We have plenty of forums for devices that make up the 3 screens, we do have a OneDrive section, but that isn't really the same as "The cloud" (Although very much related).
But in our day to day interaction with our desktops, tablets and phones we have one overriding relationship going on and that is with our MS account.
I used to be very sceptical about signing up for stuff, but when I got to 8.1 I must have had a epiphany moment or maybe better still a "Sod it" moment and I just gave in, and I have to say it has changed how I interact with computers and I have to say for the better.
When I say the "Sod it" moment I mean they basic idea of accepting that I trust Microsoft (Or other company if you aren't a fan of MS) to not pry on or otherwise use your personal data.
So I set up a Hotmail email address and signed up with my MS account. Long story short with 8.1 and now even better with 10 I have almost total integration across my devices so I really have to choose devices on how I can interact with my account rather than the data on each individual device.
This has actually led over the last year to me getting rid of devices, my laptop was first to go and now my smaller tablet, My desktop was always more powerful and expandable than my laptop, and the SP3 beat it for just about everything, and my SP3 and 950XL put the squeeze on the Stream 7. I still have an Xbox One as well so 4 devices using the single account, I don't plan anymore changes for some time but who knows.
I love that for example: Last week I bought a 950XL to replace my 1520, of course once I log in with my MS account my contacts come across (I haven't had to save anything to or from a sim card for ages now), but things like my phones password for mobile hotspot and my early morning alarm was in place and waiting. So it only takes an hour or so to have an almost exact copy of your data and settings on a new device, and over the last year since 10's release I have probably reset all my devices and it's a breeze because of the single account (Or translated to "You are the most important part of the system").
It isn't just MS, Huetro for Hue is a fantastic example of a universal app, I have it on all devices, when I load it all my settings are in place, scenes for lights, the lot, no need to do anything other than introduce the device to the Hue hub, and it even works on Continuum.
Netflix is another, sign up and all your settings and history in one place and this one works on the Xbox One as well (Looking forward to Huetro working on the Xbox once the unification is complete in the coming months).
Maybe because I am actually old and can remember my house with just one mains electric socket and small black and white TV's, and not getting a phone in our house until I was in my late 20's, I used to watch a program on the BBC called Tomorrows World. I think they all got it wrong.
I have to say they missed completely how we would interact with computers, maybe they missed how the precious tools that computers were back then, how domestic they would become (Brain the size of a planet and all I do is show them webpages).
Because of the account/cloud concept I can have an idea, jot it down on my Surface with the pen into OneNote, I can finish off what I am doing on my PC, and with Continuum, present that idea onto a screen with no more than my phone, and it's pretty seamless, I have a collection of over 500 albums, the same albums across each device and through my Xbox One played through my Hi-Fi, the same with films and TV. Through OneDrive almost every photograph have ever taken is instantly viewable on every device I own.
The list goes on, and I sit back in wonder about it all as I say out loud "Xbox play so and so" or "Hey Cortana" as I turn the lights on, on one device and turn them off or to a different setting on another, my boy thinks I am mad, but he comes from a different time zone.
Anyone else having fun with an MS account?
But in our day to day interaction with our desktops, tablets and phones we have one overriding relationship going on and that is with our MS account.
I used to be very sceptical about signing up for stuff, but when I got to 8.1 I must have had a epiphany moment or maybe better still a "Sod it" moment and I just gave in, and I have to say it has changed how I interact with computers and I have to say for the better.
When I say the "Sod it" moment I mean they basic idea of accepting that I trust Microsoft (Or other company if you aren't a fan of MS) to not pry on or otherwise use your personal data.
So I set up a Hotmail email address and signed up with my MS account. Long story short with 8.1 and now even better with 10 I have almost total integration across my devices so I really have to choose devices on how I can interact with my account rather than the data on each individual device.
This has actually led over the last year to me getting rid of devices, my laptop was first to go and now my smaller tablet, My desktop was always more powerful and expandable than my laptop, and the SP3 beat it for just about everything, and my SP3 and 950XL put the squeeze on the Stream 7. I still have an Xbox One as well so 4 devices using the single account, I don't plan anymore changes for some time but who knows.
I love that for example: Last week I bought a 950XL to replace my 1520, of course once I log in with my MS account my contacts come across (I haven't had to save anything to or from a sim card for ages now), but things like my phones password for mobile hotspot and my early morning alarm was in place and waiting. So it only takes an hour or so to have an almost exact copy of your data and settings on a new device, and over the last year since 10's release I have probably reset all my devices and it's a breeze because of the single account (Or translated to "You are the most important part of the system").
It isn't just MS, Huetro for Hue is a fantastic example of a universal app, I have it on all devices, when I load it all my settings are in place, scenes for lights, the lot, no need to do anything other than introduce the device to the Hue hub, and it even works on Continuum.
Netflix is another, sign up and all your settings and history in one place and this one works on the Xbox One as well (Looking forward to Huetro working on the Xbox once the unification is complete in the coming months).
Maybe because I am actually old and can remember my house with just one mains electric socket and small black and white TV's, and not getting a phone in our house until I was in my late 20's, I used to watch a program on the BBC called Tomorrows World. I think they all got it wrong.
I have to say they missed completely how we would interact with computers, maybe they missed how the precious tools that computers were back then, how domestic they would become (Brain the size of a planet and all I do is show them webpages).
Because of the account/cloud concept I can have an idea, jot it down on my Surface with the pen into OneNote, I can finish off what I am doing on my PC, and with Continuum, present that idea onto a screen with no more than my phone, and it's pretty seamless, I have a collection of over 500 albums, the same albums across each device and through my Xbox One played through my Hi-Fi, the same with films and TV. Through OneDrive almost every photograph have ever taken is instantly viewable on every device I own.
The list goes on, and I sit back in wonder about it all as I say out loud "Xbox play so and so" or "Hey Cortana" as I turn the lights on, on one device and turn them off or to a different setting on another, my boy thinks I am mad, but he comes from a different time zone.
Anyone else having fun with an MS account?
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