What is this iCloud stuff? Are we talking about big fluffy items in the sky that somehow have your data stored in them? Nope, we are talking about some very down-to-earth hardware on huge server farms mostly powered by renewable energy, at least in Apple’s case, that contain data and feed it back to you on your multiple digital devices. So, what exactly can you do with iCloud?
iTunes, App and iBook store purchases
When you activate your iCloud account everything that you purchase on the iTunes Store, the App Store, or the iBook Store is accessible on all of your devices immediately. So if you buy a good science fiction book at the iBook Store you can start reading it on your iPad and finish up on your iPhone or Mac. If you have an Apple TV it gets even better as you have instant access to your photos, music, and more on that big screen TV.
Photo Sharing
You can activate iCloud Photo Sharing to easily share photos and videos with family and friends and even invite them to add their own pictures, videos and snide comments. It is all updated automatically so no waiting for Facebook to post those pictures.
Find My iPhone
OMG, I left my iPhone in the cab on the way to the airport!
If you lose your iPhone, you can use Find My iPhone (or Find My iPad) to locate it by logging into the iCloud web portal. It will locate your iOS device on a map, play a sound, or put it into “Lost Mode”. You can also erase it remotely and that works because we have tested it extensively for a previous article. This is Apple’s “Kill Switch” and has dramatically decreased the number of iPhone thefts.
iWork Anywhere
With iWork iCloud beta (soon to be out of beta) you can create documents and presentations with ease and share them on all of your devices. Start that new novel you are writing on your iPad and pick it up on the Mac seamlessly.
Third-Party Apps
An increasing number of third-party apps now support iCloud and push data to iCloud so it is available on all your devices. Start that chess game on the plane and finish it up later on your iPad.
Safari
One of the biggest frustrations before iCloud was that I had a completely different set of bookmarks on my iPhone than I did on my Mac. Now with iCloud all your bookmarks can be on all of your devices. Further, if you use Safari’s Reading List feature will keep that list on all your devices. iCloud monitors the open tabs on any of your devices and you can pick up right where you left off on your other device.
iCloud Keychain
While it is intentionally a little more complex to set-up for security purposes (it does, after all, have all your passwords stored for you) iCloud Keychain is a great tool. Using 256-bit AES encryption, iCloud Keychain will store account names, passwords, and credit cards so you don’t have to keep a little cheat sheet or remember them. Even better, iCloud Keychain and Safari will suggest complex passwords for those websites that ask for them and instead of you remembering iCloud Keychain does the work.
Mail, Calendar, Contact and Reminders
Enter once on any device and they are populated to all devices. Simple but essential!
Backup…Hey, say it again…BACKUP!
iCloud automatically backs up your data over your wi-fi connection every day when it is on, connected to a power source and locked (like when you are charging it at night). iCloud will back up your purchased music, movies, TV shows, apps and books. It will also back up your photos and videos that are in the Camera Roll (not anything you have added otherwise). It backs up the device settings, app data, home screen and pages organization, iMessage, SMS and MMS texts, and your ringtones. Always back up your iPad or iPhone to your Mac, too!
iCloud Drive
With iOS 8 and Yosemite, you will have access to iCloud Drive where you can store anything you want so, remember that novel you were working on, store it on iCloud Drive and access it from anywhere or on any of your devices!
The forecast is iCloudy with plenty of sunshine and convenience!