Making a user's data, settings, and licensed content available in the cloud

A networked computer system comprising:

• a cloud-based computer system that comprises a cloud-based account corresponding to a first user, wherein the cloud-based account comprises:
• user data corresponding to the first user;
• user settings corresponding to the first user for a plurality of physical devices used by the first user;
• and
• a plurality of virtual devices that correspond to the plurality of physical devices, wherein each of the plurality of virtual devices automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to data in a corresponding physical device to the corresponding virtual device and to the user data in the cloud-based account, automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to user settings in the physical device to the corresponding virtual device and to the user settings in the cloud-based account, automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to the user data in the cloud-based account to the virtual device and to the corresponding physical device, and automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to the user settings in the cloud-based account to the virtual device and to the corresponding physical device;
• the plurality of physical devices coupled via network connection to the cloud-based account corresponding to the first user, wherein the first user can access and change the user data and the user settings for the plurality of physical devices using any one of the plurality of physical devices.

A computer-implemented method executing on at least one processor comprising:

• storing user data corresponding to a first user in a cloud-based account corresponding to the first user;
• storing licensed content that is licensed to the first user in the cloud-based account corresponding to the first user;
• storing first user settings corresponding to the first user for a plurality of software applications in the cloud-based account corresponding to the first user, wherein the first user settings comprise first user preferences for each of the plurality of software applications;
• storing second user settings corresponding to the first user for a plurality of physical devices in the cloud-based account corresponding to the first user, wherein the second user settings comprise second user preferences for each of the plurality of physical devices;
• providing in the cloud-based account corresponding to the first user a plurality of virtual devices that correspond to the plurality of physical devices, wherein each of the plurality of virtual devices automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to data in a corresponding physical device to the corresponding virtual device and to the user data in the cloud-based account, automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to user settings in the corresponding physical device to the corresponding virtual device and to the first user settings in the cloud-based account, automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to user settings in the physical device to the corresponding virtual device and to the second user settings in the cloud-based account, automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to the user data in the cloud-based account to the virtual device and to the corresponding physical device, automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to the first user settings in the cloud-based account to the virtual device and to the corresponding physical device, and automatically synchronizes changes made by the first user to the second user settings in the cloud-based account to the virtual device and to the corresponding physical device;
• authenticating the first user on a first of the plurality of physical devices used by first the user;
• in response to authenticating the first user on the first physical device, allowing the first user to access the user data, the licensed content, the first user settings for the plurality of software applications, and the second user settings for the plurality of physical devices on the first physical device.