Steve Jobs recently announced the creation of the iCloud, Apple's attempt to corner the Cloud space world. For those who don't know, the Cloud is a shortened reference to Cloud Computing, which means storing files on a server rather than on a harddrive (such as the one found in a desktop, a laptop, or a phone). As a result, you can access files anywhere you have access to a network connection.
Apple previously had MobileMe, but as good as it sounds, the server was pretty weak. I did have a MobileMe account (and still do), but the inconsistent syncs and the abundance of offline time frustrated me, so I left. Now, I use Dropbox! Dropbox is free for the first 2 GB, and I highly recommend it! You are alotted 2 GB of space on Dropbox's server under your specific account, and your Dropbox folder can be accessed from anywhere you have wireless (or even 3G if you have it on your phone). Okay, enough with the Dropbox plug. Where was I...
Oh yeah! The Cloud! Apple promises to allow for easy syncing. (There have been too many times I've wondered which way the auto syncing goes and out of paranoia set things to manual sync...I hope Apple addresses this issue). Subscribers will be able to access all their documents and media files (music, TV, movies, etc.) through Apple's server. With all the files in the cloud, this means lots more harddrive space!
The Soup made a funny video about the 'potential' of the iCloud, and it's pretty entertaining. They address issues of using the iCloud to store illegally downloaded music and the 'dark side' of sharing. I can think of another potential 'problem' they didn't cover. What would prevent individuals from sharing an iTunes account and then just pooling together all your items? But, maybe that's not a real issue. What do you think about Apple's dip into Cloud Computing?
