Cloud computing is changing the way we do things – all thanks to the Internet and mobile technology. Pretty soon, the cloud will become an inseparable part of our life. How to know that we are using cloud services and apps? Well, when you check your email using your mobile phone or online, you are in the cloud; playing Farmville on Facebook? You are in the cloud; Tweets on Twitter? You are in the cloud.

Let us take a look at a brief cloud computing history and some other stats to see the opportunities presented by the cloud and to know where things will be going in the near future.

The idea of cloud computing is pioneered about 50 years ago – then called as “the inter-galactic computer network.” However, not until the great discovery of the Internet, the idea is just, well, an idea.

In the 90s, Salesforce.com pioneered SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) with on-demand web-based CRM app, pretty much kick-starting the cloud computing for business. The birth of Web 2.0 in 2008 has propelled cloud computing even further, resulting in cloud apps boom. Since then, cloud computing’s growth is unstoppable.

Business-wise, cloud startups are making their marks in business world – and the growth is exponential. In 2005, there were five investments made to cloud startups for a total of $25.7 million. In 2009, seventy investments were on cloud startups for a total of $374.8 million. The cloud revenue? $68.3 billion in 2010. In 2014, the cloud revenue is predicted to reach $148.8 billion. The growth is exponential, indeed.

To help you better understand on how the cloud computing will affect the world and why you should consider the cloud in your business strategy, please watch this video:

You can find the video on The State of Cloud Computing, a SalesForce.com-sponsored microsite dedicated to the world of cloud computing. You can also view stats on cloud computing worldwide from the site.