10 Ways to Harness the Power of the Cloud

Back in the early days of the Internet, the idea of storing data and running applications on servers located far from our homes and offices seemed more like a science fiction dream than a business possibility. While users appreciated the concept, the thought of doing real work via a browser connected to the Internet was unimaginable.

Over time, the browser and the computer have merged into one seamless experience. Today, many people no longer purchase and install traditional software. Instead, they simply open their computer, launch their browser, and access a variety of applications hosted on global servers. Their data is stored in the cloud, far away from the physical hard drives, and they are getting real work done.

You too can join this group. While you'll still need a computer, there’s no need to invest in expensive software. Most cloud services, often referred to as Web apps, are either free or require a minimal monthly fee. From there, it’s all about learning what’s available – and that’s where this article comes in.

Over the next few pages, we’ll dive into how you can take full advantage of the cloud, whether you’re a small business owner, an artist, a student, or someone seeking a fun way to connect with others who share your interests. Let’s begin with the foundation of any strong cloud computing system — file storage and synchronization.

10: Store and Sync Your Files

With cloud file storage and synchronization, you’re essentially leasing a small section of a server managed by a service provider. You still have your PC, or several of them, but you install software that monitors designated folders for new files. Once new files are detected, the software automatically syncs them, uploading the data over your internet connection to your section of the provider’s server and then distributing it to all your connected devices. Many providers also offer mobile apps, so you can access your files on your tablet or smartphone.

The beauty of cloud storage is that it keeps your data safe offsite, which is particularly useful in case, for instance, a house fire destroys your PC.

Dropbox and SugarSync are two widely-used file storage and syncing services, but there are many other options available, including offerings from major tech companies: Amazon (Cloud Drive), Google (Google Drive), and Microsoft (OneDrive). Most of these services offer some free storage — typically around 5 gigabytes — with additional space available for a fee based on your usage.

9: Collaborate Seamlessly With a Remote Team

In the early days of the Internet, project collaboration looked something like this: You created a file on your computer, then attached it to an email and sent it to a group for review. Each recipient downloaded the file, made edits, and sent it back. This process left you with multiple versions of the same file and the daunting task of merging all the comments.

Collaboration platforms can eliminate these challenges. Multiple users can access and share virtual workspaces, no matter where they are located. Typically, an admin sets up the account and invites others to join. The admin can assign specific roles to each user, controlling what they can do and what information they can access within the space.

Most reputable collaboration sites provide a set of essential tools that help team members communicate, share ideas, and exchange files without the need for email. The best platforms simplify file version control, scheduling, and provide features to spark discussions about any part of a project. When utilized properly, a collaboration site serves as a complete record of all project-related activities.

Basecamp, created by 37signals, is one of the most well-known collaboration tools. Having been around for years, it offers a wide range of useful features. Another noteworthy option is Onehub, which lets businesses create secure cloud-based portals to share, preview, discuss, and edit documents or other large files.

8: Organize Your Photos and Videos

Digital cameras and video recorders were supposed to change the way we manage our photos and videos. Instead, we now find ourselves with files scattered across media cards, laptops, flash drives, external drives, CDs, tablets, and phones.

The cloud, in the form of a photo or video management platform, can offer relief from the chaos. Just like with file storage, your media files are stored on an external server. While most file storage services can back up and sync your photos and videos, they don’t provide features like tagging your content with helpful information or sharing it seamlessly with others. Dedicated photo and video platforms can do all that and much more. Many offer drag-and-drop functionality, making it simple to upload files from your device to the cloud. Once your image or video is online, you can add keywords, organize it into albums or galleries, and share it effortlessly with just a click.

Well-known photo platforms include Flickr, Shutterfly, and Snapfish. For those serious about photography, SmugMug and Zenfolio are excellent options. These feature-packed services come with membership fees, but they provide much more control for users with extensive image libraries and significant storage needs.

When it comes to video, YouTube is a leader, receiving 72 hours of new content every minute from filmmakers worldwide [source: Larson]. If you’re aspiring to be the next Martin Scorsese, Vimeo might be a better choice. It offers a solid range of features, including password-protected videos, but attracts a more niche group of film buffs.

7: Explore New Music -- or Relive the Classics

Even with the advent of the Internet, enjoying music still typically required a device – a CD player, laptop, or MP3 player – and some form of storage – a CD, hard drive, or flash memory. However, as broadband services, both fixed and mobile, grew faster and more accessible, people began to experience increasingly quick access to online content. Streaming, which allows data to be processed as a continuous flow, emerged as an effective alternative to delivering bandwidth-heavy audio files.

Streaming music platforms have gained immense popularity because they provide listeners with an endless library of songs stored in the cloud. Some services offer only streaming audio, which allows songs to be played but not downloaded to your computer's hard drive. Others provide both streaming and download options. Nearly all platforms offer a free service, though it includes ads between songs. For an ad-free experience, you can upgrade to a premium subscription, which also unlocks additional features, like the ability to access your account on all your devices.

The overall user experience can vary significantly from one service to another. Pandora, one of the most popular music streaming platforms, creates a playlist that is randomly generated based on a song or artist that the user selects. On the other hand, services like Spotify and Rdio provide users with access to their entire music library, allowing them to pick whatever they want to listen to.

6: Create Art and Enhance Your Photos

Images and graphics can elevate nearly any form of communication, don't you think? However, crafting truly remarkable visuals is not as simple as it sounds. Recently, cloud-based drawing and painting tools have made this task much more manageable. There are two primary categories of services: those designed for creating line-based art, like flowcharts and wireframes, and those focused on editing photos, whether from your camera or a stock image source.

