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10 cloud apps that slam-dunk their desktop counterparts
Computing in the cloud: it rocks. Instead of working with programs and documents on your PC or Mac, you move the whole experience (along with the app and all your data) online. That means there's no more syncing, no more installing, and no more backing up.
Now that Microsoft has announced its entry into the cloud-computing arena, calling its upcoming cloud system "Azure," you can see a trend developing. With broadband speeds increasing and connectivity becoming more dependable, it's practical to run apps and data from afar. But Microsoft will be entering a crowded and hotly competitive field of well-developed cloud applications.
We've been trying a lot of those, and we're so crazy about cloud computing we've decided to abandon desktop apps by the dozens. Peek onto our globetrotting desktop (or lack thereof), and see how we've abandoned scads of installed apps, setting ourselves free with our heads in computing-cloud cuckoo land. C'mon, click Continue — it'll be a liberating experience.
1. Gmail
Replaces: An enormous number of clunky desktop e-mail appsBetter because: Three words: No. More. Spam. Never worry about e-mail backup again, and enjoy Google's world's-best search engine to sift through and search every word in all your e-mails. Don't like its look? It's easy to customize the Gmail interface in a variety of ways with the excellent Firefox plug-in, Better Gmail 2.
2. Picnik
Replaces: Any image editor
Better Because: It lets you edit pics to your heart's content, and it's all free. Picnik has a red eye-removal tool, sharpen controls, exposure tweaks, and even auto-fix. And yes, it resizes, crops and lets you grab your stored shots from Picasa, Flickr, FaceBook, and others, saving or sharing them whence they came.
3. FitDay
Replaces: Dietpower, desktop calorie counters
Better Because: Keep records of every calorie you consume, no matter where you are. Studies prove that counting calories and then keeping a record of your intake is the most effective way to lose weight, and FitDay's huge database of foods makes that easy. FitDay also includes a diary of your moods and goals, and tracks exercise, too, putting your entire weight-loss picture together in gorgeous graphs. It's also free.
4. Quicken Online
Replaces: Quicken, Microsoft Money
Better Because: You can access your personal finances from any PC or cellphone. It's easy to use — in fact, the hardest part is correctly entering all your bank and credit card account numbers and passwords. All we're missing is the extensive budgeting and investment features of the desk-bound Quicken, but besides that, this is trouble-free finance tracking, plus it's free.
5. MozyHome
Replaces: Time Machine, Acronis Backup
Better Because: If your house burns down or computer is stolen, you're still backed up. You do back up, don't you? With MozyHome you get 2 free gigs of automagic backup goodness, and unlimited space is a reasonable $4.95 a month. It takes a while to send all your files up to the Mozy server, and restoring that data isn't instant, but that feeling of being backed up, off-site? Well worth the price of admission, even if it's not your only backup method.
6. WordPress
Replaces: Dreamweaver (Web page creator)
Better Because: A blog is just journal-keeping software gone online, and WordPress makes it easy to create one. Park your blog on the WordPress site, or use it to build a kingdom in your own domain name, but there's no better way to write and manage your blizzard of words and pics. Add plug-ins to accomplish almost anything — even turning your commenters' words into vowel-less gibberish (bwahahaha!) — and it's all free, snark not included.
7. Google Calendar
Replaces: Microsoft Outlook Calendar, iCal
Better Because: Invite anyone with a Gmail address to your calendar, and even allow others to add or modify your events. Access your schedule from iPhone or just about any smartphone, add events from Gmail, and even check a weather forecast for your location, right there in the calendar. Best of all, there's an army of creative developers writing plug-ins for the calendar, extending its usefulness ad infinitum.
8. Pandora
Replaces: iTunes "Genius"
Better Because: You won't pay a cent for tons of music you'll like. Sign up for the free Pandora on a computer or on your iPhone, and it asks you to name your fave song or artist. It then finds music similar to that song, and the hits just keep on coming. You can set up numerous "radio stations" around a particular artist, song, or style, or mix and match bands for your own custom sound. Better hurry with this one, though — the greedy record companies don't like it, so it may be going away soon.
9. Zoho Office Suite
Replaces: Microsoft Office
Better Because: All your documents are out there for you to edit from anywhere, and others can work on them, too. Zoho's smooth interface is nearly as good as Microsoft Office, and in many ways it's better and easier to use. Text, spreadsheet, presentation, planner, invoicing and a whole lot more await you at Zoho. The company also offers plugins for Microsoft Office, letting you import Zoho docs into Word or Excel, and save them back online when you're done.
10. Photoshop Express
Replaces: Photoshop Elements
Better Because: It's similar to the desk-bound Photoshop Elements, but Express is online and free. Like Picnik, it lets you snag pics from Picasa or Flickr and edit them where they sit. Adobe takes that a step further by spotting you a free 2GB to store your snaps. It's a sophisticated app — even more refined and smooth than Picnik — and its high point is its visual way of showing you lots of thumbnails of possible image edits, letting you choose your favorite. If this is where the real Photoshop ends up, that's okay with us — we're already liking it a lot.
By Bah at 10:07 PM ON 10/28/08
What about a little thing called PRIVACY? Never trusts other to care about it.
By Lobsang at 10:19 PM ON 10/28/08
Pandora is indeed great - but unfortunately has not been available to non-US users for a few years now - in the mean time theres last.fm for international users.
By Bah at 10:22 PM ON 10/28/08
How about a little thing called PRIVACY? Never trust others to protect yours, they don't care.
By Charles at 10:26 PM ON 10/28/08
This won't take off:
- As has already been pointed out privacy is a concern. So is security.
