The cloud is ubiquitous in the world today and is clearly the new buzzword of technology.  However, the cloud has always been around.  At least since the Internet has been around.  The cloud is literally the place where items are stored (not your local computer) that are accessible via the Internet. The cloud increases the productivity of tasks and reliability of data via many tools such as the webmail we discussed previously, data storage, and web applications such as productivity suites and social media platforms.

Storing information on the cloud is a popular way to retain, share, and access your data anytime and anywhere, across multiple devices.  Most typical Internet users use some sort of cloud storage service to store files, back up photos and other data, and share files with others.  

The most common consumer cloud storage services are Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Apple iCloud, and Dropbox.  All of these services have a typical lower-level storage option that is free along with other increased capacity options on paid subscriptions.

Productivity on the cloud is a major plus for consumers and businesses as well.  Platforms like Google Docs and Microsoft Office 365 allow you to create documents, spreadsheets, forms, and presentations without ever downloading full software to your computer.  These types of services tie in nicely with the storage options allow the user to have the convenience of a physical computer anywhere that they go and there is access to the Internet.  

Why use the cloud?

Some of the main reasons to use the cloud are convenience and reliability. For example, if you've ever used a web-based email service, such as Gmail or Yahoo! Mail, you've already used the cloud. All of the emails in a web-based service are stored on servers rather than on your computer's hard drive. This means you can access your email from any computer with an Internet connection. It also means you'll be able to recover your emails if something happens to your computer.

• File storage: You can store all types of information in the cloud, including files and email. This means you can access these things from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection, not just your home computer. Dropbox and Google Drive are some of the most popular cloud-based storage services. 

• File sharing: The cloud makes it easy to share files with several people at the same time. For example, you could upload several photos to a cloud-based photo service like Flickr or iCloud Photos, then quickly share them with friends and family. 

• Backing up data: You can also use the cloud to protect your files. There are apps such as Carbonite that automatically back up your data to the cloud. This way, if your computer ever is lost, stolen, or damaged, you'll still be able to recover these files from the cloud.

What is a web app?

Previously, we talked about how desktop applications allow you to perform tasks on your computer. But there are also web applications—or web apps—that run in the cloud and do not need to be installed on your computer. 

Let's take a look at some popular web apps.

• Facebook: Facebook lets you create an online profile and interact with your friends. Profiles and conversations can be updated at any time, so Facebook uses web app technologies to keep the information up to date.

• Pixlr: Pixlr is an image editing application that runs in your web browser. Much like Adobe Photoshop, it includes many advanced features, like color correction and sharpening tools. 

• Google Docs: Google Docs is an office suite that runs in your browser. Much like Microsoft Office, you can use it to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. And because the files are stored in the cloud, it's easy to share them with others. 

Using the Cloud

By utilizing the cloud, you can get to any of your uploaded information anywhere as long as you have Internet access. These tutorials show you how to make the most of it.

• Google Account

• Google Docs

• Google Drive

• Microsoft Account

• OneDrive and Office Online

• Dropbox

Getting to know Google

Google is probably best known as a search engine because that's how it started out. But today, Google provides many services you can use to perform various tasks at home or at work. To use these services—like Gmail or Google Calendar—you'll need to create an account so Google has a place to save your data and settings.

What is Google Drive?

Google Drive is a free service from Google that allows you to store files online and access them anywhere using the cloud. Google Drive also gives you access to free web-based applications for creating documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more.

Why use Google Drive?

Google Drive is one of the most popular cloud storage services available today. If you've never used a cloud-based storage service like Google Drive before, take a moment to consider the advantages of keeping your files online. Because files can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection, Drive eliminates the need to email or save a file to a USB drive. And because Drive allows you to share files, working with others becomes much easier.

Creating files on Google Drive

Google Drive doesn't just store your files; it also allows you to create, share, and manage documents with its own productivity apps.

Below are the types of files you can create and share on Google Drive:

•  Documents: For composing letters, flyers, essays, and other text-based files (similar to Microsoft Word documents)

•  Spreadsheets: For storing and organizing information (similar to Microsoft Excel workbooks)

•  Presentations: For creating slideshows (similar to Microsoft PowerPoint presentations)

•  Forms: For collecting and organizing data

•  Drawings: For creating simple vector graphics or diagrams

Using templates

A template is a pre-designed file you can use to quickly create new documents. Templates often include custom formatting and designs, so they can save you a lot of time and effort when starting a new project. 

To use an official Google template:

• Navigate to the template gallery.

• When you've found a template you want to use, click the template to select it. 

• A new file will be created with the selected template. You can then customize the file with your own information. 

