While the possibility of being freed from the shackles of the desktop computer is attractive, is it possible – or even desirable – to have everything in the cloud?
THE DEFINING characteristics of decent software and services in the cloud are their ability to free the user from the shackles of the desktop computer while emulating as much of its functionality as possible. While this is convenient for entertainment purposes such as streaming music or movies, it becomes trickier when seeking robust alternatives to word processing or antivirus software.
For casual users, when it comes to data backup and software features, they’re not as demanding as business users and so cloud services such as Google Docs or Dropbox can seem like manna from heaven – free and accessible from anywhere. The business user is increasingly being catered for too, but is it possible – or even desirable – to have everything in the cloud?
DATA STORAGE
DROPBOX; SKYDRIVE
Dropbox is easily the most popular online file hosting service out there right now. It offers a free version with 2GB of storage, with 50GB, 100GB and 1TB paid versions. Its best feature is that it sits on your desktop like a virtual folder to which you can drag and drop files that are automatically stored in the cloud and accessible anywhere when you log into your account.
Sharing files with others is easy: you simply invite them to join a folder and from then on they’ll get anything placed in it. Critically, it is accessible in offline mode, so you can get to your files and modify them. These changes will be reflected in the cloud when internet access returns.
Microsoft Skydrive is often overlooked in favour of Dropbox, but it offers a beefier 25GB of storage for free. Like Dropbox, it is smartphone friendly and is available in app form on iOS, Android or Windows Phone. The only reason it’s not as popular as Dropbox is because it doesn’t have a desktop client for drag-and-drop ease.
From a data protection viewpoint, you may be worried about your hosting service going bust or the fact that your data is being hosted on servers in another country. In this case, you can always store your data on an external hard drive. This isn't as old school as it sounds: flash drives are super-fast to write data to and they're lightweight too. The only downside is that they can be pretty expensive and there's only one physical copy of your data. dropbox.com; skydrive.live.com
OPERATING SYSTEM BACKUP
CARBONITE
Data backup isn’t just about keeping copies of important files. All companies (and some careful individual users) keep a backup of their entire computer system. What if your laptop is stolen or simply dies on you? Think of all the files, settings, programmes etc, and the time lost getting back on track.
Traditionally, this is kept on physical onsite servers and for the individual computer there is Time Machine for the Mac (which is used in conjunction with an external hard drive) and Backup and Restore for Windows 7. One cloud alternative is Carbonite. It automatically backs up your entire computer. Just log into the site from your new (or repaired!) laptop and there is an option to restore. A more expensive plan allows for this cloud backup to be shipped to you physically, which makes sense if you've backed up a large amount of data and your internet connection isn't very speedy. carbonite.com
ANTI-VIRUS
PANDA CLOUD ANTIVIRUS
This antivirus software is technically cloud-based but requires the installation of an extremely lightweight desktop client. There is a free version that would probably suit the needs of many users. The real reason for the “cloud” bit in Panda Cloud Antivirus is because data is collected and analysed collectively in the cloud to help detect viruses and other threats on individual desktops.
Unlike desktop antivirus software, this isn't resource heavy and doesn't chug away noticeably in the background. It doesn't require software updates because updates are held in the cloud. Of course, if you're looking for all the bells and whistles of an enterprise solution, then Norton by Symantec is probably the best way to go. cloudantivirus.com
MUSIC
EIRCOM MUSICHUB; GROOVESHARK
While CDs are the dinosaurs of the music industry, it feels as though the MP3 is somewhat of an endangered species. Downloading thousands of MP3s that use up valuable storage only to have to transport them from device to device seems a bit time-consuming and cumbersome. Factor in digital rights management and you’ll soon figure out that services such as iTunes only allow you to share your songs on so many authorised devices.
Streaming music is proving to be quite successful for Eircom, with its MusicHub service giving the subscriber unlimited streaming. The back catalogue of music available is of a high standard and there is a mixed service allowing for both download and streaming. One important limitation is that there is no iPhone app and this will discourage many potential customers.
For those who want to try something free while considering breaking away from physical iTunes downloads, there is Grooveshark. This streaming music service has a dedicated Android app and is iPhone friendly (works well with HTML5 technology but doesn't have an iOS app). eircommusichub.ie; grooveshark.com
WORD PROCESSING
GOOGLE DOCS; OFFICE 365
The best thing to be said about Google Docs is that it’s a free word processor that you can use in any browser on any computer. It has all the basics needed for creating decent documents and it saves in .doc format, so you can send it to Microsoft Word colleagues and they’ll never know. As a complete replacement for Microsoft Word or Pages for Mac it is not recommended. In this case, I would say that desktop beats cloud. The kind of functionality offered and the option to stay offline are two things that are essential for frequent users of word processing software. Stick to the paid desktop-based version for now, but use Google Docs as an indispensable online aide for when you’re out and about.
Microsoft Office Web Apps is a bridge between the desktop and the cloud. It offers a pared-down version of Word, Excel and Powerpoint, so you have the comfortable familiarity of software you've grown up with but it's all inside a web browser and doesn't require any installation. Like Window's Skydrive, this too is overlooked and underutilised by the typical internet user but deserves a closer look. docs.google.com; office.microsoft.com
MOVIES AND TV
NETFLIX
Netflix launched in Ireland this year and month by month has been arriving on all the regular smartphone and tablet platforms. While downloading and storing movies and TV shows from, say iTunes, can be expensive and far too demanding on your laptop’s storage, a cloud alternative is to stream your entertainment. This, however, does not store a digital copy of the movie for you in the cloud; it simply streams it from Netflix as long as you subscribe.
One obvious drawback is that you are relying on a decent broadband connection in order to get a good quality picture with no time lag. There is also considerably less choice on Netflix Ireland than if you walk into HMV or Tower Records and buy what you want. netflix.com
PRESENTATION SOFTWARE
PREZI
One way to avoid death by Powerpoint is not to use the software in the first place. Prezi is a cloud-based alternative and the payment model is clever. It’s free as long as you’re willing to make your slideshows public or you can pay to keep them private.
Prezi is iPad-friendly and creates beautiful, dynamic slideshows with an animated zooming effect that looks professional and is unlikely to bore your audience to death.
In terms of cloud versus desktop, it’s probably safe to say that Powerpoint will gather dust when you see how easy it is to use this cloud service. You can also import and “Prezi-fy” Powerpoint slides to jazz them up a bit.
For professional use, it is worth paying the yearly subscription to get more storage, have the ability to use your own logo and, if required, download Prezi desktop for offline editing. prezi.com
