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‘Cloud’ covers many file-storage needs

I have a data problem. I create data in different places with multiple devices. I’ll take pictures with my phone, buy a song on my iPod, download a movie to my iPad and create documents on my laptop. All of these devices fragment my data, and taking the time to converge them can eat the better part of an evening. Within a few weeks, I am all out of sync again.

I have a data problem. I create data in different places with multiple devices.

I’ll take pictures with my phone, buy a song on my iPod, download a movie to my iPad and create documents on my laptop. All of these devices fragment my data, and taking the time to converge them can eat the better part of an evening. Within a few weeks, I am all out of sync again.

The “cloud” may be the solution. Microsoft’s been promoting To the Cloud for over a year, Apple’s iCloud will launch this fall, and even Amazon has options. To find the perfect answer to my data problem, I’ve explored each program’s benefits and limitations.

Microsoft has been trying to get me to go To the Cloud via Windows Live SkyDrive. It’s an online data storage option, a digital locker. Upload files to your SkyDrive and you can access them from any Internet-enabled device. Microsoft gives you 25GB for free and you can store anything, from documents to photos to music, so long as individual files are not larger than 100MB. Saved files can be categorized as private (only you can see them), shared (you can give access to specific individuals) or public (viewable by anyone). The main drawbacks: You have to remember to upload files, you can’t get more space if you have a lot of files, and you can’t stream music or videos.

Since I don’t always remember to back up my files, SkyDrive isn’t perfect. Apple’s iCloud rolls out this fall — likely by mid-October, the Macintosh News Network reports — and promises to automatically sync all your connected devices using your Apple ID. Take a picture with your iPhone and poof! It will magically appear on your Mac or Windows machine. Use Pages on your iPad to create a document and you’ll see it on your Macbook. You get the idea.

Initially, you’ll get 5GB of free storage. Items purchased though Apple’s iTunes store and photos stored in iPhoto won’t be counted in your 5GB. Increase storage in packages of 10GB, 20GB or 50GB for about US$2/GB per year.

My big question: Can I access a Pages doc using Microsoft Office on my Windows PC? Unfortunately, until it’s officially released there’s no way to know how nicely iCloud will play with Windows devices.

Amazon’s Cloud Drive is basically a hard drive in the cloud. Add data — documents, music, photos, you name it — and then access your files using any Flash-enabled device. This means iOS devices that don’t use Flash — like iPhones, iPads, etc. — are unable to access stored data. Again, the first 5GB are free but additional storage is only $1/GB per year. Music you buy from the Amazon MP3 store doesn’t count toward your storage limits.

What about households with, gasp, Apple and Windows devices? Dropbox, once installed, looks like a normal folder on your computer or phone. Save any file to your Dropbox folder and it will show up in the DropBox folder app on your other computers, phone, tablet, etc. If you edit a file on one device, DropBox will sync all of your devices with the latest version. One of the best parts of DropBox is you can use it on virtually any platform, from iOS devices to Windows and Android, even access data from a web browser if you’re using a public computer.

All this convenience comes at a price: While 2GB is free, additional space is $2/GB per year.

Andrea Eldridge is CEO of Nerds on Call, which offers on-site computer and home theater set-up and repair. Based in Redding, Calif., it has locations in five states. Contact Eldridge at www.callnerds.com/andrea