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iCloud/ Google Drive/ Microsoft One Drive/ the Box??? DROPBOX!!

toothdoctor

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Being somewhat new to the Forum, this may have already be answered.
For the life of me, I cannot figure out the difference between these.
I am currently using Dropbox and find that works well to sync all my files between devices. I have an iPhone 5s, iPad Air, iPad 2, and a PC.

Can anyone shed some light on these so I can determine if any of the others suit my needs.

BTW, I have downloaded the MS Apps from the store but have not paid the $100 yearly fee. Needless to say, I cannot figure out how to even look at a MS Word document.
If I could use them, I might edit some documents in Word and leave my laptop behind for short trips.

All thoughts welcome

Thanks all,
RAM
 

J. A.

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Google Drive, OneDrive and Box can be used for the same as Dropbox. They all are similar, with slight differences.

iCloud, on the other hand, IS different. Although you can also use it for files (iWork apps), which you also can view on a computer, it's main purpose is to sync between iDevices/Apple Devices and back them up, as well as find your device if it gets lost or stolen. iCloud syncs Contacts, Safari bookmarks & favorites & reading list, Reminders, Photos, Calendar entries, .... iCloud also is an email account, and one of it's very important features is Find my iPad.

Hope that helps.
 
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LannyC

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Doc, try the free Quickoffice for your MS Office documents. There may be a few MS features it doesn't support, but many people find it does everything they need.

This post handcrafted from 100 percent post-consumer recycled electrons.
 

cecilrwilliams

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Being somewhat new to the Forum, this may have already be answered. For the life of me, I cannot figure out the difference between these. I am currently using Dropbox and find that works well to sync all my files between devices. I have an iPhone 5s, iPad Air, iPad 2, and a PC. Can anyone shed some light on these so I can determine if any of the others suit my needs. BTW, I have downloaded the MS Apps from the store but have not paid the $100 yearly fee. Needless to say, I cannot figure out how to even look at a MS Word document. If I could use them, I might edit some documents in Word and leave my laptop behind for short trips. All thoughts welcome Thanks all, RAM

Office 365 works the same on the iPad as the previous versions of Microsoft Office on your PC. You can save documents to your IPad and One Drive, formerly called Sky Drive. One Drive allows you to save, open, amend, and sync all your documents.

If you have Office 365 on your computer, you can install 365 on five PC's and your iPhone and iPad for $100 a year. The cost is based on your need. How often do you use Word, Power Point, Access, Excel and Outlook?

I used 365 and fine that it meets my needs. However, as Apple improves on there apps and continue making them free, one may wait to make the plunge.

As an example, recently Had the ability to used my iPad to share my list of medications, doctors reports etc, during doctor' visit. As they had free WiFi, I could use HP ePrint app to locate their wireless printer to print the list.
 

AQ_OC

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You can get a version of Office that lets you use it on 5 PCs/Mac and tablets for like $67 (for a year) on Amazon. It comes with like 25GB or so of space on Onedrive.

The various cloud services do have some differences, but figuring out of that out is no simple task. I doubt if anyone posting here will know. I did see an artice online about this but I'm not sure I totally trust it either. Having said that, I have Dropbox, Box.net, Onedrive, and iCloud, though iCoud is more different from the others than the others different from each other. ??? Okay...one of those things is not like the others. That's iCloud. :)
 

cecilrwilliams

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You can get a version of Office that lets you use it on 5 PCs/Mac and tablets for like $67 (for a year) on Amazon. It comes with like 25GB or so of space on Onedrive. The various cloud services do have some differences, but figuring out of that out is no simple task. I doubt if anyone posting here will know. I did see an artice online about this but I'm not sure I totally trust it either. Having said that, I have Dropbox, Box.net, Onedrive, and iCloud, though iCoud is more different from the others than the others different from each other. ??? Okay...one of those things is not like the others. That's iCloud. :)

Just view $72.73 on Amazon, no disc, just key. One user, 5 PC/MAC and iPad. I saw some $67 post, not by Amazon.
 

AQ_OC

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Just view $72.73 on Amazon, no disc, just key. One user, 5 PC/MAC and iPad. I saw some $67 post, not by Amazon.

Yep. Price jumped up a bit...still a good deal for 5 installs...download software from MS or via the app store for iOS or play store for Android. I see no good reason to pay for a CD.
 

cecilrwilliams

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Yep. Price jumped up a bit...still a good deal for 5 installs...download software from MS or via the app store for iOS or play store for Android. I see no good reason to pay for a CD.

The renewal I believe will be $99.00, after the first year,

I have the new version CD in case I do not renew, I still can use my programs, with the exception on new updated features. I am sitting on membership now; however, Apple programs are becoming very good, I like Outlook, my main reason for membership. That could change.

Off topic. Tuesday I made the jump from iPhone to Samsung S5 Galaxy. Reason? S5 had 128GB sd card that allowed you to store applications, etc., to the card. Thursday they release KitKat 4.2.2, which now prohibits most apps, documents, to be saved on the sd card. I think a class action law suit should be filed. Market program and then change the app.
 

golddust34

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There is a FREE office suite for your pc called Kingsoft Office 2013 based on MS Office 2007 and it has a mobile app that is good for editing. No spreadsheet editing though - only viewing. Good for Powerpoint presentations as well. It will open and save all docs created and edited in Microsoft file formats. Go to www.kingsoftstore.com for more information. The only downside I've seen to it though is that when you edit a document and save it, it creates a copy instead of just updating the original (this is an Apple problem not the program). I save docs to Dropbox (Box is very similar). Or, if you just want to save something to your iPad the Filemaster app is great (saves to folders you can actually use just like on your pc).

This program and it's apps share across operating systems whether Apple, Windows, Android!
 
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n4uau

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Why is no one pointing out that Apples Pages will also work with Word. It was free for me because I bought a new Air. Ditto Numbers and Keynote for their MS equivalents.
 

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The renewal I believe will be $99.00, after the first year,

Why do you believe that? The keycard means no one has to send you a CD and there is no storage costs associated with managing physical media. It cheaper for them to deliver a key than to manage a CD. I don't see why it will cost more. I'll simply buy again on Amazon or cancel.

Apple programs are no substitute for those who use Office programs everyday for work. If you are not that person, then by all means use the Apple apps that come free with every new iDevice.
 
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AQ_OC

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Why is no one pointing out that Apples Pages will also work with Word. It was free for me because I bought a new Air. Ditto Numbers and Keynote for their MS equivalents.

No one is required to point out anything. Also, Apple apps are not true substitutes for Office apps. Yes, now, when you purchase any new iDevice, you get the Apple iWork apps. That is a very good deal for a lot of people.
 

jwt873

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Google Drive has a neat feature..

If you tap the little 'i' to the far right of the file, a Detail box pops up. In the box is a 'Keep on Device" switch. When set to ON, the file will be downloaded and kept on your iPad. This lets you access the file when you're not connected to the internet. So in effect, you can keep movies, songs, images, text files, PDF files etc all in your Google Drive folder and access them without an internet connection.
 

J. A.

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The same feature can be found in Box:


image-3038234563.jpg

As well as in Dropbox:


image-2401443116.jpg

If you decide to see them offline as well, they'll need some of the usage space on your iPad.
 
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