iPhone users may find it difficult to transfer the contacts in their iPhone to a Android phone. To transfer contacts, mails and messages from iPhone to Android, you need to convert these files to format which Android OS is capable of understanding. There is another alternative. This tutorial will be useful in helping you learn how to transfer iPhone contacts to Android using Google Contacts feature.

Syncing contacts to Google Contacts

Syncing iPhone contacts to Google Contacts can be done in two ways, either by using iTunes or via iCloud. But you require a Google account for both, which is free.

Using iTunes to sync to Google Contacts

• Step 1: Manually backup your iPhone to the PC using iTunes
• Step 2: Open iTunes
• Step 3: Plug in the iPhone to the computer using a USB cable
• Step 4: Select iPhone in iTunes
• Step 5: Choose to Sync Contacts with Google Contacts under the Info tab. You can select Google Contacts from the dropdown box under Info tab. Now you will be prompted to provide your Gmail ID and password.

• Step 6: Enter Gmail ID and Password.
• Step 7: Wait for it to synchronize
• Step 8: After synchronization, go to Gmail and log in to your account.
• Step 9: Then select Contacts in Gmail. You will find the iPhone contacts here.

Using iCloud to sync to Google Contacts

You require an iCloud account for this. You should also have a backup in iCloud.

• Step 1: Go to iCloud.com and log in to your iCloud account
• Step 2: Go to Contacts. You will see all your iPhone contacts here.
• Step 3: Press Ctrl + A to select all contacts
• Step 4: Click on Settings
• Step 5: Now select Export vCard

• Step 6: Go to Gmail.com and log in to your account
• Step 7: Select Import Contacts from the dropdown box beside ‘More’. An alert will appear now prompting you to choose the vCard file.
• Step 8: Choose the Exported vCard file you exported from iCloud
• Step 9: Click Import. Now all contacts will appear in Google Contacts

To get rid of duplicate Google Contacts

• Step 1: In Gmail Contacts, click on ‘More’
• Step 2: Now click ‘Find and Merge duplicates’. Go through the names in the page that pops up in the screen.
• Step 3: Select the duplicate contacts
• Step 4: Click Merge button at the bottom

Syncing Contacts to Android

• Step 1: Go to Menu and tap Settings in your Android phone
• Step 2: Now tap Accounts and Sync
• Step 3: Tap on Add Account and select Google
• Step 4: Tap Sign In
• Step 5: Login to the Gmail account you synced your iPhone contacts to. Wait for some time for the Sync options.

• Step 6: Tap Sync Contacts to check the checkbox
• Step 7: Tap on Finish. This will Sync your iPhone contacts to your Android phone. Verify this in your Contacts list in the phone.

Conclusion

If you don’t merge duplicate contacts in Google Contacts, you will find a lot of repeated entries after syncing the contacts to your Android phone. You will never lose Contacts even if you lose your android phone or format it because it will be always available in Google Contacts.

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imira

A research and content development firm based in India providing solutions for various corporate firms, academic institutions and online portals.

Users having iOS 6 can now stream their photos directly onto other iOS devices through Shared Photo Streams. They can share or post photos to the Photo Stream Album that is hosted by iCloud. The photos that have been shared at the album will not count against the storage that the user has been allotted in iCloud. This will function over cellular and Wi-Fi data as well.

How to share Photo Steam Album?

You can share photos with other iOS users or by creating a Shared Photo Stream album on iCloud.com for non-iOS users, provided you have the new iOS 6. Here are the steps to make Shared Photo Streams on iOS 6.

1. On your iOS device, launch the Photos app. At the bottom of your screen you can see the ‘Photo Stream’ tab, which has to be tapped to proceed.
2. Tap the ‘+’ sign on the left corner of the top of the screen. A window appears on tapping this, requiring you to enter information regarding Shared Photo Stream. You have to enter email addresses of all those who you wish to share the Photo Stream with. Then, a name has to be given for the Photo Stream.

There is an option which allows you to make the Photo Stream accessible to public on iCloud.com. This is not mandatory and you can decide whether to opt for it or not. Only if the Public Website switch is toggled to On people without iCloud accounts can view the shared album on iCloud website.

