topic Re: Cloud services - good idea? in Electronics

Cloud services - good idea?

Cha1k — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:02:18 GMT

On several threads I've read where folks are reluctant to use cloud services provided by their smartphone/cellular companies.

Saving files/info in the "cloud" simply means that you are storing that information to a company's computer bank (server). We have been doing this for years.

- Our email providers have always stored our email messages on their computers (email servers).

- Retail stores store your credit card info on their servers everytime you swipe your card.

- Online stores (including QVC and Amazon) have your credit card stored for easy checkout. Not only do they have your CC info, they also keep a record of everything you've ever bought or looked at so they can show you items you might also be interested in the next time you shop there.

- Your doctor or dentist (assuming they are using digital patient entry services) are saving your information to the "cloud".

- Any web based email service, i.e. Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail stored your contacts and all messages sent and received from/to your account. Google even tailors the ads you see according to key words found within your email messages.

I'm not afraid to use cloud services from companies that I trust. In my opinion, Apple's method of securing information stored on their cloud service is one of the most secure.

Many of us use "cloud" services because of the convenience it offers.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

glb613 — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:13:21 GMT

I don't want to pay a monthly or yearly fee.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Sunshine Kate — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:15:43 GMT

I don't want to pay any type of fee whatsoever.

The "cloud" CAN also get hacked. I try to limit my personal exposure as much as I have control over.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Lilysmom — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:18:22 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
I don't want to pay a monthly or yearly fee.

Me too. I think the free limited cloud space is just a come on for fee based cloud services. I also worry about security. Some times it is touted as secure until it isn't. LM

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

wildcat fan — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:22:01 GMT

I don't mind using cloud services on my personal devices, but not for my work devices. I don't do anything inappropriate or non-work related on those devices, but I don't like the idea of Big Brother having easy access to all of my work documents even if they do own the device.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

LTT1 — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:25:11 GMT

@Cha1k

I do LOVE dropbox and we pay a nominal fee and get TONS of storage. I have approx 5,000 photos and 75 videos and still there is a ton of space... started out with the free svc -- it was so good that I wanted to keep it and pay.

We also have additional storage in iCloud and pay a nominal yearly fee for it... now that we have three devices, it is important to have it (to me) backing up our devices.

I just read that Amazon Prime members now have free cloud storage (and it sounded somewhat good, except it has some "kinks" to work out according to the reviews).

IMO, nothing beats having photos preserved by uploading to a cloud when you don't even have the phone on (during the night).

Dropbox was better for storing .doc and .pdf files and I needed those for teaching like "RIGHT NOW."

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

gardenman — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:38:38 GMT

I love cloud storage. It's a huge relief knowing that your files are all safely backed up and that no matter what happens to your devices that simply logging in gives you access to them all again.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Cha1k — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 23:12:17 GMT

@glb613

5GB of iCloud storage is free. That would be enough storage for many folks who don't have lots of photos or documents.

I pay $1/month ($12/year) for 50GB storage on Apple's iCloud. I spend that much on one dinner for just myself on most occasions.

50GB will let me store all my contacts, calendar events, over 6000 photos, the backup for all my devices. and documents that I want access to on my computer and all my devices.

I have control over which documents I store on iCloud. My instructions for classes I teach, class registration lists, recipes, shopping lists, etc. are things I store on iCloud.

I also use the free services provided by Evernote and Dropbox. Have many things stored all over the internet and have used these for years.

Wherever I go, even overseas - on any device I'm on - as long as I have internet service, I have access to all that info. For me it's an invaluable service and moreso the older I get.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Cha1k — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 23:31:01 GMT

@gardenman

I also like having my files/photos stored offsite. I live in tornado/flood country - just been thru an entire week of tornado warnings and flood watches/warnings and even though I have DVD backups and use an external hard drive, those can get swept away in a second.

It gives me peace of mind to know that all of that is stored somewhere else in case my home is destroyed.

Like you, the relief of knowing they are safely backed up plus the convenience of having all my digital content synced to all my devices is well worth it to me.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Cha1k — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 00:23:13 GMT

@Sunshine Kate

Most of the 'personal' stuff (contacts, calendars) people have stored in the cloud is available somewhere online.

If you use Google (Android), for example, your contacts are stored on Google's cloud. Same with your email -- whoever you use for an email provider stores ALL your email messages on their servers unles you have specifically set your preferences to pull them off when you download your mail. Even then, while they are sitting there waiting for you to log on and get your email, they are stored on that company's server.

Same with Google calendar. It's stored on their server too.

Yes, any cloud service can be hacked. My bank can be hacked too, but I still use their service. I even have my bank's app on all my mobile devices so I can access my account from anywhere and can deposit checks or transfer money from anywhere.

Amazon and QVC can be hacked, but I still store my credit card on their servers and even keep a wish list on there of things I want to buy in the future.

In my opinion, carrying a wallet/check book with my bank account number, my address and my signature (on my driver's license) is much more vunerable to theft than anything I have stored online....because sometimes I'm a forgetful soul and misplace lots of things!

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Nuttmeg — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 03:50:52 GMT

@Lilysmom wrote:
@glb613 wrote:
I don't want to pay a monthly or yearly fee.
Me too. I think the free limited cloud space is just a come on for fee based cloud services. I also worry about security. Some times it is touted as secure until it isn't. LM

My smartphone was locked.The fingerprint and backup passcode would not work. I had to reset the phone, and wipe all the files. It was nice to have all the data backed up to Verizon and Google clouds.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Kachina624 — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 04:40:21 GMT

When someone says they're afraid to use cloud storage, I am reminded of an old foggy who is scared of banks so he keeps his money under his mattress. We know which is more secure.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

glb613 — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 11:27:44 GMT

@Cha1k wrote:
@glb613

5GB of iCloud storage is free. That would be enough storage for many folks who don't have lots of photos or documents.

