Total Attorneys

While Apple's move to the cloud will certainly bring the masses on board, I'm skeptical about the "all devices" aspect. It sounds like it should read "all Mac devices" and, a bit grudgingly, "PC devices." That leaves out Android and BlackBerry, and BlackBerries are still the preferred business workhorses.

I've been a .Mac user since the beginning. At the time, as an undergrad, it was useful yet cumbersome. I moved papers to it, and was able to access and work on them from a computer lab without having to carry around a disc. I've watched it morph into MobileMe which was an improvement but left a lot to be desired, and I'm curious to see how MobileMe morphing into iCloud will work. iCloud, though, builds on what other cloud-apps already do, like Google and its syncing of calendar and email across platforms and devices. Pity it hasn't been able to make Google Docs function as well, but then there's DropBox.

The key thing Apple brings to the table is its mass appeal, which, as you point out, will help shift the conversation from "should we" to "how do we." I'd wager, too, that lines will be further drawn in the OS wars (Apple, Windows, Android, BlackBerry and whatever else has yet to come). The appeal of everything being under one roof will eventually prove too strong to resist, especially with iTunes Match, which is basically Napster with the blessing of the record labels.

Perhaps some play on "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" is in order.

I agree that Apple’s move to the cloud is offensive on their part, against the rest of the PC industry. The need for iCloud implies that the consumer owns more than one device, and as you say, preferably (to Jobs and company) an Apple one. I watched the entire keynote address and they were pushing iWork more, as Microsoft Office products will not work with iCloud. iCloud really pushes consumers to use other Apple products and software (like the iWork suite, or books and music via iTunes) that are able to integrate with iCloud.

But, at the end of the day, iCloud is definitely going to make things easier for the consumer. “It just works,” as Jobs said in the keynote address. Making things “just work” (integrating them so well via the cloud) definitely makes Apple products more appealing to the masses.

While I think that Apple is “legitimizing” the cloud to the broader public, or at least introducing the idea to them, I wonder how they will react to it. Surely the first try at this won’t be perfect. As you point out, MobileMe illustrated this. What do you think people’s reaction to iCloud will be? Perhaps the general public will have its own “to cloud or not to cloud?” conversation that has been going on in the legal industry for years?

*chuckle* MS Office won't work with iCloud? Pardon my surprise.

Totally offensive, and Apple seems to be trying to collect various products, like Dropbox, email, Flickr, etc. into one basket. In the process, it's eliminating cross-platform functionality (or so it seems) and I don't think that will hold well in the long run. Education may be dominated by Mac, but the business world still runs on the PC. iCloud could bridge the two, but it doesn't seem as if Apple is interested in doing so. The Dropbox's of the world may not be so threatened as Apple claims.

For those who use Macs already, iCloud (assuming it works as advertised) will be incredibly helpful. It's rather annoying to not be able to share docs and such across Apple devices. You'd think, of all co's, Apple would've been first to make this easier. Having to plugin my iPod and my iPad to my MacBook to sync is incredibly annoying, so I only do it when there's an update. And that's after the update has been out a few days. And since each updates a little different, it's more of a hassle to be avoided. iCloud seems to remove this hassle, which is a bonus for current Apple users.

For those not fully on the Apple bandwagon, PC users with iPhones or iPads say, iCloud might give them the final nail in the coffin on the PC v. Mac debate. If any had been on the fence about switching, iCloud might be the deciding factor.

The general public "to cloud or not to cloud" debate has been going on, albeit narrowly focused on privacy and almost entirely thanks to Facebook. Families with kids who have gaming systems have gotten a rude awakening to the cloud, as have Citibank customers. Such instances may give the general public pause about adopting iCloud. After all, having all of stuff in one place means one breach and *poof*! Doesn't have to be a breach, either. Lose your iPhone at the park/cab/plane/L, have it stolen, etc.

Don't think it'll be a "to cloud or not to cloud" debate but a "how do I best protect myself" debate. Lock devices? Locator app? An all-in-one solution? Wipe iPhone from iPad/iPod and vise versa? Such questions will be especially important the more mobile banking takes hold. Invariably, the government will get involved, bringing with it some additional wrinkles.

You raise excellent questions about security in the cloud, bringing up the
question of "how do I best protect myself?." These sort of discussions are
exactly what the conversation should be about, so that cloud computing can
be as efficient, secure, and effective as it has the potential to be.
Thanks for your input!

You're welcome.

Hopefully people will start looking beyond the "shiny" factor of iCloud and give some thought (maybe offer solutions!) to efficiency, security and effectiveness. And that deserves just as much coverage as Apple announcements, no?