What is iCloud is very simple, iCloud represents the future of data and transfer and will revolutionize the way we use our devices, enabling all information and data to be accessed from any device, any time. iCloud brings a whole new way of storing, sharing and processing data with your iPad and is, quite frankly, amazing! And here’s how it works and how you can use it!

There are so many exciting apps available for the iPad it’s virtually impossible to cover them all, and new ones are appearing all the time. However, one of the most exciting features of the new iPad operating system won’t be immediately obvious because you don’t have to download it. It’s just going to be ‘there’. Quite conveniently, that fits in quite well with Apple’s mantra that accompanies it’s new range of apps to go along with iOS 5. The buzz phrase from Apple is ‘It Just Works’ and this specifically refers to the company’s new data storage system known as iCloud. The term data storage doesn’t do it justice though, because iCloud is much, much more than that.

The philosophy behind the software is based on the changing face of technology in the home, on the move and in business. In the past the home computer was the centre of everything. It’s where music was downloaded, email was accessed, the web was surfed and so on. With the advent of internet phones, iPod touch and of course the iPad the computer’s role has been diminished. We can now perform most of the tasks we used to use our computer for on our phone or iPad. The problem that this shift in balance has caused is that we now have information, apps, music, images and details spread across multiple devices and it can be difficult to keep track of everything.  Manually connecting and syncing all your devices every time you make a charge to something can be laborious and time consuming. Applications like Dropbox make things easier but it’s still not a perfect solution. iCloud will remove all the difficulties of running your life across multiple devices in one fell swop and you won’t even notice it. Certainly not once you’ve started using it.

iCloud is built into the core apps that from the basis of iOS 5. These being Calendar, Mail, Contacts, the App Store, iBooks, Photos, and iTunes. Each will run just as it does now except with iCloud functionality built in. This will appear in the form of an extra button in iTunes for example. Previously if you downloaded a track from the iTunes store onto your iPhone and wanted to listen to it on your iPad you’d have to sync it from your iPhone to your computer and then sync the computer with your iPad. With iCloud, when you download a track to your computer or device, it’s automatically downloaded to all your devices. In other words, if you download a track to your phone it will immediately appear in your iTunes play list on your iPad. The same goes for apps. Whichever device you downloaded the app onto, it will automatically be downloaded to your others.

Calendar will be fully synced. Each time you make a new entry or edit an existing one the data will be updated across all your devices keeping them all fully up to date. You can also share calendars so if for example your partner adds a date to your social diary on their device it will immediately appear on your own.

iCloud is completely compatible with iWorks so if you’re a regular user of Numbers, Pages or Keynote you’ll be able to access, edit and show all your files on whichever of your devices you have to hand. All document edits are automatically saved and uploaded to iCloud so the documents are all updated simultaneously. That way all of your devices will always have the latest versions of them.

Photo stream is the new images and videos app that makes sharing pictures and movies easier than ever before. Images are automatically shared in Photostream. It remembers the last 1000 images uploaded on each device so if you want to keep particular images you’ll need to move them into a different folder. This way they won’t be automatically removed. This only applies to mobile devices. There’s no limit to the number of images you can store in Photostream on your computer. In addition they’re stored on the iCloud server for 30 days giving ample time to connect other devices so they can be downloaded.

Last but not the least iCloud backs everything up once days so you’ll never lose any data. It’s also incredibly handy if you get a new phone or device. All you have to do is enter your Apple ID and password and all your apps, music, settings and so on will be uploaded automatically.

To use iCloud all you need is an Apple ID. Everything is automatic. Once you’re singed into your devices you don’t have to worry about anything. All the operations take place automatically. All you need to do is carry on doing whatever you were doing. Finally, if you don’t want to make use of iCloud for whatever reason, there’s a simple on off switch in the settings menu, but why anyone would want to turn it off we have no idea!

What is iCloud – To give it a most basic description, iCloud is a server that automatically updates and backs up all your apps, files, music and everything every time you download or update anything. You’ll never have to worry about syncing your devices ever again because with iCloud it just happens without you having to lift a finger. In the future you’ll wonder how you ever existed without it. Steve Job’s dream….

Learn More

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