Consumer Tech Forecast Calls for… Clouds

Nick Reynolds is director of marketing and strategy for Lenovo.

Remember when cell phones were only capable of making phone calls? Or when the only way to access the Internet was through a desktop computer?

It’s no secret that consumer expectations for technology have evolved at a blistering pace over the past several years. With the advent of smartphones, tablets and the cloud, consumers have now come to expect lightning fast connectivity, the latest whiz-bang features and powerful processing capabilities - all in increasingly thinner, lighter and ascetically pleasing devices. In order to meet consumer demand, everything we use to communicate, connect and consume simply has to be smarter, better and more tightly integrated.

This is why we at Lenovo are so excited to unveil our “Personal Cloud” vision, which seeks to provide consumers with a comprehensive solution spanning all of their devices – from smartphones to PCs, tablets and televisions. Throughout 2012, every consumer and SMB product Lenovo delivers will not only meet the core requirements of faster, thinner and richer, but they will also support Lenovo Cloud capabilities – which add up to greater access anywhere at any time.

The way we see it, while the cloud is often described in abstract terms, the reality is that it all comes down to access. We want to simplify how you access data as well as communicate and share with family, friends and coworkers. Because there doesn’t exist one Tolkien-esque device to unite all devices, our Personal Cloud integrates across many devices, allowing you to use what you have. From sharing music and photos, to playing games, watching high-definition videos and updating social networks, our cloud products allow you to access the entire realm of work and play to store and connect all your devices for a holistic digital experience.

For an interesting take on Lenovo’s Personal Cloud, check out the below video clip with actor and techie Christopher Knight, filmed by our very own Lenovo CES Correspondent on the eve of CES. Christopher shares his perspective on the cloud and why he thinks it’s important to integrate access for consumers across all four screens.

As the number two PC manufacturer in the world, we’re known for a legacy of highly-engineered and reliable personal computers. But our focus is growing to include a new goal – providing the best in personal cloud solutions to integrate hardware, software and cloud computing in one strategy that assists consumers in this “plugged in” age. In so doing, our hope is that we will yet again raise the bar for consumer technology expectations.

If you’re at CES, come on by to hear more.