Port Washington, N.Y. – Cloud
computing is still quite a bit over the head of most consumers, an NPD Group
study found.
The “Digital Software and
the Cloud Report” found only 22 percent of those surveyed understood what the
term Cloud computing meant. However, more than 76 percent of the respondents
stated they have used Cloud computing services in the past year even if they
did not realize it.
“They might not always
recognize they are performing activities in the Cloud, yet they still rely on
and use those services extensively. Even so, they are not yet ready to
completely give up on traditional PC-based software applications,” said NPD’s
Steve Baker, industry analysis VP.
NPD said the top Cloud
applications used are email, tax preparation and online gaming
Baker said pointed to tax-preparation software as one application
that bridges the PC-Cloud divide among knowledgeable Cloud users and those less
savvy. He noted that both groups not only understand how to use the online
software properly, but it is a rare case where they are willing to pay for the
service.
“This might indicate a path to help consumers understand the
value of computing in the Cloud, and allow retailers and service providers to
monetize additional services,” he said.
