How to use iCloud

Have you ever heard about iCloud? It is a service offered by Apple that allows users of iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac and even Windows to create copies of all of your data on a hard disk online (called iCloud Drive), and synchronize between all devices.

Thanks to it, you can have all of your data, contacts, calendars and the latest photos taken with iPhone and iPad always on hand for free ... or almost. The basic version of iCloud only offers 5GB of online storage but there is the possibility of raising this limit by signing subscription pay rather cheap.

The plans available are as follows: 20GB of online storage to 0.99 euro / month; 200GB to 3.99 euro / month; 500GB at 9.99 € / month and 1TB to 19.99 euro / month. For more details about the operation of the service and know how to use iCloud on smartphone, tablet and computer, keep reading.


To use iCloud you need two basic requirements: an Apple ID and selection of iCloud as the default system for backing up data on the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. To create an Apple ID, you just follow the guide I have prepared on this subject. It is, simply put, to connect to the Apple website, fill out a short registration form and confirm their identity by clicking on the link received by email.

Alternatively, you can sign up to online services through the free Apple iTunes (Mac is pre-installed), by clicking on the icon dell'omino located at the top right and then click Create a new account in the iTunes Store. Are shown throughout the procedure to follow, step by step, in my article on how to register on iTunes.

To select iCloud as the default system for backing up data on the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch, instead just select the appropriate option during the activation process of these devices. If you do not know how to do, see also my guide on how to activate iPhone.

In case you have already activated iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch without activating iCloud, you can fix at any time by going in the settings of the device, accessing the menu iCloud and activating all the options on the screen that opens: mail, contacts, calendars , photos, documents, etc... It's very easy.

If you want to expand your storage plan and subscribe to one of the paid plans of iCloud, select the item File, button presses on Edit the storage plan and select one of the offers available in the screen that opens.

Once activated iCloud on your iPhone / iPad, all system data and application files will be stored online and synchronized between all devices, but there are also additional services on which you can rely and that you should strongly consider.

• Photo library to iCloud - a service that is added to the Photo Stream, which is enabled by default on all iPhone and iPad, and through which you can permanently store all your photos and video clips captured on your device to iCloud (then also access online directly from the site iCloud.com). Unlike the Streaming Photo goes to affect the space on iCloud Drive, then to use it must necessarily subscribe to one of the paid plans of the service. You can learn more by reading my guide on how to archive photos to iCloud.

• Backup iPhone / iPad - you can use the storage space available on iCloud Drive also to create full backups of your iPhone / iPad, such as those that are made locally on your computer with iTunes. I told you about in detail in my tutorial on how to backup iPhone.

If you want to know how to use iCloud on Windows PC, you must connect to this page of the website of Apple and click the Download button to download the client iCloud on your computer. Download is complete open, double clicking on it, the file you just downloaded (iCloudSetup.exe) accepts the conditions of use of the service by placing a check mark next to accept the terms of the license agreement.

Next click on Install, Yes and Finish to complete the setup and agree to restart the computer. The new access to Windows, open the panel and iCloud login using the login information for your Apple ID.

Then put a check mark next to the items of the PC that you want to synchronize with the cloud service (Mail, contacts, calendars and tasks, Favorites, Photo Stream, etc.) And click OK to save the changes.

Favorites are synchronized with Internet Explorer or Chrome, the photos are saved in the folder can be selected by clicking the Options button while contacts and email can be viewed directly online at iCloud.com. Files stored on iCloud can be viewed (and modified) by selecting directly from the Windows File icon iCloud Drive from the left sidebar.

If you're using a Mac, iCloud is already built into the OS. To configure it, go to System Preferences, click on the icon of iCloud and put the check mark next to the items you want to sync with the cloud service (Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, photos, etc.). Contacts are synchronized with the OS X Address Book, photos with iPhoto, calendars with iCal, Safari bookmarks, etc ..

