Apple to support offline downloads

Cloud content management platform Box.net has updated its Apple iPhone and iPad application to support offline downloads and background processing in iOS 4, says Silicon Republic.

This will allow users to download files and will give users the ability to work with them offline.

Aaron Levie, co-founder and CEO of Box.net, says the company is doing research with D7 Consulting in order to ascertain how the app is being used by small industries.

Cloud computing will drive an increase in server hardware sales, according to recent figures released by IDC, writes CRN.

Cloud computing technology, by many accounts, was supposed to slow hardware sales, but the dawn of private clouds, IDC found, could fuel $6.4 billion in server hardware spending come 2014.

According to IDC, server hardware revenue for public cloud computing will grow from $582 million in 2009 to $718 million in 2014.

Cloud computing is starting to radically alter the Indian IT business by offering benefits to companies, as well as individuals, reports Experian QAS.

According to LiveMint commentator Arun Katiyar, people who run a business can make good use of a cloud computing system such as web-based e-mail.

The columnist explained this helps companies do "three invisible things" - move the load of computing away from a desktop or laptop, cut down on the amount of storage space and backup devices.