Talks of a post-PC era may be overly optimistic, but when the second-largest PC maker in the world snaps up a software firm just to shore up its "PC-plus" offerings, it's safe to say mobile computing is here to stay. This morning, Lenovo announced the acquisition of Stoneware Inc., a company that specializes in cloud software that allows you to access your files from multiple devices.
Though Stoneware's background lies in government and educational sectors that Lenovo will likely continue to cater towards, the grand vision for the company entails leveraging Stoneware's technology to create both consumer- and enterprise-focused cloud services for Lenovo customers. Lenovo VP Mark Cohen told Bloomberg that the company wants to build a "public cloud" similar to Apple's iCloud, but integrated into Lenovo's PC and mobile offerings.
Lenovo, like most PC manufacturers, is working hard to expand its tablet and smartphone lineup. Adding a baked-in cloud storage service could help the company stand apart from its competitors, especially if it offered automatic synching between devices.
The Stoneware team will be joining Lenovo over the next few weeks, though the formal acquisition isn't expected to be completed until the end of the year. Cohen told Bloomberg that consumer-facing cloud options by Stoneware are expected to start popping up in Lenovo devices sometime in "the next couple quarters.”
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