1. Open Shared Photo Stream that you just created. Tap on the ‘Edit’ button present on the right corner on the top. After this, tap on ‘Add’ which comes at the bottom part of the screen. All that is left is for you to select the photos you want to share from your iOS device. When all the photos to be shared are selected, click on ‘Done’ option given at top right corner of the screen.
2. An alternate method for adding photos is for you to tap ‘Edit’ button given on the top right part of the Camera Roll or an album. Select the required photos. Tap ‘Share’ button given at the bottom. After this, select ‘Photo Stream’, then the photo stream that you just created earlier. You can then leave a comment before submitting it.
3. The selected photos will then be immediately pushed to the people invited to see the Shared Photo Stream. In the photos app, at the right of the Photo Stream, there is a blue arrow. On tapping this arrow, you can manage the subscriptions of the Photo Stream.
4. People you have shared the photos with can then comment and like your photos through their iOS devices. You will also receive alerts when someone likes or comments on your shared photos. However, only you can add photos to your Photo Stream.

Conclusion

The Shared Photo Stream option of iOS 6 allows you to upload photos to a website at zero cost and share them with other iOS users. It is extremely helpful to share photos with family and friends who do not use iOS or iCloud as well. You can send these photos directly to other iOS devices or share them through iCloud.com.

You can create a Photo Stream and add the email addresses of those who you want to share the album with. You can also make the album public on iCloud. The invited people can then like and comment on your shared photos.

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imira

A research and content development firm based in India providing solutions for various corporate firms, academic institutions and online portals.

Sharing problems in Dropbox

Dropbox sharing did have some complications before, especially for folks who are slightly tech-challenged. Users found it difficult to find the correct location of a file while sharing the link to the file. And in the worst case scenarios, when everything is functioning well, one of the users might delete an important file due to all the confusion which makes it disappear from everybody’s Dropbox folder!

Easy file sharing for faster sharing

File sharing in Dropbox has now been made easier and more user-friendly. A file or folder can be shared with other people and all that needs to be done is to send the link. Photos, videos, documents etc. can be shared with colleagues and friends even if they have not installed Dropbox. In addition, they also have the option of viewing the files you have sent through an intuitive online file viewer provided by Dropbox so that they do not have to download the files.

Google Documents was ruling the arena of easy file sharing allowing users to easily publish their files on the web using ‘make public on web’ or ‘anyone with link’ options available in sharing menu. With Dropbox also adopting easy sharing feature, new users have much to gain from Dropbox.

How does easy sharing in Dropbox work?

1. Right click on any file contained in the Dropbox folder. Select Get link option given in the Dropbox menu. The URL of the file will be generated.
   
2. The file will then appear in your browser. All you need to do is copy the URL
3. Share the URL with anyone you want to share the file with.



An alternate way to share files through Dropbox is to actually log in to www.dropbox.com. You have to then find the folder or file you want to share. Click on the Get Link icon of the folder or file.



Those who access the URL can view the file as well as its contents. However, they will not be able to do any modifications such as editing or deleting of the contents of the file or folder. Just a single link is needed for even folders to be shared. This makes sharing of multiple files easy.

How to remove sharing?

Sharing can be easily removed as well. All you have to do is to visit the URL one more time. After that the cog icon given at the top right part of the page has to be clicked. Select Remove link. This removes sharing of that particular file or folder. Alternatively, the website menu has Links option. The shared folders and files can be seen here. You can easily remove those links you wish to no longer share, right from here.

Conclusion

Sharing files has never been so easy with Dropbox. On clicking the Get link option, URL will be generated for the selected file or folders which can then be copied and send to whoever you wish to share the file with. The same is true for any file or folder on Dropbox.com.

Any shared link can be easily removed from sharing as well. The files shared can also be viewed by people who do not have Dropbox installed. The people with whom the files have been shared can view the contents of the file but cannot edit or delete the contents.

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imira

A research and content development firm based in India providing solutions for various corporate firms, academic institutions and online portals.

Concerns Over Cloud Computing

Security and Privacy

Almost certainly the most worries about cloud computing concern security and privacy. Not unnaturally, the idea of handing over important data to another company makes some people extremely anxious. Corporate executives might be reluctant to take advantage of a cloud computing system because it will render them unable to keep their company’s information under their own roof.

In response, companies offering cloud computing services state that their livelihood depends upon having an excellent reputation. It is to their advantage to have reliable security measures in place. If breaches of security were to begin occurring on a regular basis, the company would lose all of its clients and be driven out of business. That’s why they realize that it’s in their best interest to use the most advanced techniques to protect their clients’ data.

Unfortunately, privacy is not as easily guaranteed. Think about it. If a client can log in from any location to gain access to data and applications, it’s possible the client’s privacy could be compromised. Cloud computing companies simply must develop new ways to protect client privacy.