- Speed is a problem - even a fast connection is variable. Who wants to wait to access a simple text document?
- What happens when you've used up your monthly download quota? No access!
- Cost. Does anyone think people are going to pay to access their own data?
By liquidchicken at 11:04 PM ON 10/28/08
Cloud applications will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. There simply isn't a better alternative for gluing together the numerous devices we carry around. The trade offs that are made concerning privacy and access are definitely not set in stone and will evolve over time. Moving past usage stats and such, I can guarantee you that the average person's documents and personal info is a hell of a lot safer sitting in Google's SAS70 data centers than it is on their virus/spyware infested Windows boxes or the SSA's feebly protected network.
By Unique Gift Ideas at 1:02 PM ON 10/29/08
I use some of the apps on the list already, but just learned of a few others that I'd LOVE to grab as well! Thanks for the list!!
By andrewnotandy at 2:31 PM ON 10/29/08
Great list. I am disappointed in Google Docs, and i'm glad that Zoho is an alternative. As a computer programmer that specializes in large servers, cloud computing is where everything is going, at least right now. Security is serious to all businesses that offer online applications, and variable speed rates should decline as Internet2 comes around. Also, the download rate is a model that should disappear from internet providers due to pressure from Apple, Google, Microsoft, Sony, and NBC Universal who wish to offer online content to the masses.
By TR at 9:30 PM ON 10/29/08
Mint.com is infinitely better than quicken online. Automatic updates, fantastically customizable budgeting, automatic email/SMS alerts. Plus it's free!
By Dragonflight at 4:56 AM ON 10/30/08
I just about screamed "Are you @#$$-ing KIDDING ME?" when I read the post about Quicken online. As the guy wrote, "the hardest part is correctly entering all your bank and credit card account numbers and passwords."
I don't care *how* safe you think this stuff is, it's never as safe as it is on *your* computer. Plus, if some random cop decides he wants to see what's in your personal finances, he drops a writ on Quicken, gets your records, and never has to tell you. After all, he never actually entered your house now, did he?
Don't buy into this crap. Your only real security is in how much of your personal information you exercise control over. So much of your life can be read already, why give them the rest of it? Do you have so LITTLE regard for your privacy?
By arkwright at 5:15 AM ON 10/30/08
fantastic idea......in theory. The practicalities of cloud computing are entirely another matter.
It is all very reliant on very fast, unlimited bandwidth/internet access. Whilst most providers laud their 10/20/50Mb connection speeds the realities are a lot more pedestrian. I live in an urban area and if I get 1 or maybe 1.5Mb download speeds I break out the champagne. Cloud computing will never amount to very much until the basic infrastructure involved in connecting via ethernet or wirelessly to the internet is drastically improved. A great concept for those big corporations who have T1-T3 lines but nothing more than science fiction for the rest of us.
Have to agree with Dragonflight regarding security and issues of access to personal data.
I certainly do not trust any third party with my personal data.
By ByronTylor at 8:57 AM ON 10/30/08
Excellent for people that have nothing to hide.
Tax breaks should be granted to people willing to open all their books. This systems will improve the rate successful audits, if they target people OUTSIDE, giving an incentive to get in.
By Snipas187 at 9:37 AM ON 10/30/08
Yeah, so I'm curious how many people in the world actually use all of these products anyway. I mean, most people surf the net, write emails, listen to tunes, and write word docs from a home PC. The vast majority of PC users just aren't computer-literate. If I used all of these apps on a daily basis I'd have no social life (of course, maybe I have less of one then I realize, I am responding to this post, after all...)plus "backing up" data is sofaking easy, especially with PnP USB hard drives. And how many people still use dial-up connections? I think it is the majority of users still.
By Vita at 9:51 AM ON 10/30/08
web/interactive designer
By Magebear at 9:52 AM ON 10/30/08
{chuckles at paranoia}
if you are that freaked out about putting yourself out there, stay home, the world is a scary place. I use many of these already, and will use a couple more. Will I put my financial info on Quicken Online, no, I use the neanderthal method of pen & checkbook. but... I will be using Zoho & Pandora to get me through NaNoWriMo.
By cabsab at 10:07 AM ON 10/30/08
Privacy and Security? Forget about it. I wouldn't put my personal finance data and documents on line. BUT, I do see corporations migrating to this type of cloud computing internally in their companies behind their firewalls. The big Circle of Life is coming around again and my guess is companies will deploy cloud programs and thin desktop clients.
By Maisa at 6:21 AM ON 11/24/08
Nice post! And yes: it does spare all of us a lot of time from installing or even having to pay for a software. Not to mention remote accessibility!
Even though there are many options of isolated apps like you've well showed in here, I also like the concept of going to one place only and having them all available instantly (close enough to an online desktop concept).
If you have the time, check icloud out (http://icloud.com/maisa)
You have great apps reunited in one place only with your private account.
Maisa
By starrider at 12:17 AM ON 02/14/09
DRAGONFLITE IS RIGHT...
THE TECH IS ALREADY HERE TO LISTEN IN ON YOU,USING YOUR CELL PHONE AFTER IT'S SHUT OFF!!!
"YOU BETTER STOP CHILDREN WHAT'S THAT SOUND EVERYBODY LOOK WHAT'S GOING DOWN.....)
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
editor@dvice.com
starrider:
DRAGONFLITE IS RIGHT... THE TECH IS ALREADY HERE TO LISTEN IN ON YOU,USING YOUR CELL PHONE AFTER IT'S SHUT OFF!!! "...More »