Cloud accounts, a user’s manual

[VincentQ]

Personal devices are evolving so fast, it’s enough to make you dizzy. But getting a new product doesn’t necessarily mean having to learn everything all over again.

Written by Michel Baril, your Pro.             

Cloud solutions are a great example. You’ve probably already heard that they can help you make better use of your devices. That’s true, but many people still aren’t clear on how they work and, more concretely, how can they help.

Here’s some handy information to help you understand what cloud services are all about.

1. Your cloud is yours only!

The first thing you need to know is that when you use a cloud service, the only person who can access your data is you. It’s important to let that sink in.

A lot of people are afraid that once their information is sent to the cloud, it will be accessible to everyone on the Internet. But the fact is that no one knows your password but you—not even the cloud service provider’s staff!

So don’t forget this important nugget of information: you are the only person who can access your information.

2. What exactly is the cloud?

In the IT field, the term “cloud” refers to storage space reserved just for you. Think of it as a bank account for saving your information.

To access it, you need a device (computer, tablet, smartphone, etc.) and an Internet connection. Most cloud services require an email address (to use as your ID) and a password.

To understand how the cloud system works, let’s go back to our banking analogy. When you want to access your bank account, you need a debit card (which is like a user name) and a PIN number (which is like a password).

3. What is the cloud used for?

The cloud’s main function is to make a copy of your information so that nothing is lost if your device is misplaced or stolen.

Services like Apple iCloud or Google Drive have features that enable automatic backups. In fact, whenever your device is connected to Wi-Fi, its contacts, photos, notes, reminders, appointments, search history and more are all saved in this virtual storage space.

That way, even if you lose your device, you can still access most of your personal information via websites like icloud.com or google.com/drive.

4. How does syncing work?

To get a better understanding of what we mean by “syncing devices,” let’s imagine that phones, tablets and computers are all ways of accessing the Internet and your accounts, much like an ATM at the bank.

No matter where you go, you still have access to the same amount of money. The same is true with the cloud! Syncing your devices allows you to access the same contacts, photos and other data on all your devices.

This means that if you make a change on one device, it will be automatically applied to all the others and saved in the cloud. Did you buy a new phone? Simply connect your new device to your cloud account and all your information will be available to you.

How do you know if these features are enabled? Open the settings on your various devices and go through the backup options.