LG Electronics announced the beta opening of its LG Cloud service on 01 May. The service will support online storage and streaming of media content for LG phones, tablets, PCs and smart TVs. To use the service, users need to download the LG Cloud app from Google Play, the LG SmartWorld app store or the LG Cloud website (www.lgecloud.com). LG's Cloud service automatically synchronizes smartphone content with the cloud server and the user's PC and TV. Photos and videos taken with the smartphone can be viewed and streamed to the PC or TV almost instantaneously. Videos edited on a PC can be uploaded to LG Cloud for viewing seconds later on a smartphone. LG says the service offers quicker transfers than rival cloud services, thanks to its Real-time Streaming Transcoding technology. The conversion happens on the server in realtime, not on the device. The service also works with 3D content. To develop the cloud services, LG created a new division called Smart Business Center to focus specifically on content and services. Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG's Home Entertainment Company, is also responsible for the new Smart Business Center. LG Cloud will be offered as both a free and paid service. Free storage space and pricing will differ market to market and will be announced separately as the service becomes available in that country.
