Insights on Microsoft Azure, Google Chrome OS and Bluetooth 3.0. Also get to know what virtual servers are all about

Microsoft Azure

MICROSOFT Azure is an operating system that is available as a cloud computing service. This service would allow users to use the operating system and a wide range of applications and tools from anywhere. It was mainly developed for programmers, so that they could develop applications using the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment and the Microsoft.NET Framework. This platform thus reduces the overall cost of developing an application since programmers would only pay as they use rather than purchasing the entire developer kit. In the near future Microsoft promises to add more programming languages and tools for efficiency.

Google Chrome operating system

On July 7^th 2009, Google announced that they were in the process of developing an OS known as the Google Chrome OS. This operating system would be based on the Linux kernel. Google has also announced that the operating system is mainly targeted at netbooks , but it would work fine on desktops as well. Programmers will be glad to know that the operating system will be open source by the end of 2009. Google has also stated that the operating system would be completely different from the Android and would be targeted for users who spend most of their time on the internet.

Bluetooth 3.0

By now we all know what Bluetooth is. Many gadgets and cell-phones use Bluetooth 2.0 to transfer and receive data. So what’s new about Bluetooth 3.0? Well, it would feature an increased data transfer speed to transfer large audio and video files. The transfer speed has dramatically increased from 3 Mbps to 24 Mbps. It also includes a new feature known as the Enhanced Power Control that would reduce disconnects if the device is moved to a pocket or briefcase during data transfer. It also uses Generic Alternate MAC/PHY (AMP) which allows it to operate at Wi-Fi speeds. The only disadvantage is that if a device has a different version of Bluetooth, it wouldn’t be able to establish a connection with a device having Bluetooth 3.0. So if one has a multiple device supporting Bluetooth 2.0, he would definitely have second thoughts of purchasing a device supporting Bluetooth 3.0.

Virtual Server

A virtual server is a basically a partitioned drive on a main server. Multiple virtual servers can be created from a single server which would have capabilities of acting as a separate serve altogether i.e. a virtual server can run a full operating system as well as be rebooted without affecting other virtual servers. First, the physical server is booted in a normal manner. Once the boot process has been completed, a program is executed which then boots all virtual servers on a machine. Virtualization can be of two kinds i.e. software virtualization and hardware virtualization. Software virtualization is mainly used for web hosting services wherein the same kernel is used. In hardware virtualization, hardware resources are partitioned accordingly. Virtual private servers are mainly used for security purposes. For instance, if you require installing a software that might contain bugs, it would be wise to install and test on a virtual server so that the main server is not affected incase it contains any bugs.