I just don't understand iCloud.

loco · Dec 19, 2011

Am I the only person that just doesn't understand iCloud ? The only use I seem to be able to get out of it is to share photos from my iPhone to my iPad and for backups. Am I missing out on something ? Should I be using it for other things ?

Thomasjtsi · Dec 20, 2011

Honestly, I don't use iCloud. So I'm not gonna be much help... but in retrospect, neither is Apple. Their "It just works" when it comes to iCloud is a bunch of crap if you ask me!

zipur · Dec 20, 2011

You can re-download all your apps, music share pictures with all iOS devices before iCloud you would have to connect to your pc. Basically piece of mind if you crash or loose your device

loco · Dec 20, 2011

so, what are folks talking about when they say things like "im running apps from the cloud" and how do i do that ? LOL

speed4tu · Dec 25, 2011

Its somewhat pointless tho as you can't log into iCloud.com and see or download your pics from anywhere. Have to get them through iPhoto or another iOS device. Only info you can get anywhere is contacts and apples .me mail and the find my iPhone.

loco · Dec 25, 2011

Is iPhoto an app ? I looked thru the app store but couldn't fin it ?

One thing I noticed was that photo stream crashes my Facebook app when I try to upload a photo to Facebook directly from photo stream.

Can I put my music and video in the cloud and share between devices ?

speed4tu · Dec 25, 2011

Iphoto is a app that comes on mac computers. Not available on iPhone.

And no you can't upload music to share. U have to get iTunes match to do that which is 24.99 per year. It works ok tho. Gives me the ability to carry my nearly 10,000 music collection on my 32 gig iPhone.

djwill13 · Dec 27, 2011

To the OP, you are not alone. I don't get it or understand it for the life of me. How do I access it from my iPhone? How do I access music in the cloud, or pictures for that matter? It just makes no sense, and everytime I try to figure out information on it, it just leaves me more confused.

Jonregester · Dec 29, 2011

I totally agree it is confusing, when I asked someone in my local apple store they just answered "it's just there"

GrantB · Dec 29, 2011

I've had great ease with iTunes for years now. I guess I just have an 'Apple' head for things. :-$

hlay · Dec 30, 2011

i use iCloud to backup my iphone contacts, data, pictures. i use iCloud control panel to sync contacts, calendars, notes between MS Outlook on my win7 laptop. it's useful to me

Rollbar · Dec 30, 2011

I have SkyDrive w/25megs when you have a Windows Live account.

I still have to figure out the Cloud.

Jonregester · Dec 31, 2011

I think this has gone off track a little, with people saying what they use the cloud for and singing it's praises. How does one access the control panel that is mentioed above ?
djwill asked how to access it from the iphone and I am also in a similar position.
It's nice to hear everyones thoughts on it but how about some basic instructions.

Happy new year !

GrantB · Dec 31, 2011

Jonregester said:
I think this has gone off track a little, with people saying what they use the cloud for and singing it's praises. How does one access the control panel that is mentioed above ?
djwill asked how to access it from the iphone and I am also in a similar position.
It's nice to hear everyones thoughts on it but how about some basic instructions.

Happy new year !

You must sign on to iCloud.com. But even then you can't access you music or photos in PhotoStream. They're only backed up there. You can't see them. Now if by "Control Panel" you mean the iCloud controls on your iDevice - it's in Settings--> iCloud. But even in there are only controls for turning it on and off not access to the data itself.

I think people don't understand what iCloud is. It's a 'storage area' on an Apple server for the purpose of making several databases on your computer and all of your iDevices in sync with each other. You access the data stored there by simply changing it 'anywhere' on your computer (iTunes, iPhoto, Address Book, iCal, etc) or from any of your iDevices. iCloud then updates the data everywhere else. But there's no such thing as iCloud being a place you visit to manipulate the data (photos, music) itself. Now - at iCloud.com you can manipulate your contacts and calendar data - like MobileMe used to allow. But unlike MobileMe you can't see your photo galleries there. And MobileMe never stored your music.

I hope that helps a bit. It seems people's confusion with "the cloud" is in "its essence". The cloud is where the world of database management and even apps running is headed in the future. "The Cloud" exists in the air and you can't access it directly except from a 'device' connected to it.

Clear as mud?

testerwannabe · Dec 31, 2011

Yes, very clear! Very helpful explanation, Grant! iCloud's been a little bit of a mystery to many as I read the forum. Your explanation's about as clear as any I've read. It reminds me of the days that some of us working for big service companies would sit at a terminal. All terminals looked the same and were hooked to a central computer that was running the app and updating the databases. The "cloud" seems just like that one big computer-except today it's in "the cloud" - a server in another city.