Why Wait for Chrome OS? Our Review of iCloud, the "Free Online Computer"

Today we are taking you on a tour of the icloud OS. Icloud is not only a custom operating system designed by Xcerion. Icloud's free services exceed an online operating system and includes multiple apps and options. More to the point, Icloud describes itself as a "Free Online Computer." While we had serious reservations as to the extent to which a website could actually be our computer, we were quite intrigued by the idea.  So, this past week, the BURNED iN Crew decided to take this "computer" for a test drive to see how well it actually measures up to the real thing. Buckle up, we're taking you along for the ride.

Sign Up

To start, the registration is really no different than most website and forums on the web. You are not signing your first born away (although some of us might not mind that ). It is also not a subscription service that is disabled after 30 days nor do they ask for credit card info or anything crazy where they would try to charge you in the future.  They are planning a premium version in the future, but it's not available yet. For now, icloud is just a good ol' truly free service.

Desktop and User Interface

Upon signing in, icloud takes you directy to your new desktop. The interface is not much different than any other modern operating system and desktop.  The main menu link is in the bottom left, desktop icons are available on the main part of the screen while desktop widgets are initially placed in the right sidebar area. Right out of the box, so to speak, icloud gives a personal email account and allows you to add your MSN contacts to the Instant Messenger. You can also add friends that also have an icloud account.

Icloud comes with over 20 widgets to use and most fairly self explanatory. The new online computer is exceptionally intuitive and it doesn't matter whether your most familiar with a Windows, Linux or Mac environment. But, even though it's intuitive, don't expect to recognize much, if any, of the included software. We're not dogging the software, we're just saying, you won't recognize it.  Fortunately even the software is easy to manipulate, so no worries there, but we'll get to some of that a bit later.