What is cloud computing ? Top free cloud computing services.
Cloud computing is a technology which combines computer an internet together to manage as well as share data and various computer softwares remotely. The cloud computing technology provides centralized storage, memory, processing and bandwidth without requiring the users to know the location and other details of the computing infrastructure. Cloud computing is the term which has become very famous in the IT sector because this is one of the best ways to increase the capability without investing much on infrastructure or hardware cost.
The users can access the cloud based application through their browsers or light weighted apps and other company softwares and manage data stored on the remote computer. Cloud computing manages services as if they are installed locally on the end user machine.
The term cloud is used as a metaphor for internet as in the past the clouds were used as a representation for the telephony network, later clouds were used to depict the internet in the computer network. In case of cloud computing there is a significant load shift on a single machine. Local computers need to have application installed into them. Only a single computer thats make up the cloud needs to have the application installed into it. The hardware and the software cost is reduced at the user side.
Most of us have directly or indirectly have experienced cloud computing in some way. If you have used the email clients like gmail, yahoo or hotmail then these are some of the simpler form of cloud computing.
Also read : Top 10 online data backup companies
The users can access the cloud based application through their browsers or light weighted apps and other company softwares and manage data stored on the remote computer. Cloud computing manages services as if they are installed locally on the end user machine.
The term cloud is used as a metaphor for internet as in the past the clouds were used as a representation for the telephony network, later clouds were used to depict the internet in the computer network. In case of cloud computing there is a significant load shift on a single machine. Local computers need to have application installed into them. Only a single computer thats make up the cloud needs to have the application installed into it. The hardware and the software cost is reduced at the user side.
Most of us have directly or indirectly have experienced cloud computing in some way. If you have used the email clients like gmail, yahoo or hotmail then these are some of the simpler form of cloud computing.
Also read : Top 10 online data backup companies
Top free cloud computing services
1) Data Backup through cloud computing
- Windows Skydrive > It is the one of the best cloud computing service for windows users. Best in the sense because most of the latest windows based applications like Microsoft office 2010, windows live movie maker and many other softwares come integrated with Skydrive and you can store your files directly on to skydive cloud based storage system. Not only this Windows skydive is integrated with online version of Microsoft office so you can edit your documents online also Even when you are out and do not have your system with you. Windows Skydive provides 25GB of free storage with the maximum file size of 25MB but you can bypass this limit by switching to their premium plan.
- Dropbox > Drop box is one of the most popular cloud based storage software. Drop box if a free service which makes it easy for you to share photos, docs, and videos anywhere. Dropbox is the easiest way to share your files on your different gadgets that are having different OS. You need to just put up the file in the dropbox folder and it will automatically get synchronized into the devicer or gadgets in which you have dropbox application installed. Dropbox is one of the most use cloud computing based application.
- mypcbackup.com > mypcbackup is one another free cloud computing based application that helps you to take backups of your computer. Just buy applying three single steps you can backup your computer files in this cloud storage system. Register at their website download their PC application, set it and forget it, let MyPCBackup do the rest. This is the power of cloud computing technology, you can keep your data safely and access it from any where.
2. Managing documents and files through cloud computing
- Google Docs > Google docs is a free cloud based document managing system. With google docs you can directly create or upload files from your computer and share the files with the people you want and can even authorize the people who can edit your files. The type of files for which the google docs work are document, presentation, spreadsheet, form, drawing and tables.
- Box.net > Box.net features some great features and file compatibility this cloud management system supports files including Microsoft Office files, image and mp3 files, Photoshop, flash video and Illustrator and more. For free users the maximum limit is 25 GB and can upload a file of max size 25 MB. Box.et is counted among the top cloud computing .
3. Cloud computing based video editing free services
- You tube video editor > youtube video editor lets you quick edit your uploaded video. This is one of the many cloud computing based video editor which is integrated with youtube. The other cloud computing video editing tool that Google’s online service integrated within youtube are Goanimate, Vlix, Stupeflix, Xtranormal etc. Every editor provides some unique features. The editing tool are provided directly on YouTube itself at YouTube.com/create.
- Google Movie Studio > Its the latest cloud computing based video editor announced by google on 15 February for android devices. This video editor will provide you the power of cloud to edit video, stills, music and effects on the video and upload it directly to youtube by just a push of a button. Earlier same kind of cloud based video editor app was launched by apple called iMovie app for iOS 4 devices.
4. Cloud computing based image editors
- pixlr.com > Pixlr is a website that provides a cloud computing online image editor. The speciality of this image editor is that its super fast dosen’t take any time to load and is very similar to photoshop. Its just like as if you are using photoshop online. To get full detail about this image editor refer this link : Try Photoshop online
- Picnik > Picnik is a popular image editor purchased by google based on the concept of cloud computing you can crop, resize, rotate image and add special effects. The premium version of picnic is available for $24/year with advanced features.
5. Online cloud based file storage
- Mediafire > Mediafire is the top file storage site. You can also share your files including , images, documents, presentations, videos . It provides unlimited file storage space .The only limit for the free version is maximum file size allowed is 200 MB. You can arrange your files in folders.
- Megaupload > Megaupload is another Cloud computing based popular website for file storage. It provides 200GB of disk space and uploading file size limit is 2GB. The interface is very easy and the features are mostly similar to Mediafire.
- 4shared > 4shared is another file sharing website with the maximum file size limit of 200 MB and disk space of 10 GB
- There are many other popular cloud computing file storage sites which are hotfile, rapidshare, zshare, nowDownloadall, yourfilehost, uploading etc.
6) Cloud computing based antivirus
- Panda Cloud antivirus > This antivirus is build by Spanish company which works on the concept of cloud computing. This is rated as the best free antivirus by PCworld. The antivirus can be downloaded on to the computer and it sends the information about the file to the data center on the cloud and checks for the malware.
7) Cloud computing based online converters
- Online-converter.com > Online-converter is another cloud computing based application that can convert any thing online from video to mp3 or from docs to pdf, png to jpeg etc. There are 50+ conversions available at this site. To know more about this converter visit Free online converter convert any thing online for free
Some other Cloud computing services
- Maps > Some free maps cloud based online maps services include Google Maps, Yahoo Maps and mapquest.
- image albums > popular cloud computing image albums include flickr, photobucket, webshots, Fotolog, imagebam and ziddu.
- Digital video > Hulu, youtube, Google Video, WatchMoviesOnline and break.com .
- image sharing > tinypics, flickr.
