Cloud accounts, a user’s manual
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 AppleiCloudor 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.Top 3 back-to-school apps from Google
#1: Never lose your work again with Google Drive Google Drive is a virtual storage system that lets you sync and save documents via your Gmail account. You can later access your documents using the Google Chrome browser on any Windows, Apple or Android device. To access Google Drive from your computer, simply: Open Google Chrome Expand the apps menu from the upper-right corner of the page Click on Google Drive After entering your user name and password, you'll have access to your Drive. Use Google Drive to save documents or download them to your computer's hard drive. If you're using a tablet or smartphone, simply select the Google Drive app (installed by default on all Android devices, available for download from the App Store for all Apple devices). Besides always keeping all your work within easy reach, Google Drive lets you scan documents using the camera function on your tablet or smartphone. This scanning function works by converting photos of your documents into PDF files, which you can then save, share or print. Another great feature of Google Drive is the ability to collaborate on documents. The app lets you add collaborators who can view or edit files—a highly useful tool for team projects! Collaborators must also have a Gmail account and access to Google Drive. To add collaborators: First, save your document in Google Drive Access the document's settings Select “Collaborators” Add each collaborator's Gmail account #2: Taking notes has never been easier thanks to Google Keep Google Keep is an app developed by Google that is available for download via the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. Google Keep offers a range of note-taking tools including text, lists, images and audio. Notes can be colour-coded, and you can add labels for easy organization. The app also lets you set up reminders for your notes. Reminders may be configured based on time (date and time) or even your location using geolocation. For example, you can create a note to remind yourself to pack your lunch before leaving home and set up a reminder based on your home address. As soon as you leave home, a notification will pop up on your phone. You can also add collaborators on Google Keep in a similar way to Google Drive. Your notes will then be available for viewing and editing in real time by any collaborator. This feature can be particularly handy for coordinating projects, or simply creating a joint grocery list with your spouse. #3: Never miss an event with Google Agenda Whether you use it for work, school or personal life, Google Agenda is a great way to stay organized. Got an important appointment coming up? Simply add it to your agenda, set up your personalized reminder and assign the event a colour that will make it stand out more. You can even enter an address and let Google Maps guide you to your destination. You also have the option of adding other people via their Gmail accounts. The event will then show up on their agendas. Finally, like all Google apps, Google Agenda is always accessible from your Gmail account on Google Chrome, no matter what device or platform you're using. No more excuses! Now is the time to get organized!
