- Set Up An iCloud Account
- Turn On iCloud Features From The iCloud Control Panel
- Set Up iCloud To Sync App-Specific Data
- Turn On The iCloud Backup Feature
- Set Up and Use The Find My... Feature
- Take Advantage of the iCloud.com Website
- Access All iTunes Store Content Purchases via iCloud
- Cloud-Based Alternatives To iCloud
Cloud-Based Alternatives To iCloud
The benefit to using iCloud in conjunction with your iPad is that the iOS 7 operating system, many of the core apps that come preinstalled with your tablet, as well as a growing number of other apps, all offer seamless iCloud integration. Plus, the iCloud service can be used to handle a wide range of tasks, many of which have been described in this chapter.
There are, however, many other cloud-based services in cyberspace that can be used in conjunction with an iPad. Some of these services have specialized apps available from the App Store. For example, there’s Dropbox, which is a popular file sharing, backup, and syncing service that can also be used to store and share photos.
Amazon offers a cloud-based service that can be used for managing your music library online and on your iPad, while Microsoft offers its free SkyDrive service (and iPad app) that can be used for backing up, storing, and sharing certain types of Microsoft Office and related data and files, particularly if you’re an Office 365 user.
If you utilize Adobe creative software on your Mac or PC, plus use the Photoshop Touch app on your tablet, it’s possible to take advantage of Adobe’s Creative Cloud service to sync, back up, and share Adobe-related files. Meanwhile, if you already use Google Docs, for example, there are a handful of apps (including Google Drive and GoDocs for Google Drive & Google Docs) for the iPad that allow you to access and utilize these popular online-based apps.
Moving forward, there’s one thing that’s certain, and it’s that more and more features and functions of the iPad, as well as the apps you’re using with your tablet, are sure to have greater reliance on cloud-based computing services and technologies. As a result, continued expansion and improvements to Apple’s iCloud service, as well as other popular cloud services, should be expected in the months and years to come.