OwnCloud- An Open Source Cloud

Owncloud holds the idea that everyone likes personal cloud services, like Apple’s iCloud, Google Music, and Dropbox. But, many of aren’t crazy about the fact that our files, music, and whatever are sitting on someone else’s servers without our control. OwnCloud is an open-source cloud program. You use it to set up your own cloud server for file-sharing, music-streaming, and calendar, contact, and bookmark sharing project. As a server program it’s not that easy to set up. OpenSUSE, with its Mirall installation program and desktop client makes it easier to set up your own personal ownCloud, but it’s still not a simple operation. That’s going to change.

According to ownCloud’s business crew, “OwnCloud offers the ease-of-use and cost effectiveness of Dropbox and box.net with a more secure, better managed offering that, because it’s open source, offers greater flexibility and no vendor lock in. This makes it perfect for business use. OwnCloud users can run file sync and share services on their own hardware and storage or use popular public hosting and storage offerings.” I’ve tried it myself and while setting it up is still mildly painful, once up ownCloud works well.

OwnCloud enables universal access to files through a Web browser or WebDAV. It also provides a platform to easily view and sync contacts, calendars and bookmarks across all devices and enables basic editing right on the Web. Programmers will be able to add features to it via its open application programming interface (API).

OwnCloud is going to become an easy to run and use personal, private cloud thanks to a new commercial company that’s going to take ownCloud from interesting open-source project to end-user friendly program. This new company will be headed by former SUSE/Novell executive Markus Rex. Rex, who I’ve known for years and is both a business and technology wizard, will serve as both CEO and CTO. Frank Karlitschek, founder of the ownCloud project, will be staying.

5 Most Expected Android Apps of 2012

We have already seen great Android apps.But 2012, which is just around the corner, has some great apps in store for the open-source mobile platform. From amazing 3D games to ports of popular apps from other platforms, these are applications that users have been waiting for a long time. Let us have a look on some of the most anticipated Android apps for 2012.

Instagram: Instagram, which started as a photo-sharing application, has quickly become an internet sensation. This app allows users to take photos, apply filters, and then share those photos on popular social-networking sites. Even though Instagram is available only on iOS, it has more than ten million users worldwide. So, there is very little doubt that there’s a huge chunk of Android users eagerly waiting for the day Instagram arrives in the Marketplace.
Keeping in mind the huge demand for Instagram on Android, the startup has already started working on an Android app. According to Techland, the company’s CEO Kevin Systrom has confirmed that the team is already working on an Android app.So, since the app is still a work in progress, we can expect it to arrive anytime in 2012. Till then, you’ll have to make do with popular Instagram alternatives like Streamzoo or Lightbox.

VLC Media Player for Android: VLC is perhaps the most popular open-source media application around. Its simplicity, and the sheer number of powerful features it comes packed with, have made it the best cross-platform media player around. Come 2012, the VLC team will be bringing the same experience to your Android phone. Even though not much is known about the in-progress app yet, one can expect it to top the Marketplace charts soon after its release. The VLC brand name already has a huge amount of following, making it one of the most awaited apps of 2012.The Android application, which is in heavy development, is still in pre-alpha stage; however, if you’re itching to get your hands on it, you can always try out the early builds from XDA forums.

Firefox 10: Firefox’s mobile version will also get an update next year. Slated for an early 2012 release, Firefox 10 will come out with a slew of interesting features. One of the major updates in this release will be the addition of support for the recently killed Adobe Flash Player. Also, the update adds some essential security features like an antimalware/phishing frontend and a safebrowsing frontend.
On the performance front, expect a faster and smoother Firefox, as the release will include support for hardware acceleration using OpenGL ES. Overall, Firefox 10 brings an important set of features – except for the annoying Flash of course – that might finally give the open-source browser a much needed boost on this platform.

More High Quality, Tegra-based Games: When it comes to the infamous Android-iOS battle, gaming has been an area where Apple has repeatedly outshone the open-source mobile platform. However, recently, when a little-known game called Shadowgun appeared in the Android Marketplace, all eyes suddenly turned to the untapped prowess of Tegra devices. Soon, many developers started working on games that will run on Tegra 3 tablets and phones. Though some of the games have already come out, many are still under heavy development. Included in this highly coveted list of games are big titles like GTA 3 10th anniversary edition, Max Payne, Lost Planet 2, and more. Not only will these games give gaming on Android a much needed boost, they’ll also take the iOS-Android battle to the next level.

Jolicloud: Jolicloud, the popular cloud-computing operating system is planning on an Android application. According to the service’s blog, Jolicloud will be available as an Android app in the ‘future’. And, even though there’s no confirmed date as to when the app will come out, one can easily expect it to come out in 2012.Jolicloud has received a huge following not only among netbook users, but also among Linux users who are looking for a cloud-based Ubuntu alternative. Bringing the web app to Android means that JoliOS users will be able to access their data from anywhere.