It seems that the cloud is getting a lot of press nowadays. Critics claim ‘the cloud’ is just another marketing buzzword, while proponents contend that ‘the cloud’ is a fundamental paradigm shift in how people use technology. Perhaps it is both. I don’t think it really matters.
What really matters is how it affects your day-to-day life. The reality is, there are some amazing ‘cloud’ tools and services available today that do make life a little easier.
Here are my top 6 favorite cloud apps that I recommend to everyone.
6. – When Google first launched Google Docs in 2006 I was skeptical. A lot has changed since then, and I now use Docs every day. While there are some features I miss from Microsoft Office, the pros now outweigh the cons.
5. – Google’s Gmail is cloud email at its finest. The threaded format keeps my email chains in context, so I always know the context of my messages. Powerful filtering and rules keeps my inbox organized. My email in the cloud ensures that I have access to email no matter where I am or what device I am using.
4. – Evernote allows me to save notes, pictures, websites, and other information to a single point. It’s like having a centralized enhanced memory and I love it.
3. – Flickr provides a solution to one of my biggest fears–losing my photos. Years ago when I had my very first hard drive failure, I lost some family photographs that I didn’t have backed up. Now with Flikr’s pro service, I upload my full resolution photos and never worry about losing my precious memories again.
2. – HootSuite is a social media dashboard that allows me to access my Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social network accounts from a single interface. Convenient and powerful.
1. – Dropbox. Ranking the other items in this list was a little challenging. But there was never a doubt about what item is number one in my book. Just like Flikr secures my photos, Dropbox secures all of my files. And just like icing on the cake, Dropbox is free!