You can view the status of your iCloud with the details of the data saved in it by clicking the Manage button and purchase additional online space for backup for a fee by clicking the buy button more space. To view the data already stored on iCloud Drive, edit and save others do not have to do anything but open the Finder and select the service icon from the sidebar to the left.

Original post: Salvatore Aranzulla

How to store pictures to iCloud

With iCloud, the online storage service from Apple, you can easily synchronize data between different applications and different devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, and even Windows PC.

With the launch of OS X and iOS Yosemite 8 service has evolved becoming iCloud Drive, a real hard disk online (Dropbox style) on which you can load different content, first of all the photos and videos made with iPhone and iPad to keep them permanently.

Guided by today then we will see together how to archive photos to iCloud using all the functions - old and new - that Apple's platform makes available to us. Choose your favorite.


The first way to store photos on iCloud is to use Photo Stream service that is enabled by default on all iOS devices and allows you to have some sort of online hard disk they are stored temporarily all the photos and screenshots made with iPhone and iPad .

According to the official documentation of the platform Apple Photo Stream can store up to 1,000 images at a time for a total period of 30 days. This means that the loading of the picture number 1,001 older ones are deleted and you can not keep the same image on the server iCloud for more than 30 days, in reality, however, these limits are not always respected: sometimes you can not access the same image even after 30 days.

Among the most interesting features of this feature - in addition to the backup of photos in itself - there are automatic synchronization of images of all devices connected to your Apple ID (including computers) and the failure to erosion of the storage space on iCloud. The Photo Stream, in fact, goes beyond what is provided for storage space on your account to iCloud Drive.

To make sure the service is up Photo Stream on your iPhone / iPad, access to the iOS settings by pressing on the appropriate icon on the home screen and select the items iCloud> Photo from the menu that pops up. If the lever option Upload to "My photo stream" is set to ON, the function is already active, otherwise you activate it by pressing on the switch.

Following you'll find all the photos downloaded from streaming photos by accessing the Photos app, by going in the album section of the latter and by selecting the icon My photo stream.

From iOS 8.1, Apple introduced a new way to archive photos to iCloud. This is the function of iCloud Photo Library that differs from Photo Stream to support the video and the fact that no limit to the number of content that can be uploaded online.

It is a free service but unfortunately goes to affect the storage space on iCloud Drive. This means that to use it in a decent way must expand 5GB account base by signing one of the paid plans of iCloud: 0,99 £ / month for 20GB, 3.99 £ / month for 200GB, 9.99 £ / month 500GB or 19.99 £ / month for 1TB.

Another interesting feature of the Photo Library of iCloud is the synchronization Smart content on user devices: on Apple's servers are loaded photos and videos in original resolution as the iPhone, iPad and Mac are downloaded version optimized to preserve disk space . Who wants to, of course, can turn this feature off and obtain the files always original resolution by going to Settings> iCloud> Photo and by checking the item Download and keep the original.

If you want to activate the Photo Library of iCloud on your iPhone or iPad, went in iOS Settings and select items iCloud> File> Change storage plan to sign one of the paid plans of iCloud Drive, then go to Settings> iCloud> Photo and turns ON the trigger option Photo Library iCloud.

Activating the Photo Library of iCloud you can browse all your photos and video even from the browser. Simply connect to the to iCloud website using any computer, log on with the details of your Apple ID and click on Photo.

Interesting, is not it? But in reality to view photos taken with your iPhone or iPad online do not have the photo gallery service iCloud, just take advantage of the function of photo sharing integrated in iOS, which is free and does not go to affect the storage iCloud Drive.

To create a shared album that you can view online not need to do is start the application photos of your iPhone / iPad, select the tab Shared and press the + button located in the upper left.

In the box that opens, type the name you want to assign album, presses the button Next, select the people you share it (which will be able to view and edit pictures as well as add new album) and press the Create button which is located in the upper right.

At this point, select the album you just created from the app Pictures tab Shared, presses the + button and select the photos (and videos) to add to the collection: it can load up to 5,000 and you can create up to 100 albums .