One way companies use is authentication techniques such as user names and passwords. Another way is to use an authorization format — meaning that each user can access only the data and applications relevant to their job.

That covers the issues of security and privacy. Other questions regarding cloud computing are more personal rather than technical. Does the user or company subscribing to the cloud computing service own the data? Does the cloud computing system, which provides the actual storage space, own it? Can a cloud computing company legally deny a client access to that client’s data? These questions are being hotly debated right now.

Effects on Other Industries

There’s also another pressing question that is alarming some people. How will cloud computing affect other industries? There’s growing concern in the IT industry about exactly how cloud computing could impact the business of computer maintenance and repair. If companies switch to using streamlined computer systems, they’ll have fewer IT needs. This could force IT jobs to migrate to the back end of the cloud computing system.

Less demand means less work. IT companies could find themselves having to compete even more with rival companies offering the same services. Plus, those smaller companies that can’t effectively compete with the large ones may find they are slowly being squeezed out of the equation.

There’s is yet one more concern about another area of research in the computer science community. This is autonomic computing. Basically, an autonomic computing system is self-managing, which means that the system monitors itself and takes measures to prevent or repair problems.

Cloud Computing

Presently, autonomic computing is still theoretical. But, if autonomic computing does become a reality, it could also cause the elimination of the need for many IT maintenance jobs. That could be a very serious blow to the economy in the not too distant future.

All of this must be taken into consideration in due course, however, there’s no stopping progress, and while all companies will not turn to cloud computing services, many, if not most, will and the results will be interesting to watch. Is cloud computing really the utopia some proclaim it to be, only time will tell.

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Cloud Computing

Nowadays, with employees working across so many devices from numerous locations, cloud computing is taking on an increasing level of importance for a seamless work experience. The options may vary, but whatever solutions companies opt to buy, they all have to work on the range of devices people now carry.

This is where cloud computing comes in. Cloud computing is making business life easier by allowing users access to the same information regardless of which device they have logged on with.

The creation of a new mobile workforce means that software and file storage must be accessible anywhere, anytime, on any device, and can no longer be stuck in one place. People want to be able to access work no matter where they are. Merely dropping a file into a centralized location using cloud storage technology offers easy access and version control by simply pressing a button.

There are three main ways that cloud computing can improve the workplace:

1.Utilizing current and emerging technologies —

Cloud computing can make use of nearly any type of application or software. An application can be packaged together with other programs and processes and then easily duplicated and copied.

When an IT setup is used, a packaged set of processes is not so easy to transfer among individual users. Besides slowing down the individual’s work performance, it makes more redundant labor for IT too. Through the use of cloud computing you can more easily create your own software-based solutions and deploy them instantly to as many users as needed.

There are also a vast number of individual cloud-based services (email, online storage, and online file transfer) which can be leveraged to swiftly provide employees with on the spot solutions, thereby eliminating searching and downtime.



cloud computing can improve the workplace

2.Encouraging employee growth —

By giving personnel access to a library of specific software products and solutions, you are giving them a greater sense of responsibility and creative leeway to do their work.

By the use of cloud computing, a number of different pathways to completion of any task can open up. This freedom of choice creates and allows to grow and develop a greater sense of desire to perform their duties, because they are given the chance to creatively address whatever work they are doing. This in turn can lead to the conceiving of more creative solutions to work issues such as efficiency.

All of this will lead a business straight down the path to increased productivity, and thus increased prosperity.

3.Improving communications —

When it comes to improving communications, traditional IT can’t hold a candle to cloud computing. It had its day and was a stepping stone to allow businesses to reach ever higher. Just as web tools, apps, and communication interfaces can improve connectivity, so too can cloud computing.

Plus, any type of web service, app, or software can be repacked or deployed on a cloud. This gives you a much cleaner interface for users with a greater number of individual points of communication.

These are just some of the ways in which cloud computing can make the workplace environment a better place. If you are willing to take full advantage of all that cloud computing has to offer, it can completely transform the way your business accomplishes the work it performs every day. This will benefit employees as well as the business itself, and make for a happier, mentally healthy atmosphere all around.

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Cloud Computing Becomes a Most Important Technologies

How to Move Yourself to “The Cloud”

1. Use Google Docs as your basic productivity tools –

Besides the fact that they are free and effective tools, they are also online and available wherever you go (docs.google.com). You don’t have to purchase Microsoft Office or even download the free Open Office at OpenOffice.org.