I pay $1/month ($12/year) for 50GB storage on Apple's iCloud. I spend that much on one dinner for just myself on most occasions.

50GB will let me store all my contacts, calendar events, over 6000 photos, the backup for all my devices. and documents that I want access to on my computer and all my devices.

I have control over which documents I store on iCloud. My instructions for classes I teach, class registration lists, recipes, shopping lists, etc. are things I store on iCloud.

I also use the free services provided by Evernote and Dropbox. Have many things stored all over the internet and have used these for years.

Wherever I go, even overseas - on any device I'm on - as long as I have internet service, I have access to all that info. For me it's an invaluable service and moreso the older I get.

If I stored everything it would be 500 GB which is not free or $5 a month. I'm a prime member and will try the free photo storage. If I like it, I'll see what they charge for everything.

I'm retired so I don't need to access files like you do. I sync my devices so I have access to what I need like contacts and my calendar. I'm not anti cloud storage, I don't want to add hundreds of dollars to my yearly budget.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Lilysmom — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 22:33:46 GMT

You know, I really should learn more about cloud storage. It is my ignorance on the issue and not the $ that is a problem for me. I should get off my duff and do that this winter. I have Apple care so I can probably do it there.

I value Cha1k's opinion highly and that of the others here that are so good to share their knowledge (doob, nutmeg, glb613, gardenman, etc ... you know who you are). I am sure I would be more comfortable with the use with some more info. LM

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

gardenman — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:49:01 GMT

I primarily use the Amazon Cloud since I have a Kindle Fire and Android smartphone. It's neat in that I can access pretty much every photo and document directly from any of my devices. If I need my Mom's list of medications, I have a copy on the cloud that I can pull up at a second's notice from anywhere in the world. (At least anywhere in the world I've been, so essentially New Jersey, Delaware and Southeastern Pennsylvania.) I can even write on the Fire using an app I bought. I've got the first thirty some pages of a sci-fi novel written on it and stored on the cloud.

The cloud gives you a level of security that's vastly better than what most users have with their own backups. A fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, etc. can destroy everything else you've got, but the redundancies built into cloud storage makes it largely bullet proof.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

glb613 — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 11:26:04 GMT

@gardenman wrote:
I primarily use the Amazon Cloud since I have a Kindle Fire and Android smartphone. It's neat in that I can access pretty much every photo and document directly from any of my devices. If I need my Mom's list of medications, I have a copy on the cloud that I can pull up at a second's notice from anywhere in the world. (At least anywhere in the world I've been, so essentially New Jersey, Delaware and Southeastern Pennsylvania.) I can even write on the Fire using an app I bought. I've got the first thirty some pages of a sci-fi novel written on it and stored on the cloud.

The cloud gives you a level of security that's vastly better than what most users have with their own backups. A fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, etc. can destroy everything else you've got, but the redundancies built into cloud storage makes it largely bullet proof.

I downloaded the app and I can't get it to work. I am going to try again today. I got error messages, stop the upload and now it doesn't do anything when I open the app.

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

Nuttmeg — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 14:55:37 GMT

@glb613 wrote:
@gardenman wrote:
I primarily use the Amazon Cloud since I have a Kindle Fire and Android smartphone. It's neat in that I can access pretty much every photo and document directly from any of my devices. If I need my Mom's list of medications, I have a copy on the cloud that I can pull up at a second's notice from anywhere in the world. (At least anywhere in the world I've been, so essentially New Jersey, Delaware and Southeastern Pennsylvania.) I can even write on the Fire using an app I bought. I've got the first thirty some pages of a sci-fi novel written on it and stored on the cloud.

The cloud gives you a level of security that's vastly better than what most users have with their own backups. A fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, etc. can destroy everything else you've got, but the redundancies built into cloud storage makes it largely bullet proof.
I downloaded the app and I can't get it to work. I am going to try again today. I got error messages, stop the upload and now it doesn't do anything when I open the app.

@glb613 You may want to start a new thread to get help with Amazon cloud storage.

I notice Amazon has different apps. https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/pricing?ref_=cd_api_navpricing

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

milkbone — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:18:24 GMT

A few thoughts.

NOTHING is worse is when the cable TV or your internet connection is down :-(

Many people have thought of buying a chromebook.

Many people have bought iPads with small hardrives.

Unless you have the files on your HD, you are poop out of luck. :-)

Hard drives fail for us, so does online backup.

Yes....I know Google mail, yahoo mail is "cloud"

Think of all the retail stores that USED to be in your hometown.

A few of us remember when TV with rabbit ears was free.

The price of cable and internet is not cheap !

Idenity theft is growing like crazy.

Good luck all

Re: Cloud services - good idea?

gardenman — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 20:15:51 GMT

@milkbone wrote:
A few thoughts.

NOTHING is worse is when the cable TV or your internet connection is down :-(

Many people have thought of buying a chromebook.
Many people have bought iPads with small hardrives.

Unless you have the files on your HD, you are poop out of luck. :-)

Hard drives fail for us, so does online backup.

Yes....I know Google mail, yahoo mail is "cloud"

Think of all the retail stores that USED to be in your hometown.

A few of us remember when TV with rabbit ears was free.
The price of cable and internet is not cheap !

Idenity theft is growing like crazy.

Good luck all

TV with rabbit ears is still free, and truthfully better than cable or satellite. The image quality from an antenna is superior.

As to the Internet being down, with free WiFi in many locations, smartphones, and home Internet access, you're likely to be able to get access to your files without a lot of trouble.