By now you’ve surely heard of the term cloud or cloud computing. Or, you might be using its products for the longest time, but are not aware of the latest lingo.  I’m betting my money on the second statement.  But enriching tech vocabulary is perhaps at the least of a consumer’s priorities. What’s more important now is being able to do things like master an app.

While most are already enjoying the benefits of cloud computing, others are still hooked in the traditional PC, but this is okay. The cloud won’t kill PCs, it will just reinforce devices to become more usable and efficient instruments. Vice President of Industry Analysis at NPD, Stephen Baker noted prevailing situations:

“Whether they understand the terminology or not, consumers are actually pretty savvy in their use of cloud-based applications. They might not always recognize they are performing activities in the cloud, yet they still rely on and use those services extensively. Even so, they are not yet ready to completely give up on traditional PC-based software applications.”

An interesting study conducted by NPD Group consumer cloud and behavior responses when it comes to downloading and purchasing software. Reflected in the results are the top five cloud computing activities in the US: email, tax prep, online gaming, photo share/edit and video share/edit.

Unlocking a more empirical and digestible idea of the cloud could be a bit challenging, but not when you relate it to familiar situations, especially with the immense popularity of mobile platforms. You are actually knee-deep in the cloud if you:

• share photos, videos, documents and data to your friends instantly in your favorite social networking site
• go online banking and transfer money from your bank to an payment system or vise versa using the internet
• access documents and files from anywhere and anytime using Google docs or other online tool
• you are able to sync your iPod, Android phone and PC
• virtually collaborate with your colleagues from around the globe or within the corporate premises

In science, cloud formation involves several processes such as heating, evaporation and condensation. Clouds make up a very important piece of a cycle that maintains equilibrium on the planet.  The same idea runs cloud computing—a similar vital portion of the modern-day information technology.  Their difference is that school children know the scientific concept, and the other is still a foreign concept for some. But with unprecedented growth and buzz words looming, cloud computing may soon be a household term.