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I am wondering if anyone can throw my way on such a topic because I really haven't found a good reason for it, strictly within the sense of storage, because I can't seem to find any other use for it. (Enlighten me if there is.) Since Windows 8, every big computing company has integrated it in one way or another.

All I see is a big flash drive which you own a permit to a part of. You need to pay the people to run these "flash drives" monthly, because it is not strictly your property. If you don't have internet, you can't use it, and by a year, you would have already paid more than enough to store the same amount of data in the form of a drive that you personally own.
If people decide to hack it, and there is a good chance it can be hacked, you're out of luck.

Maybe it could be used for connecting devices to share files instantly if one would really need it, but didn't Microsoft already do this with Homegroup, which wasn't annoyingly integrated in every single piece of official software?

Vendetta wrote:All I see is a big flash drive which you own a permit to a part of.

You're confusing cloud computing with cloud storage. Cloud computing: A big computer, of which you own a part. But even in the sense of storage, cloud storage is great. For starters, it offers the ability to back up your data remotely. If your house burns down, 20 HDD backups won't be of much use. One single cloud backup though...

Then there's the fact that you can access your cloud stored data from anywhere. The benefits to this are obvious. It eliminates the need to set up a server in your own home so you can access your data at home remotely. Also, even if you do set up a server at home that you can access remotely, the speed is limited by your home's internet speed. Upload speeds tend to be very low in home internet connections. Cloud storage services on the other hand offer incredible speeds.

Vendetta wrote:If people decide to hack it, and there is a good chance it can be hacked, you're out of luck.

Not really. The only way a good cloud service could realistically be hacked is if you jeopardize your log-in credentials which is on par with forgetting to lock your door and having a thief steal your hard drives from your house. Cloud storage services also offer methods of encrypting your data so intruders can't steal it.

Vendetta wrote: Maybe it could be used for connecting devices to share files instantly if one would really need it, but didn't Microsoft already do this with Homegroup

Homegroup shares data between local devices. i.e All the PCs and laptops in the house. Cloud services can share data between computers that are thousands of miles apart.

Vendetta wrote: You need to pay the people to run these "flash drives" monthly, because it is not strictly your property.If you don't have internet, you can't use it, and by a year, you would have already paid more than enough to store the same amount of data in the form of a drive that you personally own.

There are many cloud storage services that are offered for free up to 5gb of data. And that is plenty for storing documents, pictures, etc. The people who pay for cloud storage generally need to store huge amounts of data and it ends up being much cheaper in the short term to use the cloud service.

Think of it likes this: You pay the garbage man to collect all of your junk and mash it into some hole in the ground somewhere. It would be cheaper in the long run for you to buy a plot of land, dig a big hole and throw all your garbage in there. Question is "how long is the "long-run"?". Well, for companies using cloud storage services, pretty long. Don't worry, they are definitely doing what is most cost effective for them.

Cloud Computing has existed for ages - the word "Cloud" is a massive buzz word. Albeit, it is getting more popular. And it's cool to see the "Rent-a-Supercomputer" services being offered, which must really help indie labs, especially ones dealing with climate change. Still, not a huge use for your average consumer. Cloud gaming has yet to really come on scene, but I can't see myself not wanting a machine that can run the games themselves and allow me to dick around with them, as opposed to play the basic vanilla version the server offers.

It's possible to get cloud storage space for free-- not a great deal of space, it's true, but it might be enough to satisfy your needs if they are modest, especially since you can get free space from accounts with multiple providers.