If you've owned an iOS device before, you'll find iCloud backups very similar to connected iTunes backups. Like iTunes, iCloud will back up any purchased content (music, apps, and books), your Camera Roll, device settings, data, Home screens, messages, and ringtones, but instead of saving that information in a file on your computer, the service will instead store it online. This way, if you buy a new iOS device, you can automatically copy your settings and information to it without ever needing to plug into your Mac or PC.

iCloud isn't limited to your apps, documents, and mail information, though: It'll also help keep all your recently taken images in sync. Apple's provides all your iOS devices, Macs, PCs, and second-generation Apple TVs with photographs you've snapped or uploaded in the last 30 days. Your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad will only sync the last 1000 images you've taken due to space constraints (your computer, however, will store everything), though you can save a photo from the stream at any point by moving them to your library.

Apple's iCloud pièce de résistance, however, may very well be . For free, you'll be able to access a complete record of all your purchased iTunes content; download new music, apps, and books automatically; and redownload anything for free. Pay a yearly fee, and you'll be able to access your entire music library (up to 25,000 songs) across multiple devices, whether they be purchased iTunes songs or not.