The arrival of the tablets Google, Amazon y Windows 8 have stoked the need for cloud storage, a problem that already raised Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), and to the one who gave his solution. The files, contents and documents that we may need occupy a space that these devices do not have too much so as not to increase the weight and guarantee portability. Cloud storage also offers the possibility of accessing our files from any device. Access to these contents from the cloud may be conditioned by the inability to stream or by copyright legislation. Each of the large companies has its own cloud service or cloud storage. We are going to make a comparison of SkyDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, and Cloud Drive.
Price per MB
Before thinking about how much we will have to pay, it is important to know how much space they give us for free. Microsoft's SkyDrive gives you 7 GB for the 5 GB that the other services give. Once we want more space, the prices of Amazon Cloud Drive and Sky Drive are the best and are on par. A year 20 GB are worth 8 euros, 50 GB are worth 19 euros and 100 GB 37 euros. Closely followed by Google's service and the most expensive without a doubt, as one might expect, is Apple's iCloud where we pay 10 euros per year for 16 GB, 20 euros for 32 GB and 50 euros for 80 GB. Honestly crazy. But before deciding only on the price per MB we must think about what services they give us.
Platforms
These services are usually better integrated with the company's own devices for various reasons, but it is important to know if we can enter from other platforms. The most accessible is that of Google without a doubt. It has application for Android and iOS and it is said that Windows 8 is very likely to come with a native Google Drive application. From the browser you can access everything except Apple's iCloud. The iCloud can only be accessed from the iPad on tablets.
Synchronization
In synchronization between devices, iCloud is unmatched and integrates with other Cloud services for music such as iTunes Match, the only licensed music service to reach Spain. Google Drive perfectly synchronizes the files on all your devices of any platform but only documents, photos and videos. At the moment Cloud Drive will only work on PC or Mac and your own tablets.
Share
Google and Microsoft give the option to share the files by different procedures. Apple and Amazon don't.
Editing and collaborative work
The best to do this are the Google Drive and SkyDrive applications which is seamlessly integrated with Google Docs and documents can be edited on site and collaboratively. The advantage of Google's is its cross-platform presence. In iCloud we can also edit documents but not collaboratively. And in the Amazon service we cannot edit if you want.
Conclusions
The service Apple's iCloud is the most complete in integration with other content services, but it has the inconvenience of only being able to use more PCs on your tablet and your devices and the exaggerated price.
Google Drive offers a universal service, accessible from any platform and its video services can work independently for movie rentals. The music thing is a problem to be solved.
SkyDrive is very similar to Google Drive, you will just have to clear your cross-platform options, but its price is the best certainly for what it offers. Music and video content has never been a Microsoft business. The only downside is that they have a moral content filter, that is, you cannot upload files that contain full or partial nudity, pornography, explicit violence or religious offenses. If you do, your account could be closed and with it all the services linked to Windows Live. This is something a bit nonsensical these days.
As for the Amazon Cloud Drive We must say that it is a pretty poor service still for documents. The good thing is that Cloud Player seems to arrive in Spain when Kindle Fire HD begins to be delivered.
There are other cloud storage services with similar or better prices and with brilliant file management and playback services, including music streaming. Here is a list of storage service apps for Android. Many of them are also on iOS.