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erichw1504's avatar

Do you use a cloud computing service?

Asked by erichw1504 (26453points) January 28th, 2010

Cloud computing

Cloud services are becoming more and more popular throughout the internet; especially in businesses. It has the advantage of storing data on a remote server (the cloud) without having to purchase your own storage. Have you used any type of cloud service, whether it be in business or personal use? What has been your experience with it? Was it reliable? What’s a good personal cloud service?

Please post your opinions of this technology and what you think it may become in the future!

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21 Answers

MikeinLondon's avatar

Yes, MobileMe from Apple. Can’t complain, the synchronization between three desktops, two laptops (one a Windows PC) and the iPhone has been flawless. I also use the online storage for precious file backup. I don’t buy any extra storage space. I have used it for collaboration and meeting stringent company file management restrictions for an airport job. I had 8 other users exchanging and updating files with it. I also use it to broadcast calendars and synch email. I love it, it’s worth the money. Oooh, it also locates my iPhone if I forget where I put it. Very cool.

erichw1504's avatar

@MikeinLondon Wow, I didn’t know it could do all of that. How much does this service cost?

Edit: Found out myself. $99/year for 20GB and $149/year for 40GB.

Qingu's avatar

I swear by Google Docs.

And Wordpress, if that counts.

erichw1504's avatar

Could I use Microsoft Outlook for personal use at home? For example: link Outlook to my Yahoo! mail or Gmail?

shilolo's avatar

Fluther is run using a cloud computing network, so technically, we’re all “using” cloud computers right now.

erichw1504's avatar

@shilolo Interesting, didn’t know that.

ben's avatar

@shilolo Yes, Fluther is hosted on Slicehost.

sndfreQ's avatar

Mobile Me, works great if you have an iPhone-it syncs all of your contacts, calendar, bookmarks and email between your (Mac) computer and iPhone, and you can call up any of that information on any computer.

The shared disk access (iDisk) is worth the cost of admission, as I have used it to allow folks to upload and download very large files to me, whereas they would not be able to attach it to email (files in excess of 10MB for instance). Anyone in Media would appreciate that…although there are dropbox and other alternatives out there, it’s a seamless experience as an included service.

DeanV's avatar

I use Dropbox heavily, as well as Google Docs and Gmail which is still technically cloud computing.

It’s saved me numerous times.

jrpowell's avatar

I use http://mozy.com/ for a off-site back-up. It is cheap and it works.

Fred931's avatar

Once these guys finally secure a release date, I’ll be using their cloud-computing for gaming.

jaytkay's avatar

Things I Use Daily
Dropbox
Google Docs
Google Voice
Gmail
Flickr
Picasa

Tried and Kinda Liked
Microsoft Live Mesh
Microsoft Skydrive

Has Features Which Attract Me
http://37signals.com/
I am looking into 37 Signals, which might fit my projects better than Google Docs, especially the project and contact management.

ETpro's avatar

I was going to say Fluther, but @shilolo & @ben h=beat me to that one. @dverhey and @jaytkay beat me to Dropbox and Gmail. I use Gmail to forward my domain mail to my desktop because my Cable Company’s email is so apt to block large groups of IP addresses for spam, and I kept getting swept up for it when I have never sent out spam.

I also use www.screencast.com which lets you capture a video with sound of a screen letting you click controls on the screen (say a Web page) and vocally as well as visually explain something to other collaborators or customers.

Finally, I build mostly Yahoo! Stores, which all run in the Cloud Bank themselves.

cookieman's avatar

Another vote for MobileMe. I lurve it.

eponymoushipster's avatar

I have a MobileMe (provided through work).
A dropbox
a mozy account.
a drop.io account
two google accounts
and a box.net account.

note regarding mobileme: you get it for $69 for the first year if you buy it with an iphone or new mac. if you enable the 60 day trial first, then apply the activation code to the existing account, you get 14 months for $69.

rovdog's avatar

I use dropbox everyday – I back up my FCP project to it so I can have a backup and so that I can have my edit anywhere (as long as I have my media). I think dropbox alone has changed my thinking about cloud computing and how to use these kinds of tools. I share folders with other remote collaborators who are working on pieces for my project and I can see their contribution as soon as they upload it and then I put it into my project. That’s something I wouldn’t have thought possible a few years ago- I would understand that you could technically do it but now things are becoming simple enough that they finally practical to use all the time. Go technology!

I have a mobile me trial going right now but I haven’t found it as intuitive as dropbox. I’ve used google docs a bit, and now I’ve started to use evernote (along w/ awesome note for iphone). I’m also checking out some other note taking applications like springpad- I would look into evernote and the like- these can be very useful tools!

anartist's avatar

I use gmail and flickr and I am set up with Rapidshare.com and with Photoshop.com but if I want to store anything online, I just use some of my unlimited space on my Cybershouts web host reseller account and have for years.
@ETpro thanks for screencast.com

ETpro's avatar

@anartist You’re welcome. There’s more in those clouds every day, isn’t there.

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