If you're confused when your friends' tech talk turns to the cloud, Dropbox could be a good introduction.
Put simply, Dropbox gives you a folder in which you can put files that are stored out in the internet world (often referred to as the cloud). You can share these files with other people and if your computer or your whole system crashes, you can just retrieve your files from another computer – anywhere in the world.
The beauty of it is it's free – for up to 2 gigabytes of data – and secure. As a business, you might want more space, so you can choose a pricing plan that suits.
Dropbox is a really useful tool if you're a bit concerned about losing your vital data, or your urgent project work. One example we know of is a design business that often has several people working on a project at a time. The folder they work on remains in the Dropbox, which every member of the team has access to. Whenever one person saves a file, it's automatically updated in the Dropbox, ready for the next person to pick it up. It's ideal for sales teams and others on the move.
It's also great for sending large files to clients. Instead of trying to email, put the file in the Public Folder of Dropbox, copy the link and email your client with the link. They can then grab the file from the link. If you deal with clients regularly, you can even set up a folder they have access to, so you and them can share the files. No one else has access to them.
If you want to store your photos in Dropbox, no problem. Then if your computer crashes, they're still there. Recently a friend lost three weeks of her photos on a trip through Europe when her camera and cell phone were stolen. If she'd stored them in Dropbox while she was travelling, they would have been safe. So yes, you can download apps (applications) for Dropbox on your smart phone, tablet etc.
While Dropbox is not the only cloud-based storage system, it's one of the simplest to use. To see more, go to dropbox.com.