Eight Free Cloud Services You Should Know About
Cloud computing is a simple, versatile concept. Just turn over your data and software needs to the experts up there in “the cloud” of the Internet. Let them worry about storing your data, keeping it secure, organizing it, and maintaining software that lets you manage it. Check out these different types of cloud services that offer convenience, productivity, security and even entertainment... |
Head in the Cloud
Cloud services can simplify your digital life, and most of them offer free options. If you don't enjoy installing and maintaining software, or you're sometimes frustrated that the information you want is only available on the computer back at your home or office, then you'll benefit by using the cloud.
What can the cloud do for you? How about access to your email or music collection from ANY computer or mobile device? Or creating documents and spreadsheets, without having to buy expensive "office" software? Wouldn't you like to have all your documents at your fingertips, and be certain they're backed up and safe from fire, flood, viruses and hard drive crashes?
All you need is the right Internet-enabled device (desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone) to play or work wherever you are. Here's an introduction to cloud services that you can try:
Email was one of the first big things to migrate to the cloud. Instead of managing your email with software that's tied to one specific computer, all you need now is a Web browser. Google's Gmail, Hotmail (now Outlook.com), and Yahoo Mail are three major names in this Webmail game. All but the puniest ISPs provide some sort of Webmail interface to their email servers. See my article Why You Should Dump Outlook for a list of the benefits that webmail offers over desktop email software.
When it comes to work, there are several cloud-based office productivity services available. The best known one is probably Google Docs, followed by Microsoft Office 365. Zoho is another major player. These cloud services let you create Office-compatible word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation documents. You can access them from anywhere, and collaborate on them with colleagues.
Music is migrating to the cloud, making your favorite tunes available for listening on computers, phones, Internet jukeboxes, and home entertainment centers. What music lover doesn’t have iTunes, Pandora, Google Play, Amazon Cloud Player, or some other streaming music service based in the cloud? Music services sell you one song at a time instead of making you buy a whole album. You don’t need CD towers to store your tunes, specialized music players, or bulky carrying cases to take them with you. See Amazon Cloud Player for more info about cloud-based music services.
Cloud-based storage space is a more generalized amenity. It’s like having a briefcase that you don’t have to carry around, which contains things you might need wherever you are. Oh, and you can give your friends and coworkers access to specific files in your cloud storage, or to entire folders. Examples of cloud storage services include Dropbox, Apple iDrive, Google Drive, Amazon Cloud Drive, and Microsoft SkyDrive. Learn more about these options in Skydrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox - Which Cloud Storage is Best? Then followup with Nine Free Cloud Backup Services to learn how you can access over 150 GB of free online storage.
Backup files are obvious candidates for cloud storage. Having a backup on an external hard drive is good, but it’s even better to keep at least one set of backup files off-site, in case a natural disaster affects your home or office. Cloud-based backup services such as Carbonite, and Mozy provide software that automatically and efficiently backs up your data, and other applications that make restoring full backups or selected files easy. See Carbonite or Mozy: Which Online Backup is Best? and Free Online Backup With CrashPlan for help choosing an online backup service.
Screen-sharing apps based in the cloud are a popular collaboration tool. You can display anything on your monitor to a bunch of people who may be anywhere on the Internet. Remote control of another person’s computer is also a possibility, if you're called upon to provide tech support for family and friends. So is file transfer between users. Screen-sharing services include Crossloop, TeamViewer, LogMeIn and Mikogo. See my article Free Screen Sharing Apps for more details.
Cloud-based antivirus protection is noteworthy as well. It differs from traditional locally installed internet security software in that the majority of the antivirus "engine" as well as the data analysis takes place in the cloud. This lightens the processing load on the user's computer, and ensures that both virus definitions and the malware detection logic are never out of date. See What is Cloud-Based Antivirus? to learn about the players in cloud-based antivirus protection.
The “note taking” category of cloud-based services is kind of a catch-all. Evernote, for instance, lets you easily stash text, image, audio, and other types of files; create typed notes on the fly; save bookmarks; and even send yourself notes from Twitter. Then you can access and search your notes from a variety of devices. Similar note-taking apps include Ubernote, Zoho Notebook, and Webnotes.
