Top 5 Cloud Services

 

Believe it or not, you have probably been using one form of cloud computing or another for years. Ever emailed a document to yourself so that you could access it on another computer? Well, technically that is cloud computing.

At its heart, cloud computing is no more complicated than this idea, the storage of data online in a remote location to the medium you are accessing it. The information you are accessing could be something as simple as some text, or it could be a complete software program that runs online such as an image or video editing program.

Cloud computing services have a goal of making your life easier, below are a list of the best and the most used cloud computing applications around:

1. iCloud.

iCloud was launched by Apple as a way of keeping all your content up to date across a range of platforms. Apple knew that many people have more than one device to access their media. For example, you would probably use your iMac to browse and listen to iTunes songs, but you are also just as likely to then want to listen to your music on your iPhone. iCloud automatically syncs your files across all your devices so that you don’t have to transfer the files manually. A breeze.

2. Spotify

Spotify has a library of over 15 million songs that you can stream to a device of your choosing. Popular for being one of the first to bring streaming music to the masses and still one of the most popular today.

3. Dropbox

Dropbox was one of the first companies to simplify the process of everyday file storage online. By placing folders on your desktop and other devices, all you have to do is drag and drop files to store them. This will automatically make your files appear in your ‘dropboxes’ on other devices.

4. Netflix & Lovefilm

As bandwidth increases in many areas of the country, more people are able to access video streaming platforms. Sites like Lovefilm and Netflix have taken advantage of the fact that many games consoles offer a portal for the user to connect to the internet and offer apps that stream content though the internet connection shared with the console. Films and T.V instantly!

5. Google Chromebook

Google has taken the approach to cloud computing to new levels by releasing hardware, specifically the Google Chromebook, which relies on its own range of cloud computing applications to do pretty much anything at all!

The Chromebook so far has had a poor reception as I think people are not willing to place their complete trust in a system, whose reliability is still considered fairly weak. But many believe that having everything stored in the cloud is the future. It’s only a matter of time don’t you think?

So, will you be expanding on the number of cloud applications you are using? You have relied for years on your work emails being stored on a hosted exchange server; why not see what else the cloud can do for you?

James Duval is an IT specialist addicted to technology. Solving the worlds I.T issues one at a time, sometimes even two at a time! He currently writes and blogs for Electronic Workplace.