ICloud vs syncing with computer

[marc55]

Just got our ipad2 and sync'd it our computer as we do with the iPhone.

I looked at the iCloud button, but it indicates that if you use iCloud, you can't sync with the computer.

So, how does iCloud work exactly, and what are the pros and cons of iCloud vs syncing with the computer.

Thank you

 

[maclook]

Using iCloud, your data is stored on Apple's servers and backing up to your computer puts the data on your computer. To restore to iCloud, you need an internet connection. Otherwise, you need your computer and iTunes. AFAIK, they're just different methods of doing the exact same thing.

My problem with iCloud is that I have a 32gb iPhone and a 32gb iPad yet I only get 5gb of storage, which is equal to how much somebody with an 8gb iPod Touch gets. They should give 5gb for each device owned. I prefer iCloud but I can't use it because I ran out of space.

 

[Gorion]

Ya... 5GB isn't a whole lot... I think they offer more space, but I believe you need to pay for it.

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I believe iCloud also makes it so if you buy an item through the iTunes store on the Mac, it will auto-download to your devices?

Or is this a different feature?

 

[Zetaprime]

Ya... 5GB isn't a whole lot... I think they offer more space, but I believe you need to pay for it.

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I believe iCloud also makes it so if you buy an item through the iTunes store on the Mac, it will auto-download to your devices?

Or is this a different feature?

I bought the maximum space since I have a 64G iPad,64G iPnone, and Macbook Air using it.

 

[Night Spring]

I looked at the iCloud button, but it indicates that if you use iCloud, you can't sync with the computer.

It says that, but you can always manually sync it to either the computer or iCloud. So I have mine set to sync with iCloud, then whenever I connect to my computer, I manually sync.

My problem with iCloud is that I have a 32gb iPhone and a 32gb iPad yet I only get 5gb of storage, which is equal to how much somebody with an 8gb iPod Touch gets. They should give 5gb for each device owned. I prefer iCloud but I can't use it because I ran out of space.

I have a 64GB iPad and a 64GB iPhone, and I'm currently using only about half of my 5GB iCloud space. Most of the data on an iDevice are stuff that don't get backed up -- the apps themselves, music and videos (if they don't come from iTunes, they are copies of stuff that are on your computer), etc. Plus, if you are running short on space on your iCloud, you can selectively manage what gets backed up -- so if you have an app that has a lot of data you don't particularly care about, you can stop backing up that data.

 

[Bathplug]

If you use icloud you can still backup to your computer but just not automatically. When your ipad is connection to itunes via cable just right click the device and choose backup.

 

[Richard8655]

My issue with iCloud is that music and videos not bought through iTunes can't be stored there. In my case they were imported from CDs or other sources. This is pretty disappointing, unless there's a way to do that.

Also I don't see how books can be stored in iCloud.

 

[jabingla2810]

Massive lack of understanding going on in here.

I back up my iPod touch 8GB, iPhone 4s 32GB, girlfriends iPhone 4 16GB and my iPad 2 16GB devices all to the same iCloud account.

All of the devices i'd say are over 50% full at least, with apps and media.

In total they all take up around 1.4 GB.

So I have 3.6GB free iCloud storage.

iCloud back ups don't work like backing up to a computer.

It will backup the fact that you have an app installed, and its place on your springboard, but it doesn't actually store your app in the cloud. So when you restore from backup, it re-installs your apps from the app store, not your backup.

5GB is more than enough unless your using loads of iWork documents or storing your camera roll up there.

But with photo stream, i'm not sure why you would.

 

[Bokes]

My issue with iCloud is that music and videos not bought through iTunes can't be stored there. In my case they were imported from CDs or other sources. This is pretty disappointing, unless there's a way to do that.

Also I don't see how books can be stored in iCloud.

I haven't tried it yet- but doesn't the iTunes match service allow for cloud access to ALL your music?
The way I understand it they match all your music (iTunes bought or CD burned) to their huge library. They only upload obscure music not available on iTunes.

So with iTunes match you should be able to to download your songs from the cloud....correct?

 

[Karmak]

My issue with iCloud is that music and videos not bought through iTunes can't be stored there. In my case they were imported from CDs or other sources. This is pretty disappointing, unless there's a way to do that.

Also I don't see how books can be stored in iCloud.

I purchased the iTunes match for $25 a year and that way I was able to upgrade the bit rate on old CDs and get them all on the cloud.

 

[Richard8655]

I haven't tried it yet- but doesn't the iTunes match service allow for cloud access to ALL your music?
The way I understand it they match all your music (iTunes bought or CD burned) to their huge library. They only upload obscure music not available on iTunes.

So with iTunes match you should be able to to download your songs from the cloud....correct?

Really, this is good information. Didn't know about iTunes match. Will research.

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I purchased the iTunes match for $25 a year and that way I was able to upgrade the bit rate on old CDs and get them all on the cloud.

Also thanks. Even your impoted CDs?

