Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Hands up who wants to listen to Google blather on about cloud stuff? OK, a few of you. How about for nine weeks?

More than you could ever want to NOA about Google Cloud Platform

Next on Air As the tech industry ponders how to hold virtual events in place of the usual big barn jamborees, Google has come up with its own take on death by G Suite Slides: a nine-week digital event called Next on Air.

Microsoft is wrapping up its own virtual Build event today after just 48 hours, but that is not enough for the cloud number three, which believes it can hold industry attention for two whole months.

The Chocolate Factory originally planned an in-person event in San Francisco, but following the COVID-19 crisis, this mutated into what was to be Google Cloud Next Digital Connect on 6-8 April. Not long after, those plans were also scrapped, with Google saying that it would "hold the event when the timing is right."

Apparently that time comes in July, and again in August, and again in September. From 14 July to 8 September, the company is promising keynotes and "learning opportunities" pitching its services. Each week brings a different topic, varying from the vague wibble of "Industry Insights" in week one, to security (week 4), data analytics (week 5), data management (week 6) and week 8's cloud AI. The seventh week is devoted to "Application modernization", which at Google is code for its Kubernetes-everywhere initiative Anthos.

Our pick for the best chance of hearing something new is week 2, on "productivity and collaboration", which kicks off with veep Javier Soltero offering a "window into our newest innovations". Products covered include G Suite, Android and Chrome in business, Chrome OS, no-code development, and even a session on "the future of meetings in G Suite: Vision and roadmap" where you may learn how to hold your own virtual event.

The risk for Google, though, is that over such a lengthy period we will find it hard to see the difference between what is on offer during Cloud Next, and the normal flow of announcements, training and marketing. ®

 

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like