, TDS Solo, Carlson SurvCE, Trimble Terrasync, Topcon Topsurv, CMT Field CE, etc. I’m not convinced for a couple of reasons.

First of all, the market size for those apps is really not very big, which makes it difficult to justify the development cost of moving to an iOS or Android. However, the bright spot would be Windows Phone 7, because that would be a migration of software (Windows Mobile to Windows Phone 7) rather than a rewrite.

Secondly, smartphones aren’t going to eliminate the industrial handheld data-collector market. Data collectors from TDS/Trimble, Juniper Systems, Handheld, Getac, Leica, Topcon, etc., will still have a place in the professional geospatial fields such as forestry, surveying, engineering, GIS, and construction. In those applications, smartphones are not robust enough (physically) to be trusted when a hardware failure can cost thousands of dollars in lost data and/or productivity.

Webinar (January 26, 2011): GPS SBAS, DGPS or Post-processing? Which One Should You Use?

If you are using or plan on using GPS for mobile GIS, you should seriously consider attending this webinar.

Learn the real story behind each of these technologies without a salesperson’s bias.

Tens of thousands of users around the world utilize GPS/GNSS receivers for mapping, surveying and navigating. Since autonomous GPS/GNSS typically does not provide the needed accuracy, users must rely on a source of GPS/GNSS corrections. There are three sources of GPS/GNSS corrections available to users who desire reliable GPS/GNSS accuracy in the sub-meter to three meter range: SBAS, DGPS and post-processing. Dr. Michael Whitehead, VP of Technology at Hemisphere GPS, will join me in presenting a background on the three technologies as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each.

I’ve known Mike for a number of years. He was an early innovator in the development of SBAS technology at Satloc as well as SBAS and DGPS receiver technology at Hemisphere GPS. He is one of the leading GNSS engineers in the world. I’m particularly excited about this event and promise a lively discussion that’s full of useful information, data, and concepts that anyone using or considering using GPS/GNSS for mapping, surveying, or navigating will find useful.

Geospatial Solutions Weekly holiday schedule

We won’t be publishing the Geospatial Solutions Weekly newsletter for the next two weeks. The next issue will be emailed to you the week of January 3, 2011. However, we will continue to post news items on our website and I will continue to “Twitter” when I come across something interesting.

Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GPSGIS_Eric