With the latest offering from Apple with iCloud we look at and compare what else is available for businesses to store their files remotely on the cloud and allow sharing of files with other users along with the ability to access the information from virtually any device.
Much confusion lies in the cloud. What is it? How does it work?
You have probably heard the phrase ‘It’s a hard drive in the sky’. In its simplest form, which is what we are looking at here, thats basically what it is. The cloud has been around a long time its just been rebranded. Its the ability to store your information on a virtual server based somewhere in the world. The important thing is that your files once uploaded to the cloud are accessible immediately by other users (that you give permission to) and mobile devices. This is Apples new datacenter which is in fact the iCloud.
So let’s compare what’s out there so far in the race to the clouds.
| Service | Features | Devices |
|---|---|---|
 | Includes 5 GB of free online storage, synchronization for music, photos, apps, documents, iBooks, contacts, e-mail and calendars; cost for additional data not yet announced. | Macs and iOS 5 (Windows PCs get PhotoStream and some basic features only) |
 | Includes 1 GB free online storage for Google Docs, 1 GB free storage for Picasa, 7 GB free storage for Gmail | All devices with a web browser. |
 | Includes 5GB free online storage; additional storage can be purchased for $1 per gigabyte per year. | All devices compatible with Adobe Flash. |
 | Includes 25 GB free storage for files and synchronization for photos. | Windows PC, Mac, Windows Phone 7 |
 | Includes 2GB free storage, upgradeable to 100 GB for $200 per year | All devices with a web browser or Dropbox client. |
 | 30 day Free Trial period then $49.99 per year for 30 GB | Cross platform mobile access for both Mac and PC |
So let’s take a closer look at what’s available in each of the services:
iCloud
As Steve Jobs says in his keynote at the WWDC 2011, the newly created Apple iCloud ‘Just Works’. The idea is that when you do something on any of your devices such as your iPhone, Mac or iPad it immediately becomes available on all the other devices. This was demonstrated at the the WWDC 2011 by taking a photo and immediately showing on the other devices. Pretty Cool. Whilst the iCloud is designed for Mac’s and iOS devices, it does also give limited support for Windows PC’s.
Cost: Each Apple customer gets 5 GB of storage for free but amazing the things that take up the space such as photos, music and books are free as far as I can see. If anyone knows differently let us know below. Apple have yet to announce the additional charges.
Amazon
Amazing Amazon provides a folder just for file storage called Cloud Drive, which whilst that is simple maybe it’s a bit too simple and featureless. The downside for Apple users is that Amazon make this service available via a flash interface which put’s the iPhone and iPad out of the loop.
Cost: 5 GB free; $1 per extra gigabyte each year.
This a Google MashUp. As Google continue to buy up everything on the Internet and then fail to incorporate their expensive purchases into something sweet, they have mashed up a number of elements and called it the cloud.
If Google re mash and package all their cloud facilities together it would probably be the leader. At the moment you have:
- Picasa for your photos
- GMail for Email
- Music ‘Beta’ for Music
- Google Docs for document storage
Cost: Each module gives 1GB of storage with $5 for an extra 20 GB with a maximum of 16TB
Dropbox
Out of the blue emerges a startup in San Francisco. Dropbox is once again a simple file storage facility but allowing you to have your folders on your local machine to just drop your files into. So ‘save as’ functions that you use all the time can be just saved to the cloud. Once you have dropped it in your Dropbox folder it then appears on all your other connected devices. This is where we think that Dropbox has taken the lead. It supports iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry. Make a change to your file in your dropbox and it syncs with all the other devices, in very much the same way as iCloud does but using cross platforms.
Cost: 2 GB free extend to 50 GB for $9.99/mth or $99 per year and 100 GB for $19.99/mth or $199 per year.
SugarSync
SugarSync have been around a while and provide an altogether better experience for business and public users. They have been developing this facility for the last 3 years. They have made the connection with mobile devices cross platform so that just about any mobile platform is catered for. Instead of having a dedicated folder on your local PC you can decide which folders on your local PC can be synced with the cloud service. The suggestion is to create a ‘Cloud’ Folder on your local PC and add folders nested beneath it, then share those folders with whoever you wish by providing the email. Those that you share with will have to open an account but there is no cost and they are given 5 GB free.
Cost: Trial period 30 days Free then $49.99 /year 30 GB – 60 GB $99.99/year – 100 GB $149.99/year – 250 GB $249.99
Microsoft Windows Live
Microsoft’s Windows Live service includes SkyDrive, a cloud storage service that is again just a file storage facility, with one simple exception and probably the first of the file storage cloud services to bolt on is the ability to create and edit files in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Like the Apple iCloud you can take a photo on the Windows Phone 7 and bingo its on your SkyDrive, but alas no support for the infamous iPhone and iPad.
Cost: A whopping 25GB for free but thats it no chance to expand further.
Summary
So which one will we be recommending to our clients as a introduction to Cloud File Storage Services?
Based on whether our clients are totally Apple dependant or a mix of Apple and PC we chose the iCloud and SugarSync with Dropbox coming third for personal users.
Why?
Dedicated Apple Users
For those businesses that are totally Apple dependant with Mac’s iPhones and iPads the iCloud will be the preferred Cloud Service.
For a mix of Apple/PC or just PC
The chosen application is SugarSync. Whilst the big boys like Amazon, Google and Microsoft have the clout they have restricted users to there own mobile devices and generally only support those. SugarSync has attempted to cover complete cross platform and does so with success. There is a desktop and web based interface that with a little online training will allow a richer experience.
For the private user
Dropbox leads the way here with a simple interface ie a dropbox on your local computer with sharing carried out by emailing the person you want to share with in addition to Mobile Syncing. Simple.
