My bet on what's next for Apple server offering

So, Apple is killing the Xserve:

The news of Xserve death doesn't seem to affect its customers too much though:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20024209-260.html

Existing Xserve customers have been complaining a lot, but they mostly accepted the idea and decided to move on, using their existing servers until they die.

Let's pause for a second and look at what happened with Java:
Although the initial news seemed dire, Apple already had an answer up its sleeves. Given the company's tendency to secrecy, it didn't announce anything ahead of time. But an alternative was ready before the grim announcement.

Now let's look back at the issue at hand, Xserve. Saying that Apple isn't interested in the enterprise market sounds stupid. Recent news seem to indicate otherwise:

In the meanwhile, Apple is building a brand-new, state-of-the-art data center:

Please bear with me for a couple more minutes and note the following points:
  • System administrators all over the world can explain the benefits of cloud-based servers versus having to manage their own server infrastructure
  • License terms do not allow Apple software to run on non-Apple harware
  • Historically, Apple has been all about controlling the experience and providing what it considers an optimal user experience
  • The current UX of managing a server farm is complex and expensive
See where I'm heading? So, here's my bet:

At some point in the future, Apple is going to introduce an enterprise-grade, cloud-based server offering. It might have to do with management of a fleet of iPads / iPhones at first, but it will exist, under one form or another. And yeah, it will probably be "magical" and "revolutionary" ;-)

Or maybe I'm just plain wrong and Apple is exiting the enterprise market altogether...

UPDATE: CRINGELY AGREES
This is also their corporate strategy. Apple sees companies abandoning IT departments in favor of simply passing out iPads and MacBooks – already networked out of the box  to secure storage, email, and collaborative services. In typical Apple fashion, this strategy completely does an end-run around the status quo, revolutionizing the way businesses think about computing. Why else would Apple abandon their corporate server (xServe) strategy?

The day I almost got my picture taken right

So earlier today I was trying to get my picture taken so that I could at last start getting driving classes and one get a driving license. I had all the required papers with me, missing only 5 pictures of my face to get started.

I go to the photo-taking machine, insert the needed coins in the machine and try to proceed to getting my picture taken. That's when the fun begins. I'm met with a blank screen, guided in the process only by the machine's voice. I try a couple button combinations, manage to switch the machine's language from French to English, then back French again, but still - no picture taken. I fiddle with the buttons a bit more, start getting frustrated at the 5 euros I just wasted and annoyed overall.

I decide to go back to the office in order to fetch my phone and call customer service to complain. I make the trip to the office, take my phone and go back to the machine in order to find the customer service phone number. Much to my surprise, at the very moment I get into the machine I hear a voice telling me that my picture is about to be taken. I sit, put my most neutral face on, try to guess where to put my face so that I'll be in the center, keep my fingers crossed and here goes, my picture gets taken. Not quite the expected result though...

Next time I guess I'll just go to my local picture shop.

For the sake of posterity, here's the end result (see how neutral I was!) :