"Cloud computing is the story of our lifetime," says Google CEO Eric Schmidt. "Eventually all devices will be on the network." Upstart Google and old-line IBM are forging an alliance to alloy their pioneering traditions in software and hardware in the cause of revolutionizing the acquisition and delivery of information technology. Gartner, which has studied and issued technical notes on the state of the concept, defines cloud computing as "a style of computing where massively scalable IT-enabled capabilities are delivered 'as a service' to external customers using Internet technologies." Basically, the hardware is pooled together and shared by all.
Microsoft, widely viewed as an arch competitor to both Google and IBM, has also joined the cause with systems for bringing cloud computing to the desktop.
Source: NewsFactor, http://www.newsfactor.com