How To Use The iCloud NOW

So, were you impressed with Apple's WWDC keynote on Monday?  There was nothing really revolutionary about the vast majority of the new features of iOS 5, but they are necessary to the iOS evolution in the smartphone marketplace.  When iOS 5 comes out this fall, the workflow between your iPhone, iPad, laptop and desktop will be much smoother.

Can't wait to use the iCloud?  Well, a couple of features are already enabled so that anyone with an iOS device with version 4.3.3 can use iCloud.

For those who have already upgraded to iOS 5, this article is only about automatic downloads and downloading purchased apps, which has been available since June 2011.

Here are the latest articles about using iCloud with iOS 5:

• iCloud Setup & Wireless Backup
• How To Use Photo Stream On Your Desktop

For more about automatic downloads and purchased apps, read on:

Picture Courtesy of Apple

1. Download iTunes 10.3.1.  (The latest iTunes required for iOS 5 is now 10.5.)
2. Open iTunes.  Go to Edit > Preferences > Store.  At the top there is a section called "Automatic Downloads."  You can check "Music," "Apps" and "Books."  I checked all three.
3. Hit the "Okay" button.
4. Go to your iOS device.  Let say, for example, your iPhone.  Go to Settings > Store.  If you have not gone here since the WWDC keynote, it should change to a list of Automatic Downloads (pictured, below).
5. This will set up exactly what you want automatically downloaded to this particular device.  For example, I don't want music automatically downloaded to my iPad but I do want it for my iPhone and my desktop.  So, I'll make sure to uncheck "Music" on my iPad, but turn it on for my other devices.
6. As soon as you have set up each device, you're done!

The great thing about automatic downloads is if you buy an app on your desktop, it can be automatically downloaded straight to your iPhone and iPad.  You download an app on your iPhone and it can be automatically installed into your iPad.  iBooks benefits a lot from this feature since I like to switch between the iPad and iPhone.

Another new iCloud feature you can start using right away is the master list of app and music purchases.  On the iPhone you can see your master list of apps by going to App Store > Updates > Purchased (see, below).

When you hit the "Purchased" bar, you'll get a list of all of your purchases by date.  You can also show just the apps that are not on your iPhone (see, below).

In iTunes on the iPhone and iPad and in the App Store for the iPad, there's a separate tab called "Purchased" (see, below).  You can also sort by "Most Recent" and "Alphabetical."

If you have a Verizon iPhone, none of this is possible just yet because you have iOS 4.2.8.  Hopefully soon you will get iOS 4.3.

I'm loving these simple cloud features that just make life a lot easier, especially for those who have multiple iOS devices.

UPDATE 6/9/2011:  I noticed automatic downloading for the iPad will not download non-iPad apps.  It will only download iPad-only apps or Universal apps on your iPad.  So, you don't have to worry about all of your iPhone apps being automatically downloaded on your iPad.