Uploading files to Google Drive

Google Drive gives you 15 gigabytes (15GB) of free storage space to upload files from your computer and store them in the cloud. There are two main types of files you can store on your Google Drive:

• Files you can edit, like Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and other text-based files

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• Files you cannot edit, like music, videos, compressed archives (.zip files), and most other files.

Once you upload a file—no matter what type of file it is—you'll be able to manage, organize, share, and access it from anywhere. And because the files on Google Drive are synced across your devices, you'll always see the most recent version of a file. 

Uploading files and folders

It's easy to upload files from your computer to Google Drive. If you're using the Google Chrome web browser, you can even upload entire folders.

To upload a file:

• From Google Drive, locate and select the New button, then select File upload.

• Locate and select the file(s) you want to upload, then click Open. 

• The file(s) will be uploaded to your Google Drive. 

• To upload a folder:

• Click the New button, then select Folder upload. 

• Locate and select the folder you want to upload, then click OK. 

• The folder and the files within it will be uploaded to your Google Drive. 

Once you've created a file, it will be accessible whenever you sign in to Google Drive. However, there may be times when you want to download or print a file for offline access. 

To download a file:

• Locate and right-click the file you want to download, then select Download.

• The file will be downloaded to your computer.

To choose a file format:

By default, Google Drive will choose the most common file format whenever you download a file. 

• Double-click the desired file to open it.

• The file will appear in a new tab. Select File > Download as, then choose the desired file type. In this example, we'll choose PDF Document (.pdf). 

• The file will be downloaded to your computer in the desired file type.

To print a file:

• Double-click the desired file to open it.

• Select File > Print.

• The Print dialog box will appear, along with a preview of your file on the right. Choose the desired options, then click Print. 

Microsoft is best known for its popular software packages: Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. But today, Microsoft also provides many free online services you can use to perform various tasks at home or at work. To use these services, including OneDrive or Skype, you'll need to create a Microsoft account. 

What is a Microsoft account?

A Microsoft account gives you access to a wide range of services and tools. These include:

• Productivity tools that let you create, store, and edit documents, videos, images, and other files.

• Social tools that let you communicate via email and chat, as well as share and collaborate on files stored online.

A Microsoft account can help you accomplish most everyday computer tasks, much like the Windows operating system. The difference between these services and more traditional productivity suites is that many of the files and services you work with are stored online rather than on your computer. 

To use these services, you'll need a Microsoft account. Every piece of information you create with Microsoft tools—from contact lists in Outlook and Skype to an Office document stored in the cloud—is connected with your Microsoft account. 

**If you use Microsoft services like Outlook or Skype, you already have a Microsoft account—otherwise, you'll have to create a free Microsoft account.** 

Microsoft account features

Once you have a Microsoft account, you can access all of Microsoft's online services. This includes several core services and tools, like OneDrive (previously called SkyDrive), Office Online, and Outlook.com.

• OneDrive and Office Online
  OneDrive is a cloud-based storage system you can use as your own personal online hard drive, with 7GB of free space. OneDrive is also integrated with Office Online, a free web-based version of popular Microsoft Office programs you can use to create basic Word documents, Excel workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, and more.

• Outlook.com, Calendar, and Messenger
  A free email service, Outlook.com makes it easy to send and receive email from anywhere. From there, you'll also be able to use Microsoft's other online services, including Calendar, which allows you to schedule appointments; and Messenger, which allows you to send instant messages to your contacts.

• Windows Essentials
  This is a suite of desktop applications you can download to your computer. Popular programs include the desktop version of OneDrive, which makes it easy to back up files from your computer; Family Safety, which lets you set parental controls for specific users; Movie Maker; and Photo Gallery. You don't necessarily need a Microsoft account to use these programs.

Creating a Microsoft account

If you have a Hotmail account or any account that lets you use any other Microsoft service, like OneDrive or XBox Live, you already have a Microsoft account—just sign in with your existing account information.

To create a Microsoft account:

• Go to login.live.com. Locate and select Sign up now.

• The sign up form will appear. Follow the directions and enter the required information, such as your name, birth date, and gender. 

• Review the Microsoft Services Agreement and privacy statement, then click Create account. 

• Your Microsoft account is now created, and the account settings page will appear. 

Getting started

After you create a Microsoft account, you'll be taken to the Microsoft account settings page. To use the features and services of your Microsoft account, such as OneDrive or Messenger, you will first need to access your profile page.

To access the profile page:

• Locate and select the profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen, then select Edit profile from the drop-down menu.