To get started, all you need is a quick registration and, perhaps, a few video tutorials. Nearly all services offer a free plan that provides limited storage and a set number of images with export options. If you decide to upgrade to a premium plan, you'll unlock unlimited storage and image handling, along with enhanced export capabilities like saving in PNG, JPEG, SVG, or PDF formats.

Most online drawing and painting platforms offer similar features to those found in more robust desktop applications. For instance, Gliffy, an online diagramming tool, mirrors the functionality of Microsoft Visio. You can draw basic shapes, arrange and align them, apply colors, insert text, and experiment with special effects. Once your diagram is complete, you can easily share it on social media or invite others to view and comment.

Online photo editors, such as Pixlr, function similarly to Adobe Photoshop. They enable users to crop images, adjust color settings, and mask out parts of the image. Sharing is a breeze with platforms like Pixlr, where you can save your edited images to your desktop, the company’s servers, or directly to social media sites like Facebook, Flickr, and Picasa.

5: Keep Your Friends (and Enemies) Close

As your online presence grows, you begin to gather friends, followers, and fans who eagerly visit your site and comment on your posts. Cloud-based services have become great solutions for freelancers, small businesses, or anyone looking to organize their increasing list of contacts, a process referred to as CRM, or customer relationship management. To get started with one of these services, you'll need to invest some initial time to upload your contacts into the system.

If you're already using a Web-based email platform like Gmail, you're probably familiar with a basic contact manager. However, if you're looking for more serious CRM capabilities, you’ll need something more advanced. Salesforce is widely regarded as the gold standard in CRM tools, but it may be too complex for many small business owners. Other alternatives include Highrise (from the creators of Basecamp) and Batchbook, both of which offer a free trial but no free service plans.

4: Check Your Mail Anywhere, Anytime

The desktop email client is slowly fading away. Back in June 2011, just over 50% of emails were opened on a desktop. By June 2012, that number had dropped to 33% [source: Jordan]. A major factor in this decline is that an email client—software installed on your computer—locks you into a specific operating system, creating syncing issues across different computers, tablets, and phones.

Some users bypass these challenges by opting for a webmail application. While this certainly works, cloud-based email systems offer better solutions. Signing up for a free service means you won't have a custom domain (the part of your email address after the @ symbol), and you'll have to tolerate ads in your inbox. However, you'll still gain access to all the essential email features typically found in a desktop client. You can compose, format, and send messages, read and organize incoming emails, and respond to people in the address field—all from any computer with a browser and an internet connection.

Yahoo Mail is one of the most popular web-based email services, as is Gmail from Google. Gmail integrates with Google Drive, combining file storage with a suite of productivity tools that allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly in your browser. Google also offers a business version of Gmail.

3: Pinch Your Pennies

If you've ever worked with spreadsheets, you're already familiar with how technology can enhance the budgeting process. The right tools can help you process numbers more quickly and present the data in a variety of useful formats, ultimately helping you track where every cent is spent.

Now you can access all that functionality—free of charge—from an application in the cloud. As with most web-based services, you'll need to create an account with a provider first. Once registered, you'll link your various accounts to the financial management application, allowing it to monitor transactions and organize your expenses and deposits. The system can send reminders about due dates, low account balances, and credit card limits. When tax season rolls around or you just want to assess your financial situation, you can generate reports that break down your spending, income, net worth, and account balances over time.

Mint, developed by the creators of Quicken, is one of the most popular web-based financial management apps. It's a read-only platform, meaning you can organize and track your finances with Mint, but you cannot transfer funds. If you want to track your bills and pay them electronically, consider Check, which offers bill-payment features. Check is particularly useful as a mobile app, letting you pay bills directly from your phone when you're on the go.

2: Make Your Small Business Seem Large

As a sole proprietor or freelancer, you're likely juggling multiple roles. Some of these tasks, such as managing back-office operations, can be both tedious and time-consuming. Thankfully, the cloud can simplify financial management for your business. If your billing and payment structure is straightforward, you might only need one or two cloud-based services. Many freelancers just need a timekeeping app to track project hours and an invoicing tool to bill clients accordingly.

If your team includes multiple employees or contractors, you'll need a cloud-based application that integrates essential accounting functions. To get started, register with the provider you choose and input the required details, such as billing information. Then, set up your team and invite employees to their respective projects. Once they've accepted the invitations, employees can log in from any device to track the time spent on their tasks. At the end of the month, gather employee time records and prepare invoices, which you can send as PDFs via email or print for postal delivery.

The classic desktop programs, such as Peachtree Accounting (now Sage 50) and QuickBooks, now have cloud-hosted versions. If you only need a timekeeping tool, try Toggl. For a complete solution that includes time tracking, invoicing, and financial management with PayPal integration, as well as a solid mobile app, consider giving FreshBooks a try.

1: Wrangle All of Your Web Apps

Cloud services allow you to achieve more without stepping away from your favorite browser, but how many usernames and passwords can one person keep track of? (David Pogue, a technology writer for the New York Times, once disclosed that he has account names and passwords for 87 different sites!) And what if you're looking for a comprehensive view of your preferred Web apps? Or the ability to seamlessly drag and drop files between services?

Cloud storage management offers a solution to these issues. Much like the apps they oversee, these services operate from the cloud. While different providers support various apps, most include well-known file storage services like Dropbox. After signing up, you'll enjoy single sign-on features, meaning you can access all the connected services using a single username and password. You’ll also be able to search and locate any file, no matter where it’s stored, and drag it between services. Furthermore, you can preview and share documents and images without having to switch to the application in which they are stored.

Otixo, which brands itself as "your dashboard for the cloud," is one of the top choices in this space. It offers a premium (paid) bundle that includes both its web and mobile applications. Primadesk is another similar service, but it stands out by integrating top cloud-based email systems along with file storage. It provides both free and premium versions.