I bet Dropbox threw a party!

[RobeeSVK]

I think the problem is expectations and clarity. I'm a rather advanced Apple user. I watch the Keynotes. I don't download developer tools or play around in beta, but I'm almost always the first to grab an update and mess around.

A day later, I honestly still don't understand the 'documents' part of iCloud.

What I want, simply, is to have my documents sync between my home computer, my work computer, my desktop, laptop, iPad, etc, so that any change I make on each device pushes the changes to all the devices. And I want a master copy in 'the cloud' so that if, for some absurd reason, my house, office, and every iDevice is consumed by a black hole I can grab a new laptop and have my documents.

Drop box does this with symlinks or whatever they're called. I'm still confused whether iCloud does this, if I've missed turning some magic button or or what.

I agree and wrote it earlier, "documents" part of the iCloud is now really poor. Documents creation is still the dominion of Mac. Yes, there is iWork for iOS and many others, but we know the reality. Perhaps as iOS and OS X merge even more into (likely) one operating system, we could see benefits. But, I am still hoping, that mentioned API for 3rd party application will allow developers to implement full sync - I am not a developer and do not know if it is possible now. I think OmniGroup has said something along the line, I keep my fingers crossed for CourseNotes, Curio, iDocument, MindNode and many others. And if not? Well, Dropbox

 

[ratboy90]

as of now icloud is a cheap dropbox knock off

 

[miggitymac]

as of now icloud is a cheap dropbox knock off

They offer different services, but if you're talking purely about online storage, then yea...I get what you mean.

If you want 50 GB of free online storage read this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1251187/

 

[samcraig]

I sincerely hope some developers who are just eager to use iCloud with their apps don't use it unnecessarily so that important info (to keep the app running) is stuck in the cloud while you are "offline". Right now there are some apps that even rely on game center and/or advertising to "load" before you can access the app. Which means if you're, for example, on a NYC subway - you can't run the app at all - even though the app itself doesn't need internet. Stupid.

 

[rdowns]

as of now icloud is a cheap dropbox knock off

What a silly statement. iCloud was never sold as being like Dropbox.

 

[Weaselboy]

What a silly statement. iCloud was never sold as being like Dropbox.

I would disagree at least as far as document access goes. That part of iCloud was sold as having access to our documents in the cloud from anywhere. Right now it is wonky access to your iWorks documents.

Here is a screen cap from the iCloud features page at apple.com. "Hard drive in the sky" sounds an awful lot like Dropbox to me.

 

[heydrew]

You should take a look at AeroFS it uses local storage with optional cloud backup...

ScaredyCat

Thanks! I definitely will. I've been using Dropbox but I'd love to do some sort of local/cloud hybrid.

 

[marc11]

I would disagree at least as far as document access goes. That part of iCloud was sold as having access to our documents in the cloud from anywhere. Right now it is wonky access to your iWorks documents.

Image

Here is a screen cap from the iCloud features page at apple.com. "Hard drive in the sky" sounds an awful lot like Dropbox to me.

I suggest you setup a free 2gb DropBox account and see for yourself. As of this moment the two offerings are not the same. Tell me how I store and work with an excel document or pdf for example on any platform from any where in the world with iCloud today. You cannot. With DropBox you can easily.

 

[Weaselboy]

I suggest you setup a free 2gb DropBox account and see for yourself. As of this moment the two offerings are not the same. Tell me how I store and work with an excel document or pdf for example on any platform from any where in the world with iCloud today. You cannot. With DropBox you can easily.

You need to reread my comment and what it was in response to. The poster said iCloud was not marketed as being like Dropbox and I offered evidence that it was.

I use Dropbox and completely agree at this point it is far better than iCloud for document access/sharing.

 

[LapsangSouchong]

You need to reread my comment and what it was in response to. The poster said iCloud was not marketed as being like Dropbox and I offered evidence that it was.

I use Dropbox and completely agree at this point it is far better than iCloud for document access/sharing.

I agree with you. It very much WAS marketed as being like dropbox.

 

[hafr]

I never thought it was going to be anything like Dropbox. They never really mentioned iDisk anywhere so it wasn't a big surprise that is wasn't there in iCloud.

