How To Use 'The Cloud' To Keep Files At Your Fingertips

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Accessing your music files or other documents on the go is becoming easier thanks to innovations such as "the cloud."

The cloud is where electronic files can be stored without taking up hard drive space on your computer, phone, or laptop.

Microsoft's SkyDrive is an application that allows you to access your documents from multiple devices wherever there's Internet access.

This technology is great for group projects said Leif Knutson with Microsoft Community Development, because authorized users can update or alter a document for multiple users to see.

"We can easily stay on top of (projects) with real-time data entry," said Knutson.

Cloud storage isn't new, but Microsoft has been working to make SkyDrive easier to use.

"You make one change to a document, it's unified with any type of PC, slate anywhere you'd be using the document," said Knutson.

The same technology is available on Apple products, called iCloud. Apple offers 5 GB of free storage, and Microsoft offers 25 GB. Extra storage is available from both companies for a price.