Computing in the clouds

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Google Apps and Virgin America are bringing us all the fun of a scavenger hunt – only this time it’s online. ‘Day in the Clouds’ on the 24^th June is designed to promote cloud computing (storing and accessing data online rather than on your hard drive and working on it via web apps).

Cloud computing means no more installing software and saving files on your computer. You can just log into your Google email account and access your info from anywhere. Google teamed up with in-flight internet pioneer Virgin America to launch an online scavenger hunt played simultaneously in the air and on the ground. Participants will arm themselves with an array of Google apps, answer questions and navigate their way to prizes.

The idea is to promote the concept of cloud computing among consumers, who are largely unaware that their e-mail, photo-sharing and social networking activities tend to rely on 'the cloud'. It also aims to build momentum for Google Apps and Virgin America's in-flight Wi-Fi service which will be free on June 24.  

Travellers on Virgin America will be able to play while on board and top scorers can win a Hewlettt-Packard notebook with 1 terrabyte of Google account storage for photos and mail. Virgin America is offering a year of free flights.

The actual ‘hunt’ will last an hour but to entice users to play on the day, a ten minute teaser version is available online at www.adayinthecloud.com now. A Gmail account is needed to take part and a sound knowledge of Google will help as some, but by no means all, questions surround its apps. 

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