In some instances Google Docs can launch an application (documents, spreadsheet, etc.) in the cloud faster than you can on your PC. Plus it’s a nice feeling to have the freedom of not being tied to only one PC which you can’t always get to when you need it.

A notebook works very well in this case, but what if it breaks down or you lose it? If you take advantage of home computing in the cloud, it is still a problem if you lose your equipment, but the information you have saved, including what you were last working on is safe. That’s what’s of primary importance.

2. Use Mint.com, Quickenonline.com or other online financial tracking programs —

As of this writing they are free. That is one great benefit. While they may not yet be as good as an installed program such as Quicken, if you simply want to track your current balances to be sure your cash flow isn’t in the red, these work fine.

Access The Cloud From Anywhere

Once you have moved the bulk of your mainstream computing to the cloud, you can access it from any PC and your mobile phone. This is an enormous convenience which businesses are benefiting from today, and it can work just as well for the home user.

Cloud Computing From the Home

Use The Cloud but Backup Critical Data

Be certain to make backups of your data, especially what you need to access your sites on the web. When it comes to preventing the potential loss of your data it cannot be stressed enough that it is always better to be safe than sorry.

When it comes to storing passwords use Password Safe which is free from sourceforge.net. That way you can keep all of your passwords in one place. Of course you must use a variety of different passwords for your sites, and take pains not to use a password more than once.

Security in Cloud Computing

Moving to cloud computing can cause serious anxiety and stress over privacy concerns and data security. After all, there are stories about hackers stealing data on the news every day. We all know what a mess that can create in business or your personal life and desperately want to avoid becoming victims ourselves. However, there is cause to have confidence in the security of the cloud. While there is no guarantee of absolute security, there is no evidence to show that your risk of loss is any greater in the cloud than it is anywhere else.

Taking into consideration all of the above information, and the ease with which cloud computing can be used in business, it seems only natural that it will make the jump to the home as well. While it won’t happen overnight, be prepared because it is almost a certainty for the future.

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Big Data and Cloud Computing

Big data consists of large information sets that can help firms identify trends to improve efficiency or other areas of their operations. Organizations caught napping when it comes to this trend won’t be able to handle so much information and can experience problems that may impact things like database performance.

How Big Data and Cloud Computing Will Change

1. Cloud as a term will start to fade out —

It will become generic (legacy infrastructure will be the exception rather than the rule). That’s what happened with terms like “client-server “and “Internet”. Eventually, any company with “cloud” in their company and/or product names will rebrand.

2. “-as-a-Service” or “aaS” will also disappear –

Think about it, cloud is just the migration from product to service. For example: Electricity as a Product (generator) vs Electricity as a Service (grid) — the “as a Service” is implicit because we don’t buy electricity as a product any more, except for off-grid and backup applications. The same applies to IT.

3. Virtualization doesn’t just apply to PC hardware —

we have virtual memory, virtual networks virtual storage and the use made of virtual datacenters will be increasing too. It just takes time for companies to become familiar with their operations.

4. Data handling will continue to evolve –

That’s true even today, but technical developments brand under “Big Data” and “NoSQL” are still evolutionary rather than revolutionary — the big change is in the way custodians approach data and use it to their advantage.

5. There will be a rise of industry-specific clouds —

As general IaaS and PaaS clouds begin to mature in 2013, expect to see the rise of IaaS and PaaS clouds that are purpose-built to serve specific vertical markets, such as healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing.

Cloud computing providers will find it necessary to take this approach to meet the demands of the specialized security, processes, and compliance requirements for each vertical market as well as to sell more products to those markets.

6. Cloud computing’s impact on IT will be felt by the staff —

IT budgets will rise, and much of the money flowing back into corporate IT will go toward the retooling of new and existing systems toward the use of PaaS and IaaS clouds.

Those working in IT will notice the shift in resources from traditional internal systems to public and private cloud computing. For many this will herald a new career path around the use of cloud computing; but others won’t be as lucky and will be left behind.



Cloud Computing and Big Data

7. Local cloud networks will emerge —

As issues of trust, proximity and data sovereignty continue to surface, we will continue to see Local Cloud Networks — or public and private infrastructure cloud delivered by your nearby Internet provider, Telco, MSO and data center — emerge in 2013. Cloud computing is an effective business solution, but it is critical to have face-to-face support as well.

