Starting this week Salesforce.com launched the Force.com Free Edition offering consisting of a cloud computing development platform or platform-as-a-service (PaaS). Using Force.com Free Edition, companies will be able to run their first cloud app or a Web site for free for up to 100 users or 250,000 page views a month.

This offering includes the database, unlimited real-time customization, powerful analytics, real-time workflow and approvals, programmable cloud logic, integration, real-time mobile deployment, programmable user interface and Web site capabilities. Additionally, a library of sample apps templates is available to start building cloud apps functionality really quickly such as Recruiting, Expense Reports, Ideas, etc. Currently the offering is available only in the US.

To sign up for Force.com Free Edition, please visit http://www.force.com

Then later this week, IBM introduced a new portfolio of commercial cloud offerings for the enterprise branded as IBM Smart Business Services. With this new portfolio, IBM is positioning itself in the spectrum of cloud infrastructure or Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) for enterprises, focusing on the secure deployment of private clouds and scalable robust public clouds.

The IBM Smart Business portfolio includes three “on-ramps,” or ways to quickly deploy the cloud model:

• Smart Business standardized services on the IBM Cloud;
• Smart Business private cloud services behind the firewall built by IBM (run by IBM or the client);
• IBM CloudBurst service delivery platform, for clients who want to build to their own cloud with pre-integrated hardware and software.

To learn more about IBM’s portfolio of cloud services go to: http://www.ibm.com/ibm/cloud/

These two new offerings will help accelerate the adoption of enterprise cloud computing in the enterprise market.

Sprythink’s CloudExchange provides an online marketplace of cloud-based services and applications provided by the market leaders in cloud computing. Web users and companies could visit the CloudExchange portal to learn about offerings and choose from market leading on-demand applications. With one-click, they can get started testing and using cloud-based apps immediately, some of them for free.

Additionally, CX will be providing cloud computing resources, such as recommendations, comparisons, ROI tools, and value-added content, to allow you evaluate and make a well-informed decision about the cloud services that best fit your business needs and budget.