And about the bitching over not being able to edit Office documents... I mean, is it really that weird that Apple didn't include native support to use their biggest rival's software for text editing, spread sheets etc? Microsoft are free to incorporate iCloud in their Office suite, but crying about Apple not doing so (or even thinking they would when they have Pages and so on) is nothing short of ridiculous.

 

[DotCom2]

Coming from MobileMe and iDisk, iCloud is a BIG let down for me. iCloud is free though and for many a good "feature" for wireless syncing. but for *Functionality" MobileMe with iDisk and Gallery could not be beat! I have now signed up for a Dropbox account. I can see the whole iCloud thinking but why on earth cancel MobileMe for those who find it more functional.
To me, iCloud is just a big syncing machine. Dropbox is a big storage machine. With all of Apple's capabilities, why couldn't they have done both??? Photostream is a joke and doesn't hold a candle to Gallery. You can buy more storage in iCloud but what the heck for if there is no uploading of files of your choice as in iDisk. I JUST DON'T GET IT APPLE!
Maybe someday in the future they will address the lose of iDisk and Gallery but for now, I've moved on to Dropbox and have not moved to iCloud and am staying with MM until they close the doors in June!
So YES, Dropbox must be throwing a party!!!

 

[hafr]

Coming from MobileMe and iDisk, iCloud is a BIG let down for me. iCloud is free though and for many a good "feature" for wireless syncing. but for *Functionality" MobileMe with iDisk and Gallery could not be beat! I have now signed up for a Dropbox account. I can see the whole iCloud thinking but why on earth cancel MobileMe for those who find it more functional.
To me, iCloud is just a big syncing machine. Dropbox is a big storage machine. With all of Apple's capabilities, why couldn't they have done both??? Photostream is a joke and doesn't hold a candle to Gallery. You can buy more storage in iCloud but what the heck for if there is no uploading of files of your choice as in iDisk. I JUST DON'T GET IT APPLE!
Maybe someday in the future they will address the lose of iDisk and Gallery but for now, I've moved on to Dropbox and have not moved to iCloud and am staying with MM until they close the doors in June!
So YES, Dropbox must be throwing a party!!!

I like SugarSync better than Dropbox, plus it gives you 5 instead of 2 GB. Also, Box.net gives you 50 GB for free. I haven't really tried it out yet so I can't really compare it... But SugarSync beats Dropbox at least

 

[Weaselboy]

I like SugarSync better than Dropbox, plus it gives you 5 instead of 2 GB. Also, Box.net gives you 50 GB for free. I haven't really tried it out yet so I can't really compare it... But SugarSync beats Dropbox at least

I got the box.net iOS app just to sign up for the free storage to see where they go with it, but at this point the desktop sync is a separate paid service so it really limits the value. For iOS to iOS device storage box.net could be a good solution.

 

[DotCom2]

I like SugarSync better than Dropbox, plus it gives you 5 instead of 2 GB. Also, Box.net gives you 50 GB for free. I haven't really tried it out yet so I can't really compare it... But SugarSync beats Dropbox at least

Thanks, I'll look into sugarsync.
I looked into Box.net but they don't allow .pst files or Quckbooks files and I need it for that so that won't work for me.
I have an email into box.net asking them why!
Dropbox does so I don't get it!

 

[w00tini]

soooo...

Apple made a move towards acquiring Dropbox.

I feel some vindication in creating this thread

Anyway... I would agree with the thought that iCloud in its current iteration is just the beginning. As more developers take advantage of associated APIs I believe we'll see more integration of iCloud as a Dropbox-esqu offering.

 

[Gemütlichkeit]

Apps will be able to take advantage of iCloud's service. It's an API after all released to the developers.

Programs like Day One will use it which used to only use Drop Box for online syncing. Now they'll offer both features.

So it comes down to iCloud being fairly new and not a lot of apps using it yet.

But yes iCloud isn't a drag and drop service. The apps in the future will just auto sync without the user doing anything which I prefer anyway.

 

[w00tini]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/victori...ox-the-inside-story-of-techs-hottest-startup/

good read. in short, DB sees Apple, Amazon, Google, ect as threats

 

[marc11]

You need to reread my comment and what it was in response to. The poster said iCloud was not marketed as being like Dropbox and I offered evidence that it was.

I use Dropbox and completely agree at this point it is far better than iCloud for document access/sharing.

Ah sorry I didn't go back far enough in the thread.

 

[marc11]

double post sorry.