For the foreseeable future, it seems that the cloud and big data will continue to be connected. The combination of cloud computing and big data is going to become more practical due to it’s being the more efficient method for information storage. Using just IT will no longer be enough for a company to be able to keep up.

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Cloud Services Buyers

1. Is Bigger really better?

If you go online and research cloud service providers you’ll discover that many large companies are staking their claim on a cloud market that is steadily becoming more crowded. The service provider’s reputation and how long they have been providing cloud services should trump size.

Look for a cloud specialist with reputable technology that thoroughly knows the industry. Knowledge is the key to success and a smaller company that is responsible, successful, knowledgeable and respects it’s customers will serve your needs far better than a larger company concerned only with profit.

2. What are your security needs and how can they best be met?

With cloud use increasing, there has been a great deal of discussion pertaining to the security of the cloud, but the fact is that there is very little difference between the trust you place in your ISP and your other technology providers. Nothing is foolproof, but if you choose the right company, you should be able to use its cloud services without being unduly concerned about security.

Just remember that every organization’s security needs and expectations are different so it’s essential to understand how the vendor can meet your particular needs.

3. How does the cloud provider back up data?

Be familiar with the basics of data back-up. Know not only how the cloud provider backs up data, but — heaven forbid — what would happen if they went out of business or if you wanted to move data to another provider. Find out about the provider’s storage reputation, the number and location of their data centers and redundancy of their infrastructure.

4. What kind of SLA, or Service Level Agreement will I get?

Be sure and secure a good SLA. Industry certifications capture a moment in time and don’t necessarily indicate good performance. The best way to ensure quality service is with a good Service Level Agreement using clear contractual language.

Make certain that what you expect to get for your money is plainly spelled out in the contract, so that there won’t be any arguments later on. Keep an eye out for vendors who publish their performance and have clear financial penalties for underperformance.



Hand in the clouds

5. What type of customer service is available?

The best customer service departments for cloud services are staffed with cloud specialists who are available 24/7. Be certain that the vendor you choose has customer service specialists who can meet your organization’s needs and are friendly and cooperative.

6. Is a free trial offered?

One of the main advantages of SaaS is that it makes it easy to deploy a free trial and most vendors offer this to those considering their services. Start small with the trial and give yourself a taste of what is to come without trying to absorb everything at one time, then once you are satisfied, you can expand the service to include confidential data and other mission-critical systems.

While there are pros and cons to using a cloud system, most users seem satisfied once they have tried cloud computing services. The above are just some simple guidelines to help you choose the right company to service your business. Making a decision that you can live with also involves having a thorough knowledge and understanding of your business and its needs.

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Cloud Storage

Some people invest in larger hard drives. Others favor external storage devices like thumb drives or compact discs. Then there are those who are choosing to rely on a growing trend: cloud storage.

What cloud storage really is boils down to this: It’s saving data to an off-site storage system maintained by a third party. Rather than storing information to your computer’s hard drive or other local storage device, you save it to a remote database. The Internet provides the connection between your computer and the database.

Advantages

It’s easy to see the advantages cloud storage has over traditional data storage right away:

• If you store your data on a cloud storage system, you’ll be able to retrieve data from any location that has Internet access.

• You don’t need to carry around a physical storage device or use the same computer to save and retrieve your information.

• If you have the proper storage system, you could even allow other people to access the data, turning a personal project into a collaborative effort.

The Basics

It may surprise you to learn this, but there are hundreds of different cloud storage systems. Some have a very specific focus, such as storing Web email messages or digital pictures. The purpose of others is to store all forms of digital data.

Some cloud storage systems are small operations, while others are so huge that the physical equipment can fill up an entire warehouse. The facilities that house cloud storage systems are called data centers.

• Reduced to it’s most basic level, a cloud storage system needs just one data server connected to the Internet. A client, (a computer user subscribing to a cloud storage service), sends copies of files over the Internet to the data server, which then records the information.

• Whenever the client wants to retrieve the information, they access the data server through a Web-based interface. The server then either sends the files back to the client or allows the client to access and manipulate the files on the server itself.

Unfortunately, computers are far from perfect, and occasionally require maintenance or repair. That’s why cloud storage systems normally depend upon hundreds of data servers to store the same information on multiple machines. This is known as redundancy. If they didn’t use this tactic, a cloud storage system couldn’t promise clients that they could access their information at any time.

Most cloud storage systems have the same data stored on servers that use different power supplies. This way, clients will have access to their data even if one power supply fails.

