Page 87 - DCAP609_CLOUD_COMPUTING

Cloud Computing

Notes list is simple, and Soocial runs imports in the background of the service to allow for free
browsing during information processing. Users can also individually manage each source to
cull only the most important, relevant or complete contacts from any given place, or filter every
new user into a special group.
Soocial also excels in general maintenance of contact lists. Rather than just providing a simple
sync, Soocial frequently backs up the entire contact list for safekeeping. That backup can then be
emailed to a specified destination or utilized in the event of a complete address book meltdown.
The service also boasts a batch deduper and cleaner, which can fix all URLs within the contact list
and remove formatting from phone numbers to keep a standardized look. Any changes can then
be easily synced to a mobile device with a simple tap of a button.

Cons

Soocial suffers from a lot of the similar challenges as Tacts in that there really isn’t much
interactivity beyond simple contact management tasks. Lack of integration from social networks,
despite the service’s rich source connections, can be a pain point for those who are looking for a
more comprehensive contact system that includes mainstays like Twitter. In addition, the lack
of smarter connections means that most of the time, the contact list looks woefully incomplete.
Users will have to be interested in completing their contact list one by one in order for Soocial
to feel 100% usable. However, this problem has the potential to be solved over time with further
integration with Viadeo, but it’s unlikely to help with English-speaking networkers.
Another difficulty that arises frequently with Soocial is that its basic tools seem relatively
lackluster. The deduper isn’t as strong as ones found on other services, and there really is no way
to see whether the cleaner did correct much formatting. Even more disheartening is that the
company’s Premium service, which costs $5 per month, doesn’t have enticing enough features to
merit an upgrade. For all of its good work, Soocial seems in-between products, and it’s begging
for a new direction.

Bottom Line

Compulsive backup fiends will enjoy Soocial’s easy, fast and secure syncing, but networkers
may find the system to be unappealing due to its startling lack of social network compatibility.
Soocial has the highest potential for a new and exciting pivot, but the jury’s out as to whether it
will benefit English-speaking countries.
Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
5. The blase nature of the traditional ……………… app can be taken or just as easily left in a
folder for minimal use.
6. A contact manager can incorporate new ………………….. services to transmit readily
available information from social media profiles directly into that contact profile.
7. ………………. supports imports from the usual suspects including Gmail and your
smartphone.

8. Hello collects location and time data to create an …………………….

6.3 Managing Projects

Cloud computing is particularly useful to support a lean and digitize approach to project
management. In this paper, a method is presented to take into account the opportunities of cloud

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