Understanding the power of "The Cloud"

Apple, with its unveiling of the iCloud service earlier this week, is starting to push the concept of cloud computing into the mainstream, which means that you'll probably start hearing more and more about "the cloud" in the news, in advertising messages and even from friends at weekend cookouts. With that said, it may be time for a quick refresher of Understanding the Cloud 101. And the best place to start is with a reminder that the "cloud" is just another name for online storage.

Think of it this way: sites like Facebook, YouTube and Yahoo Mail are all cloud sites. They live in the Internet. And the content on those sites - whether a friend's photo album on Facebook, a funny video on YouTube or a Word document sent as an email attachment - all live on the Internet. You don't have a copy of that YouTube video on your home computer - but thanks to the power of the Internet, you can access it and watch it anytime, just as if you did have your own copy.

The thing to remember, though, is that not all cloud properties operate the same. Different companies have different ideas of what the cloud is all about - and Apple is no exception. By its definition, the cloud is something that the company is using to synchronize your photos, music, documents and more between your devices, specifically the iPad, the iPhone and the applications on your computer. In this case, Apple manages your cloud for you to make sure you can access your files on devices you buy from Apple.

Other companies give you the freedom to manage your own cloud and access your files from any device that has an Internet connection, via its browser. Google, for example, offers its own versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint (called Docs, Spreadsheets and Presentation) in the cloud and gives users access to those files from any Internet-connected device out there, including iPads and iPhones. Google also allows users to individually share those files with others, controlling who else can view or make changes to those files.

And then there are companies like Dropbox and SugarSync, which simply provide users with a set amount of storage space on the Internet, allowing them to drop in and share any file - digital photos, music files, Excel spreadsheets and so on. The users maintain all of the control and, with access from any device, they never have to worry about accidentally leaving an important document on the computer at home.

In a nutshell, think of the cloud as one big hard drive on the Internet. How you get into and what you can do with it will vary by whoever is offering it to you - but the concept is the same across the board.

Welcome - A Blog for You

As a longtime tech journalist, I've come to learn a few things about the gadgets and Web services that consumers love and hate. That means I've pretty much become the go-to guy for tech-related questions at family events, weekend BBQs and kids' sporting events.

You know the stuff - Facebook's privacy settings, some insight into the best smartphones, Mac vs PC and new online music services. So many of you are curious and ready to take the plunge - but technology still intimidates you. And so you hesitate, simply because you just have some questions or concerns.

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