Nathalie Vera
Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Nividia
Nvidia, an American global technology company, just launched the first graphics processing unit for the cloud.
A GPU is a virtual platform that encompasses multiple aspects of the cyber world, including video games, computer apps and operating systems. With this GPU accessible through the cloud- a cloud being an online storage system accessible from any device with Internet access- virtually any digital information will be accessible from any screen.
For example, one could access other programs or applications without having to directly download them into their already-out-of-disk-space computers. The cloud allows access to games, utilities, documents and media to any device, including iPads, iPods and even smartphones, to name a few; basically anything with a screen and an Internet connection. It can even bring Windows to an iPad, or, in theory, allow gamers to play their game-such as the new “Diablo 3”- from any computer, even ones that don’t have the necessary game client. It can bring any software, anywhere, anytime, to the palm of your hand.
Nvidia Chief Executive Jen-Hsun Huang described in an interview with Venture Beat the strategic importance of cloud graphics.
“Now we have a GPU for the cloud, a virtual GPU. What that means is that a whole bunch of users can see one GPU and use it as if it were their own,” he said.
Huang further explained that through this new feature, multiple users can access an infinite amount of information through a data center, where they can utilize the available graphics from their own computers.
“It could be anywhere in the world. You just tell the GPU an address, and the bits coming out of the chip are sent to that address,” Huang said.
“I think this could be extremely helpful for the student population,” second-year psychology major Jeniffer Martinez said. “I don’t always have a flash drive with me, and being able to access my information from anywhere else would just be superb.”
Similarly, first-year undeclared major Karla Levano expressed her praise for the feature.
“It’s like Dropbox, but better,” said Levano. “I could access games and apps from my phone without having to re-download everything.”
Second-year environmental studies major Laura Somgohoian was enthusiastic about the possibility of running Windows on Apple products.
“That would be perfect for me,” she said. “It’d be like bringing the best of the PC and Mac worlds together.”
“[The virtual GPU] is completely empowering,” says Huang. It will be extremely helpful to the world’s 25 million product designers, who will be able to share with more ease their power graphics through this virtual platform without the need for specialized programs or the newest computers- they can now run high-end graphics applications on any device.
Surely, Nvidia’s virtual GPU could facilitate the life of many college students by transporting data into any gadget of their choice. Although this could potentially start the extinction of flash drives, it would finally end the war between Mac’s and PC’s, creating peace, and convenience, for all.