Cloud services are popping up everywhere, replacing local storage and computing resources. However, many people still feel better having their data close and their software under their control. It's debatable whether keeping everything on your hard drive makes you more secure. But it's good to have choices!
Do you have something to say about cloud services? Post your comment or question below.
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This article was posted by Bob Rankin on 26 Aug 2013
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Most recent comments on "Eight Free Cloud Services You Should Know About"
Posted by:
Dianne
26 Aug 2013
It's great as long as you know that cloud storage isn't perfect (Amazon's cloud storage went down last night and it has royally messed up a number of websites I usually access), and as long as you know that whatever you store on someone else's servers is accessible to that corporation for data mining. I know I'm a cynic but I don't trust any corporation to actually fulfill their privacy promises when they can make money from data. For that reason, I wouldn't trust anything with the Google brand on it, but they certainly aren't the only ones who care little or nothing about privacy.
Posted by:
Jan te Kiefte
26 Aug 2013
Hi Bob,
For the fruit lovers in your audience you might have mentioned the iCloud services. Just a few days ago, Apple released a (free) beta of the cloud-based version of the Pages, Numbers and Keynote applications. These apps run on all recent browsers, even when you're a fan of Steve Ballmer. Fist impression: simple, elegant but as yet very limited in functionality.
Also missing in this version of the newsletter is Kim Dotcom's new adventure, the Mega archive service in the cloud. Hop to mega.co.nz to check for yourself.
Keep up the good work!
regards,
Jan
Posted by:
Renaud Olgiati
26 Aug 2013
What about the confidentiality of data, for users outwith the US of A ?
Posted by:
Twinsdad9901
26 Aug 2013
Bob:
What about the NSA? Is anything safe from them?
Posted by:
Nigel
26 Aug 2013
The big downside of cloud services to me is that Internet access is needed. When there is no Internet access or it's very slow and expensive like on a cruise ship the one can be stuck without cloud services. I know Wifi hotspots are increasing particularly but the way they operate is not always convenient. The one cloud service which I am going to look at is back up, off site back up is the best provided the restore is easy and the storage is secure.
Posted by:
Alexander (Sandy) JankowskiSandy.jankowski
26 Aug 2013
A couple of things to keep in mind about relying on the cloud.
1/ Those Playing in the Clouds
How strong are players, the companies offering these services? Everyone thinks of Apple as a strong company but it wasn't so long ago that it was a once strong company in big trouble. And how good is their security? Every so often we hear shocking stories of supposedly secure data being made public. And are they infallible? What if it decides that you are not you and locks you out of your data? It has happened. There is a risk when you are relying on someone else for something you cannot do without. Your music is one thing (although I remember how I felt when my music collection was clobbered). Mission-critical data is another thing entirely.
2/ The Internet Itself
I have spent time in places with no internet access. If what I need is in the cloud I may as well not own a computer. Even ignoring this, the internet itself is not invulnerable. It can be attacked. It can even be taken down completely, and everything that relies on it will be gone. Some creditable people are worried about this very possibility.
The cloud has much going for it. It is a powerful and useful tool. Still, relying on it totally is probably not a prudent idea. Try not to have all your eggs in a single basket. (Granted there are those who believe in keeping all their eggs in a single basket and then guarding that basket. Unfortunately it is hard to guard something that isn't yours.)
Posted by:
PSmith
27 Aug 2013
With all the Government data vacuuming, and who ever else may be snooping, I just don't feel comfortable putting even the most mundane data in the cloud. The cloud might be a good storage bank for running some programs one may occasionally use. Even there I would not run applications that handle data I don't want shared or compromised.
Hard drives are cheap compared to what they once were. That makes the cloud even less desirable.
Posted by:
SamG
27 Aug 2013
Skydrive won't let you upload folders. Which causes lots of work if you want to open a saved webpage. Google lets you upload folders.
Posted by:
Paul
29 Aug 2013
You don't mention security of cloud-based docs etc. I'm not thinking about snoopers, but the reliability of the storage....is there any greater risk that if you store stuff in the cloud and that particular cloud bursts then all yout stuff is lost...? Are any providers more secure than ohers?
Oh, and thank you for all your reliable advice over the years.