 

[nikhsub1]

Massive lack of understanding going on in here.

I back up my iPod touch 8GB, iPhone 4s 32GB, girlfriends iPhone 4 16GB and my iPad 2 16GB devices all to the same iCloud account.

All of the devices i'd say are over 50% full at least, with apps and media.

In total they all take up around 1.4 GB.

So I have 3.6GB free iCloud storage.

iCloud back ups don't work like backing up to a computer.

It will backup the fact that you have an app installed, and its place on your springboard, but it doesn't actually store your app in the cloud. So when you restore from backup, it re-installs your apps from the app store, not your backup.

5GB is more than enough unless your using loads of iWork documents or storing your camera roll up there.

But with photo stream, i'm not sure why you would.

This. But like most informative factually correct posts on MR, this will go ignored I'm sure.

 

[Karmak]

Really, this is good information. Didn't know about iTunes match. Will research.

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Also thanks. Even your impoted CDs?

Everything that the iTunes store doesn't have on file is uploaded to the cloud. The only downside is you are stuck with the bitrate that is on your original cd if it is not on the cloud. Below is how to upgrade your music's bitrate.

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57326759-285/how-to-use-itunes-match-to-upgrade-audio-quality/

 

[kapalua12]

Do I need to be running Lion to back up to iCloud?

Newbie question: I have the iMac, MBP and MBA plus the iPhone 4s and soon on the 16, the "new" iPad. My question: do I need Lion installed on any of my computers to use the cloud backup?

A sales person at the Apple Store told me iCloud accounts can't be set up or run with Snow Leopard on my Macs and that I need to run Lion.

Can I use the iCloud and my iMac for backups and synching of all my Mac devices??

 

[Chelmo]

Massive lack of understanding going on in here.

I back up my iPod touch 8GB, iPhone 4s 32GB, girlfriends iPhone 4 16GB and my iPad 2 16GB devices all to the same iCloud account.

All of the devices i'd say are over 50% full at least, with apps and media.

In total they all take up around 1.4 GB.

So I have 3.6GB free iCloud storage.

iCloud back ups don't work like backing up to a computer.

It will backup the fact that you have an app installed, and its place on your springboard, but it doesn't actually store your app in the cloud. So when you restore from backup, it re-installs your apps from the app store, not your backup.

5GB is more than enough unless your using loads of iWork documents or storing your camera roll up there.

But with photo stream, i'm not sure why you would.

I have 32GB iPhone and 32GB iPad .. When trying to back up both to iCloud I get told I don't have enough storage space.. If iCloud storage doesn't account for apps what about music, videos and photos? I don't think I can back up my devices with just 5GB?

 

[rocknblogger]

Newbie question: I have the iMac, MBP and MBA plus the iPhone 4s and soon on the 16, the "new" iPad. My question: do I need Lion installed on any of my computers to use the cloud backup?

A sales person at the Apple Store told me iCloud accounts can't be set up or run with Snow Leopard on my Macs and that I need to run Lion.

Can I use the iCloud and my iMac for backups and synching of all my Mac devices??

Yes you must update to Lion in order to use iCloud. There's no way around that.

You can however create an iCloud account using iCloud.com or on your iPhone 4S and you will be able to backup to iCloud. But you won't have the benefit of having your files available on your Macs unless you update to Lion.

 

[jabingla2810]

I have 32GB iPhone and 32GB iPad .. When trying to back up both to iCloud I get told I don't have enough storage space.. If iCloud storage doesn't account for apps what about music, videos and photos? I don't think I can back up my devices with just 5GB?

iCloud back ups that you have the app installed, and app settings.

Try going to Settings- icloud- storage & backup - manage storage - pick your device you're using.

Here, you can tick what data is backed up on an app by app basis.

This list is in size order, which i'd assume your camera roll will be top. I have this unpicked because I find photo stream does this for me.

Next for me is instapaper, which uses lots of data saving images to local memory, however I don't need this because I'm always connected, o i've unpicked that too.

Unticking these options does not prevent the app itself backing up, it just doesn't back up the apps data.

Maybe you have apps installed that I haven't come across, but I think you will find after your camera roll, the size of these back up options will dramatically drop off to under 1mb per app.

 

[Richard8655]

Everything that the iTunes store doesn't have on file is uploaded to the cloud. The only downside is you are stuck with the bitrate that is on your original cd if it is not on the cloud. Below is how to upgrade your music's bitrate.

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57326759-285/how-to-use-itunes-match-to-upgrade-audio-quality/

Great, thanks. As I understand it then, if your imported CD had worse bit rate (quality) and the higher bit rate CD also exists in the iTunes store, iCloud would stream the better quality iTunes store version. That's pretty cool.

Also with the 25,000 song iCloud limit, I wonder how that translates to us classical music fans who have symphonies rather than songs. Thinking a conversion of 3 minutes per song would be about 140 hours of music that could be stored in your iCloud account.