Apple’s iClod Steps Up With iCloud

Before we continue let me just stress that the ‘clod’ in the title of this post refers to the frequent miss-spelling when executing a search for iCloud (lol).

Now, Having been a member of MobileMe for sometime in fact since, I believe around 2004, correct me if I’m wrong, but this was when the service was  known as iDisk or was it .Mac as in dot Mac. Well, I can satisfyingly say that it’s about time apple had a keen look at the issues regarding the MobileMe Offer…

You see, the problem I had with the previous versions of what we will now know as iCloud, was the fact that all the ‘shiny’ features only seemed to work well whilst exploring, or showing-off to potential PC “Switchers”. I’ve always been baffled by that phenomena, as I have come across many other users complaining about the same thing.

iDisk which costed $99 a year, acted as a virtual hard drive that  appears on your desktop just like any normal additional or external hard drive, some of you may relate to it as being a shared server, from where you and your colleagues and share work files.

Who remembers Back to My Mac ?

Using VPN technology apple introduced to the service, the capability to access your home computer remotely. Providing you home computer was switched on – you’d be able to access files and perform a few tasks on it from work and then even shut-down if you wanted to. I recall writing a sticky note message and leaving it in view on the desktop of my G5 Mac at home in London whilst I was in the Caribbean, reminding my brother to check my mail. I also recall the odd occasion where I needed a document or images for various projects I had been preparing whilst away.

What else…, oh you had syncing and the integration of software such as with iTunes, Mail, iCal and iPhoto, plus the use of your iDisk as a server for your very own website accessed via the .Mac HomePage control panel. Another potentially well received and simple feature was the capability to back-up files to your iDisk using an application called Backup.

As this is the case it would seem that ‘the apple way’ would be, is so that with a simple click and drag you could effortlessly tranfer files to-and-fro between your shared iDisk folder and your computers hard drive, Backup didn’t quiet cut it, at least not for Apple. Another useful feature found to a valuable component to the whole cloud thing was the Apple HomePage website capability which later became a service that works with iWeb, I still use this now, lets hope the service is enhanced and is not dropped.

And lets not forget Find My iPhone; the software that allows you to trace the location of your lost or stolen iPhone.

So, what’s this new iCloud got in store ?

Well, first of all iCloud is free for OS X Lion and ISO 5 users, so it may be time for that upgrade, and guess what ? It’ll only cost you $30 for a complete unrestricted software upgrade, which is far less than the previous price of $160 for OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Ok, sounds cool but what questions would arise from that, I reckon;

1. So does that mean if you are currently still using OS X 10.58 Leopard (to date latest upgrade), you’d have to first upgrade to Snow Leopard and then Lion ? Costing a total of how much ?

Sixty Dollars.

Yes, apparently you can now upgrade from OS X 10.58 Leopard to Lion via Snow Leopard for only $60

2. Looks like Apple’s aiming at getting everyone up-to-speed with the new upgrades in order to take advantage of whatever new technology they’ve been playing with  ?

With 5 GB free cloud storage, enough for up to a 1,000 songs and if that’s not enough, additional space may be purchased at a fee to be confirmed. But here is what else you will get from the new iCloud; whilst regularly updating your information seamlessly across your your different devices. you will be able to Share book purchases, calendar items, improved mail software and general data while backing up and updating information periodically.

3. What features will be lost or affected by the new iCloud service.

You know how it is. Whenever something new comes out there is always that ‘teething’ stage when new problems or solutions are discovered, so keep checking below or subscribe for future posts on how the iCloud progresses and all what you need to know.

Watch This Space.

Food For Thought and Your Feedback : Will iCloud features enhance existing capabilities such as locating your lost or stolen iPhone or even photographing the thief of your stolen laptop…imagine being able to not only locate your iPhone but remotely trigger an alarm that sounds everytime the missing phone is used…what ideas do you think apple will be employing adding to their with next ?