It’s a race to the finish line for Apple and Amazon. This past month, both companies premiered their new cloud computing software. Amazon, seeking to out-do Apple, promoted Lady Gaga’s new album by offering it for 99 cents if purchased from the cloud. Apple sought to establish its cloud as the Mac Daddy (no pun intended) of cloud computing by wowing techies with its ability to seamlessly share information between devices.

Steve Jobs put it best when he said, “Ten years ago…the PC was…the digital hub for a digital life.” Jobs’ statement is correct, but the PC has evolved into the primary port for most consumers’ digital files.

With the birth of portable devices, data storage has become increasingly difficult. Plug-ins, syncing and emailing to various devices has become the method of choice for many consumers. However, this can be time consuming and frustrating. This is where cloud computing becomes important.

For most gadget fans, cloud computing is old hat, but for many newbies (me, me!) the ability to share and access files virtually is momentous. So, in an effort to share my NEW favorite application, I’ve broken down the basics of clouding computing into four easy-to-remember facts.

  1. Cloud computing is simple. Instead of saving files to a stationary hard drive, consumers save to the cloud. Clouds are massive hard drives, based remotely, that connect to your server wirelessly.  It’s the ultimate virtual file keeper.
  2. Any mobile device, tablet or computer can connect to the cloud through the Internet. Files can be saved at a moment’s notice and stored for months.
  3. When all the steps are followed accurately, your file will update and sync with your smartphone, laptop, tablet and desktop. Can I get an, “Amen?”
  4. Sharing files has never been easier. Sick and working from home? No, problem. Your files can be accessed without stepping a foot into the office.

Sounds great, right? Regrettably, there are some down sides to cloud computing. In an effort to promote its new Cloud music service, Amazon, in conjunction with Lady Gaga, offered her new CD, “Born this Way”  to millions of consumers for 99 cents. The catch? Gaga fans had to download the album from the cloud. In an unfortunate twist of fate, Amazon’s servers were unable to handle the heavy traffic on their site and consumers endured “long lines” online.

While Amazon works out the kinks on its cloud, Apple believes its new cloud computing system will recreate the PC, reworking it into “just another device” and transforming the cloud into the digital hub. “iCloud stores your content and wirelessly pushes it to all your devices,” Jobs said. No need to sync devices.

Fair warning, the cloud still has some rainy days ahead.  Crossover between PC and Mac worlds can be dangerous. Apple’s iCloud will only function with Apple applications. This makes cloud computing tricky if you have a PC and an iPhone.  There are also other options to consider. A Virtual Personal Network (VPN) can tie a home computer to the office with a quick software set-up. There are also numerous sites that will allow consumers to “drop” data into a cloud. Check out Dropbox, Rackspace, Egnyte, or one of my favorites, Yousendit.

Remember, whether you decided to go with a Virtual Personal Network (VPN) or a cloud you may experience some technical difficulties. If you’re working on an important document that you can’t afford to lose, nothing beats a good old CD or USB drive.