Flash back to 10+ years ago. Apple’s iPhone launched in 2007, followed by a wave of other devices over the next two years. The first use of an iPhone required a computer connection, including backups. Now return to present day 2019. We are used to so many wireless connections that it’s difficult (dare I say painful?) to imagine connecting a cord to any device, let alone a smartphone or tablet. We owe so many thanks to the great and mighty data cloud, but what is that exactly?

Enter Amazon Web Services (AWS), a multitude of cloud-enabled services that make your work and personal life so much easier, you didn’t even realize it was helping you. All your favorite Netflix (including a plethora of news stations globally) shows, weather forecasts, Adobe documents, SoundCloud and Spotify playlists, Dow Jones tickers, favorite gaming studios (Sony, Ubisoft, SquareEnix), Pinterest posts, and Ticketmaster reservations are provided to you by AWS (and nearly without fail).

“The Cloud” is such an interesting term. And, yes, Apple, Google and several other providers have their own cloud-services, but in reality, all this data–the information you’ve come to love, use and rely upon–is resting on another physical device, delivered to you in mere milliseconds. So the next time your smartphone makes you feel frustrated, take a breath and give thanks for the amazing technology upon which your patience is being tested by waiting a few extra seconds.