• The profile page will appear. From here, you can access the toolbar, which will help you navigate Microsoft's online services. 

To use the toolbar:

• Click the drop-down arrow in the top-left corner to open a menu of Microsoft services: Mail (either Outlook or Hotmail), People (contacts), Calendar, and OneDrive (previously called SkyDrive).

• Click the icons in the top-right corner to access Messenger, your profile settings, and the Gear icon, which controls individual settings for each Microsoft service. 

Setting up your profile

Your profile is a personal information page linked to your Microsoft account. Your profile can contain:

• Basic information, like your birth date and gender

• Additional contact information

• Personal information about your work, social life, and education

• Connections to social networking sites like Facebook

Filling in your profile is completely optional, and it's advisable not to add too much detailed personal information. However, filling in a little information can be useful in some situations.

Adding contacts and Messenger friends

Contacts can help you get the most out of your Microsoft account. Once you've added people to your contacts, you can access their contact information from every Microsoft service. You'll use the same contact list to send emails in Outlook and share files in OneDrive. 

There are two ways to add contacts:

• Entering information for each of your contacts individually

• Copying, or importing, existing lists of contacts from other accounts, like Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn (if you already have a lot of contacts saved with another account, this method can save you a lot of time and effort)

To import contacts:

• Navigate to the People page.

• Locate and select the Manage button, then choose Add people from the drop-down menu.

• Select the service where your contacts are stored. 

• A dialog box will appear with importing options and permissions. This page will vary depending on which service you chose.  

• Your contacts will be imported. 

To add a new contact:

• Navigate to the People page.

• Locate and select the New button.

• Enter the contact information. At the very least, you should enter a first and last name, as well as an email address. However, you can also enter other information, like phone numbers, alternate email addresses, date of birth, and work information.

• When you are finished filling out the contact information, click Save. 

• The contact will be added. 

Changing your privacy settings

You can access your privacy options from the privacy settings page. These settings let you control exactly how much content you share and who you share it with.

To access the privacy settings page:

• Navigate to your profile page.

• Locate and select the link next to Shared with: (the text of this link will vary based on your current privacy settings).

• The privacy settings page will appear. On the next page of this lesson, you'll learn how to modify these settings. 

Understanding privacy settings

The privacy settings page is divided into groups of privacy settings, each of which can be adjusted by a green slider. Each notch on the slider represents a specific level of privacy. These levels are:

• Just me, which is totally private

• Some Messenger friends, which shows your content to all of your Messenger friends except for those who you've marked with limited access

• All Messenger friends

• Messenger friends and their friends, which shows your content to your friends and all of their friends, whom you may or may not know

• Everyone, which means your content is public

Privacy settings:

There are two main groups of privacy settings to modify:

• Profile: Here, you can control who sees the contact and personal information you post on your profile.

• Who can contact me: Here, you can limit the people who are able to send you Messenger friend invitations. Adjusting this setting can help you cut down on spam friend requests, but it can also make it more difficult for acquaintances and real-life friends to find you on Messenger. You can also control who is able to leave comments on your visible posts and shares. 

To modify privacy settings:

• Locate a setting you wish to change, then click the appropriate notch on its slider.

• When you are satisfied with your privacy settings, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save. Your new settings will be applied. 

Additional privacy settings

To opt out of Microsoft marketing:

If you prefer not to receive promotional emails from Microsoft, you will need to opt out of Microsoft marketing.

• Click the profile icon, then select Account settings from the drop-down menu.

• The account settings page will appear.

• Locate and select Notifications in the left-navigation menu. 

• The Notifications page will appear. Locate and select Manage marketing preferences. 

• The marketing preference page will appear. Check the check box to unsubscribe from promotional emails.

• Click Save. Your marketing preferences will be changed.

Account Security

In addition to privacy, you should consider account security. A secure account is one that is difficult for someone else to access but easy for you to access, even if you've lost your password. You can keep your account secure by changing your password frequently and setting up password recovery information.

To change your password:

• Click the profile icon, then select Account settings from the drop-down menu. The account settings page will appear.

• Locate the Password and security info group, then select Change password.

• Enter your current password.

• Enter your new password.

• Type your new password again.

• Click Save. Your password will be changed. 

Microsoft Office Online is a suite of online applications that lets you create Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and more. You can store the documents you create—plus any other files you want—on Microsoft OneDrive, an online file storage service. Both of these tools are accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection, and both are free. 

What is Office Online?

Office Online is a free basic version of the most popular programs in the Microsoft Office suite. It lets you create Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and more without having to buy or install software. There are four Office Online apps:

• Word: For creating text documents

• Excel: For working with spreadsheets

• PowerPoint: For creating presentations

• OneNote: For taking and organizing notes

What is OneDrive?

