iCloud access

[Johnny8718]

Hi All.

One quick question.

I am unsure how iCloud actually works. I appreciate that I can save and sync my documents on my iPad and they will be accessible on other apple hardware.

However, I do not have an iMac yet (buying one next month). If I lose a document on the iPad at the moment and then try to locate it again, can I access that lost document by other means (i.e log in over the net)?

I assume that once a document is deleted on your iPad for instance, the document will be deleted on the cloud. Therefore the cloud only being of use when accessing a saved document on another piece of hardware, and the cloud not actually being utilised as a back up device?

The apple site has some very nice videos, but doesn't actually explain anything to a new apple user!!!

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

John.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I've moved this to the iCloud section, where I think it will receive better attention.

Tim

 

[Johnny8718]

Tim.

I cannot find the icloud section and note there are no replies.

Could you help?

 

[jwt873]

I don't think anyone knows yet exactly how iCloud works. As you point out, Apple has no detailed documentation on what gets backed up and where to find it. If you log on to www.icloud.com you get a crude web interface, but it doesn't show you much other than what you have for your contacts and calendar. The only documents it seems to support are from the Keynote, Pages and Numbers apps.

 

[thewitt]

Documents like Pages files that have been deleted will be deleted from iCloud. It's not a backup device in this case, it's used for keeping the document in sync across multiple devices - iPads, iPhones, Macs and PCs. Delete the file from one of these devices, and it will no longer be available on the other devices.

That does not mean there will not be iDisk like file storage available for backup copies of a particular file, however this would not be immediately available. I think the Apple iDisk replacement strategy is still in the works.

I have migrated my iDisk use to DropBox for now - and store any backup copies there. This is accessible to all my devices so it's a nice safe place for a backup copy of any documents I think are that important.

-t

 

[thewitt]

The only documents it seems to support are from the Keynote, Pages and Numbers apps.

There is an API to iCloud which will allow other applications to use it to sync content, however at this time there is no way to add a widget to the website to allow access to that data from a common location.

An application developer could give you a specific view into their data in iCloud from their Mac or PC application, but not from Apple's web page - yet...

There are some who know more about how iCloud works, however much of that information is still under developer non-disclosure so I'm sure you won't see it posted here.

-t

 

[jwt873]

I realize iCloud is used for syncing as well as backup. The syncing is pretty well intuitive.. But, what about this backup thing? I have 'Storage and Backup' enabled on my iPad. Other than the photos in the photo stream, I'm not sure what I'm storing.. Plus.. There doesn't seem to be a restore function. What good is backing up if you can't restore? I'm still using good old Dropbox. At least I can see what's there and know exactly what's going on

 

[Johnny8718]

I realize iCloud is used for syncing as well as backup. The syncing is pretty well intuitive.. But, what about this backup thing? I have 'Storage and Backup' enabled on my iPad. Other than the photos in the photo stream, I'm not sure what I'm storing.. Plus.. There doesn't seem to be a restore function. What good is backing up if you can't restore? I'm still using good old Dropbox. At least I can see what's there and know exactly what's going on

Exactly. I'm new to the iPad and have bought one just as the update has been released. I have been quite excited about the endless possibilities and have been considering buying an iMac for Xmas. However, this iCloud idea seems a little useless if all that it does is share your files with your many gadgets?

I thought that backup would have been the way forward. After all said and done, how many times have you had a windows PC crash and lose everything? iCloud would not appear to be the way forward!

John.

 

[Johnny8718]

Given that we agree that iCloud isn't backing up anything at all and is merely sharing documents between machines, I have the following question.

I have tried Dropbox with no way of saving word or pages documents.

Is there ANY free cloud software out there that would allow me to easily share and actually BACKUP data so that I do not lose it?

iCloud is areal disappointment.

 

[hinke00]

Given that we agree that iCloud isn't backing up anything at all and is merely sharing documents between machines, I have the following question.

I have tried Dropbox with no way of saving word or pages documents.

Is there ANY free cloud software out there that would allow me to easily share and actually BACKUP data so that I do not lose it?

iCloud is areal disappointment.

I am a new user too, and It disappointed me that it seems there isn't any file manager in the iPad. Maybe i havent discovered it yet, but I really don't know for example, where is the document that I wrote with pages yesterday. It is not on that start screen where the documents are shown and you can also put them in folders. Is it in my icloud? How can I access that? I was a PC user, and this non existing file managing interface of the iPad terrifies me. A file meant an icon for me and i am familiar with that. Is there a browsing app for iPad? Please somebody help me out of this, because nobody knows anything about the iPad where I live.

 

[MikeV99]

I realize iCloud is used for syncing as well as backup. The syncing is pretty well intuitive.. But, what about this backup thing? I have 'Storage and Backup' enabled on my iPad. Other than the photos in the photo stream, I'm not sure what I'm storing.. Plus.. There doesn't seem to be a restore function. What good is backing up if you can't restore? I'm still using good old Dropbox. At least I can see what's there and know exactly what's going on

I have turned Photo Stream off. It's automatic saving uses local space without my control. It does not have a means to manage the images, I.e., no image delete. Images are kept for 30 days and then automatically deleted even if I want them there longer. Also, I have found it to be quite flaky - sometimes my Photo Stream on the iPad 2 has images, and sometimes it does not. Much easier to manage a photo directory on Dropbox.

ICloud backup allows one to backup continuously to the cloud rather than to a computer using iTunes. One can also make a backup to the syncing computer using iTunes by selecting that option. Restore is done via iTunes as before from wherever the backup is located. It is almost a TimeMachine for the iPad.

I too am a heavy user of dropbox. I do, however, like that calendars, contacts, and reminders are automatically sync'd between my iPhone & iPad. Also, it allows me to share those items with my wife - we have access to each other's data. Also, I find the automatic syncing of my pages & numbers files between the iPad & iPhone useful. However, I still put a copy on Dropbox so I can get to them on my Mackbook Air - it should have the same sharing capability.

Mike

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[The OB]

Regarding the Browser App question, yes, the iPad's inbuilt browser, "Safari", is quite good, and fast.
Regards, Andrew



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