Cloud computing combines different features of the web to allow you to both store information and work online. The ability to store and share data online is not exactly new (i.e. Flickr for digital photo hosting) but when combined with the ability to work directly online, in your browser (Google Documents, Photoshop Express), you get a total online desktop where both applications and documents are accessed through your browser. Throw in some synching features and you’ve got rocket fuel for netbooks and UMPCs (ultra mobile personal computers), which used to be limited by their small storage capacity and processing power. Join in on the biggest online revolution since Web 2.0 with these new programs that will help you work on the go and enjoy the latest generation of mobile devices to the fullest.
Google Documents
http://docs.google.com
What: Google provides online clones of Powerpoint, Word, Excel and Acrobat Reader that don’t exactly rival MS (or Open) Office but do allow for easy online sharing and collaboration.
How: Start a new document in Google Docs or import from an MS Word/Excel file. It’s really flexible. Once you’re done, export or share it online.
Perks: Unlimited storage but there is a limit on how big each file is that you can upload—up to 500k for word docs, 1MB for spreadsheets, 10MB for presentations and 10MB for PDF files. You can also use Google Docs to export files into PDF formats.
Supported Files: OpenOffice (.odt, .ods) and Microsoft Office (.doc, .xls, .ppt, .pps).
Price: Free
MobileMe
www.apple.com/mobileme
What: MobileMe is a program that helps Mac users synchronize their contacts, emails, files and pictures between their laptop, iPhone and iPod Touch.
How: Once you sign up you will get an account on me.com, where all your information is stored. It will automatically copy everything that is on your outlook or contact list and then send this to your other device almost instantly. Just took a photo with your iPhone? It will get uploaded to your MobileMe server at the same time as it’s being sent to the photo album on your Macbook. It’s almost like magic!
Perks: As most of the world is still running Windows, MobileMe also allows you to synchronize your data with PCs. MobileMe initially gives you 20GB for one year—a bit small for pictures!
Supported Devices: Computers and laptops running Mac OS 10.4 or later and Windows XP or Vista, iPhone and iPod Touch.
Price: B3,140 at iStudio, 2/F Zone F, CentralWorld, Ratcharamri Rd., 02-613-1540/1. www.istudio.in.th.
Adobe Photoshop Express
www.photoshop.com/express
What: Photoshop online. Retouch, resize and adjust colors from the comfort of your own browser.
How: Upload your picture to Photoshop Express and edit. Pictures tend to be heavy files (several megabytes) so you need a fast and stable internet connection if you don’t want to risk losing your creations.
Perks: 2GB of online storage space and links with many networking sites such as Flickr and Facebook, letting you share your edited work. However, be warned, by using their service you grant Photoshop “a worldwide, royalty-free…fully sublicensable license to use, distribute, derive revenue…publicly perform and publicly display such content.”
Supported Files: JPEG files of up to 10MB and 6,000px in height for pictures uploaded straight from your computer. If you already have Photoshop elements installed, you can upload raw, TIFF and PSD files.
Price: Free
SugarSync
www.sugarsync.com
What: MobileMe for non-iPhone users.
How: See MobileMe. The only difference: it synchronizes your files (documents, photos, music, etc), not just emails or contacts.
Perks: Since your phone browses for files through the internet, any phone with an internet browser and wifi or EDGE can use SugarSync.
Supported Devices: PCs running Windows XP and Vista and Macs running OS 10.4 or later. For mobiles, it works with BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and iPhone.
Price: You can download the starter pack for US$24.99 a year which equals 10GB of storage.
Live Mesh
www.mesh.com
What: Microsoft’s very own cloud synching program to make your Windows computer talk to your Windows Mobile phone. Live Mesh’s forte is collaboration; its Mesh Bar shows who on your team is logged on, viewing, or editing files.
How: You sign up for an account, log onto your Live Mesh and start your synching. If you share your Live Mesh with your work group, you can also see a list of colleagues who are currently viewing the file on the Mesh Bar.
Perks: The “Live Desktop” is an online desktop where your files and folders are stored. Changes will then be synched with your other devices working with Live Mesh.
Suported Devices: Windows XP or Vista and mobile phones running Windows Mobile 6 or later.
Price: Free to sign up for the Windows Live account which gets you 5GB of storage.