If you want, you can also create a public album viewable by anyone on the Internet. Just select an album from the Photos app Shared tab, press the People button and turn ON the option Public Website: within a few seconds will show the link to view all photos and videos selected by the browser.

ICloud platform included "standard" in OS X, where the photos are synced automatically through iPhoto, while Windows must install a small client download available on the Apple Web site.

Find all the details on how to install and configure it properly in my guide on how to use iCloud on your computer.


Original post: Salvatore Aranzulla

How to copy photos from iPhone to PC

It is now more than a week that you're having fun with your new iPhone. How many apps you've downloaded so far? And how many photos you've taken? I imagine many. Then explain to what absurd reason you have not yet done so to store them on your computer.

Do not make excuses. I know that you do not have a very "friendly" with the PC, but in this case leaves many precious memories that you can lose at any moment. You do not want to take a risk so great?

Come on, take a few minutes to spare - so it takes - and discover how to download photos from iPhone to PC following the instructions I am about to give you. I assure you it is much easier than you imagine.


Copy iPhone photos on Windows

To transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer equipped with the Windows operating system is critical that the PC will be installed iTunes, Apple's multimedia software. If you have not already done so, then connected to the website of Cupertino company and click the Download button to download iTunes on your computer.

The download is complete, open the installation package called iTunesSetup.exe, presses the Next button and complete the setup of iTunes before clicking Install, and then click Yes two consecutive and Finish.

Now it is left to connect the iPhone to your computer using the cable Lightning / Dock supplied, wait automatically start iTunes and presses the Authorize button that appears on the screen of "the iPhone" to allow communication between your smartphone and your PC. This is only necessary the first time you connect your iPhone to your computer.

Next, go to Start> Computer (or This computer), right-click the icon of the iPhone and select the item Import pictures and videos from the menu that appears. This will open the window for you to import photos and movies saved on the memory of the iPhone (which from now on should automatically run every time you plug the device into your computer).

If you want, then enter the tags you want to assign to the photos to be transferred to the PC (separated by commas) and presses on the Import button to start copying images to your computer. Photos will be stored in the Pictures folder in Windows and organized into sub-folders renamed with the current date.

To change the name to be assigned automatically to the location where the photo or import them, click on the item Import Settings and select the settings you prefer from the drop-down menu in the window that opens. By affixing the checkmark next to erase from device after importing you can make sure that the images imported to the PC from being removed automatically from the phone memory.


Download iPhone photos on Mac

After seeing how to download photos from iPhone to PC, we move to the procedure to be followed on a Mac.

Being produced by Apple, the Mac already include "standard" all the software needed to transfer images from the iPhone. This means that you have to do is connect your phone to your computer, launch the Photos application (on OS X 10.10.3 or higher) or iPhoto (on earlier versions of the operating system) and press the button Import all new pictures that you located at the top right. After the procedure you will be asked if you want to keep the pictures on the memory of the iPhone or if you delete them.

You can also import some images on Mac leaving others on "the iPhone." In this case, you must select the photos you want to transfer to your computer by cmd + click on their thumbnails and press the Import button selected which is located at the top right.

All shots in or imported into iPhoto app Photos OS X are stored in a library "locked" which contains all the images. If you prefer to save your photos freely in a folder on your computer, launch Image Capture and select the iPhone icon from the sidebar of the latter.

iCloud/Dropbox

With iCloud, you can create an online backup of all the photos that you take with your iPhone and download them to your computer (or other iOS devices).

To be precise, the Photo Stream service retains the last 1,000 photos taken on iOS devices and allows you to download them to your computer using applications Photo (Mac) and iCloud Control Panel (Windows), while the service Library Photos iCloud stores photos and videos permanently but it requires the signature of one of the paid plans of iCloud Drive. You can find more information about it in my tutorial on how to archive photos to iCloud.

If you use Dropbox, you can also install the free app Carousel and store photos you take with your "iPhone by" on Dropbox. In short, the choice are a lot.

Original post: Salvatore Aranzulla