OneDrive is a free online storage space you can use as your own personal online hard drive. When you create a document with Office Online, it will be saved to your OneDrive. You can store other files there as well. This type of online storage is referred to as the cloud. 

Why use Office Online and OneDrive?

OneDrive is one of the most popular cloud storage services available today, offering five gigabytes (5GB) of free storage space. And because OneDrive allows you to share and edit documents with Office Online, it's easy to collaborate with others.

Of course, Office Online and OneDrive aren't the only services that let you create and store files in the cloud. Google Drive and Apple's iCloud provide similar features. However, Office Online offers one major advantage over these other services: It is similar to the desktop versions of Microsoft Office applications. 

Limitations of Office Online

While Office Online is a useful tool, it's not perfect. Office Online is a limited version of Microsoft Office, which means it may be missing some of the features you like to use. You can still create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, but they may not look as polished without certain tools.

Installing the Microsoft OneDrive app

If you prefer working in the desktop, you can download the OneDrive desktop app. This will add a OneDrive folder to your File Explorer. When you move files into this folder, they will automatically be uploaded to OneDrive, and you can access them anywhere you go. You'll even be able to access any files stored on your computer remotely, even if you haven't uploaded the files to OneDrive.

To install the OneDrive app:

• Navigate to the Download OneDrive page. Locate and select Download OneDrive for Windows.

• Once the file is downloaded, open it and follow the instructions to install OneDrive.

• OneDrive is now installed on your computer. A OneDrive folder will be added to your Windows Explorer. We'll talk more about using this folder in our lesson on how to Upload, Sync, and Manage Files. 

Upload, Sync, and Manage Files 

OneDrive isn't just for storing documents. You can also upload other files, like photos, videos, and music. In total, OneDrive gives you 5GB of free space to store files of all types. 

The OneDrive desktop application makes it easy to upload and sync files across all of your devices. If you have Windows 8.1 or 10, the OneDrive app is already built in. Whenever you move a file to the OneDrive folder, that file is moved online to the cloud, allowing you to access the same version of that file from any computer connected to the Internet. 

Word Online

Word Online is the online version of Microsoft Word. You can use Word Online to create text documents, including letters, resumes, and flyers.

Tool limitations

Compared to the desktop version, Word Online has fewer editing and formatting tools. This means you won’t be able to use Word Online to heavily customize the appearance of your documents. In addition, Word Online lacks several advanced features, including the ability to track changes and use SmartArt and Mail Merge.

Excel Online

Excel Online is the online version of Microsoft Excel. Like the desktop version of Excel, Excel Online allows you to use spreadsheets, or worksheets, to store and analyze data in organized workbooks.

Tool limitations

Excel Online contains many of the most useful Excel features. For example, you can perform calculations with formulas. You can even organize your data into tables and charts, although you won't be able to do much to customize their appearance. Most of Excel's advanced tools are not included in Excel Online. For instance, you won't be able to create PivotTables, perform advanced data analysis, or customize the page layout. 

PowerPoint Online

PowerPoint Online is the online version of Microsoft PowerPoint. You can use PowerPoint Online to create slideshow presentations that include text, images, and SmartArt graphics.

Tool limitations

While it still lacks many of tools found in the desktop version, PowerPoint has fewer limitations than Word and Excel. You can easily insert pictures, SmartArt, animations, and transitions.

Dropbox is a free cloud-based service that lets you store files online and access them anywhere. You can then share these files with other people, allowing them to view, edit, and download them. Dropbox offers 2 gigabytes (2GB) of free storage space, with options to earn or pay for more. 

Uploading and managing files

Dropbox makes it easy to upload and manage your files in the cloud, allowing you to access them from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. 

Types of files

Dropbox gives you 2 gigabytes (2GB) of storage for free to upload and store files. There are two types of files you can upload to Dropbox:

• Files you can edit, like Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and most other text-based files

• Files you can preview, including images, videos, music, and most other files (a complete list of supported file types can be found here)

**Once you upload a file, no matter what type it is, you'll be able to manage, organize, share, and access it from anywhere. Because your Dropbox files are synced across your devices, you'll always see the most recent version of a file. **

Uploading files

It's easy to upload files from your computer onto Dropbox. If you're using Dropbox's website or their desktop app, you can even upload entire folders.

• From Dropbox, click the Upload button.

• A dialog box will appear. Click the Choose files button. 

• Locate and select the file(s) you want to upload, then click Open. 

• The file(s) will be uploaded to your Dropbox.