Cloud storage isn’t just for those clients concerned about running out of storage space. It is often used as a way to create backups of data. If a client’s computer system suffers a meltdown, the data survives off-site.

There are hundreds of cloud storage providers on the Web, and more are popping up all the time. Providing storage isn’t the only area in which competition is strong, but also the amount of storage each company offers to its clients seems to be growing daily.

Cloud Storage

So cloud storage is here to stay, and like anything else it has it’s proponents and its detractors.

While it’s not foolproof, it can be of great assistance to both individuals and businesses alike because it does the data saving for you, effectively eliminating the need to store information on your own computer or that of your business. You just need to determine what your requirements are before signing on with a cloud storage provider.

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Information Secure in the Cloud

Poor website security is often responsible for permitting hackers to obtain easy access to truckloads of personal information. Now we can blame corporations for lacking the high quality security they should have, and we can point the finger at hackers for attacking websites, often with harmful intentions, but there’s a third party frequently at fault in the success of these attacks: the users.

Of course websites should be thoroughly protected, and hacking is illegal, but poor Web safety habits contribute to the problem of allowing others to obtain access to our personal information.

Think about it: How often do you use the same username and password? Every time you create a new profile? Reusing passwords — or using weak passwords — makes you an easy target for identity theft. Sure remembering multiple passwords can be bothersome, but consider the consequences if your personal information is hijacked.

Internet cloud services — services that store your data on a server so that you don’t have to keep it on your hard drive, but can still access it from any Internet-enabled device — are more powerful than ever before.

Backing up photographs and important documents is a snap. Google Docs and Gmail can replace Microsoft Word and Outlook Express. Banking sites can take the place of expensive financial applications. All of this is wonderful, and all we have to do is be safe while we use them. Here are some simple safety tips for keeping your data secure in the cloud:

1. Make Your Passwords Almost Impossible to Crack

Think of your password as a lock. Just as a lock keeps you safe from intruders in your home, so are passwords created to keep your information safe from hackers. But remembering them can be troublesome, so many people use simple passwords that are easy to remember.

That can be a fatal mistake. The more complicated your password is, the safer your data will be. Since more complicated passwords won’t be as easy to recall, find a safe place to record your passwords in case you forget them.

Also, once you have chosen a good password, be very selective about who you share it with.

2. Don’t Reuse or Share Passwords

Use different passwords for different sites. If nothing else, change up letters, symbols and capitalization if you plan to use the same word or phrase on multiple sites. Be particularly careful about sites that have your credit card information or social security number. Your email password is the most important. Keep it secure and never use it for other sites.

3. Never Tell Other People Your Password

Even if you are dealing with someone you trust completely, just don’t do it. The more people who know your passwords, the greater the chance that those passwords could be accidentally compromised.

System Security

4. LastPass

LastPass is a cloud-based service that makes managing data on the Web easier. It’s a password management utility that locks all of your various passwords behind one master password. Thus you can create separate logins for email, Facebook, Twitter, cloud storage and everything else you do online, but still access those accounts by memorizing one single password.

Web browsers will remember passwords for you, but LastPass can do something they can’t. It can synchronize your information across multiple browsers and devices and fill in forms with a single click.

LastPass can even help you create randomized passwords that are virtually uncrackable. The service is free, but for a $1 per month premium account you gain access to the mobile version of LastPass for iOS, Android and most other mobile operating systems.

5. Back Up Data

The need to back up your data cannot be stressed enough. A power surge, faulty hard drive platter, or other unexpected system failure could happen at any time, and if your data isn’t backed up, you’ll lose it. The answer to the dilemma: cloud storage solutions.

These come in all shapes and sizes.

Dropbox offers only a couple gigabytes of free storage, but its interface is incredibly simple to use. It creates a folder on your hard drive that’s linked to the web — all you have to do to upload files is drag them into the folder.

WindowsLiveSkydrive is designed to make it easy to view and edit Office documents in the cloud: Amazon’s Cloud Drive offers 5 gigabytes of free storage and a Web interface for uploading your files.

Other services like SugarSync and Mozy, focus more on automatically backing up your important data and storing it, rather than making it easily accessible online.

The smartest way to backup your data is this: Don’t rely on one service. Store files you access frequently in Dropbox and back up more in a free service like Amazon Cloud Drive. Keep a local backup on a secondary hard drive or on an automated backup drive like Apple’sTime Capsule.

With your data securely backed up and your passwords uncrackable, you’ve come a long way towards making your information secure in the cloud.

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