via Smart Mobs I read of IBM's research, as reported in New Scientist:
Personal computers could soon fit entirely on a key ring. Researchers at IBM in New York, US, have developed a way to carry a powerful, personalised virtual computer from one PC to the next, without losing the user’s work. The trick is to store the virtual computer on a USB key, or any portable device with substantial storage space, like an MP3 player.
The virtual computer’s "soul" - as the researchers dub it - can then be uploaded to a new PC simply by plugging the portable device in. This host machine needs no special software or even a network connection to take on an entirely new personality.
The SoulPad system does not provide an instant switch, however. A user must typically wait a couple of minutes while the software configures the host system for use. It uses three separate layers of software - a base operating system that automatically configures the host computer's various components, a layer of encryption to keep sensitive data secure, and a "virtual machine" containing the user's portable computing environment, for example, their web browsers, word processing or music software
As I moved on in my aggregator, I was thinking about whether this, a portable, take-it-along-with-you device will be the future of personal computing, or will it be found on the web? And no sooner had I formed the question than I read Richard MacManus on just this news:
I can easily envisage a time in the future when we will not require a physical device to store one's computer "soul". I suggest that before long, you will be able to store all of your personal data on the Web. The IBM SoulPad is just an intermediary step towards a SoulWeb. Because why would we need a small mobile device when we can store everything on the Web?
