Cloud storage

I was hoping for something to get away from the intrusive Apple iTunes!

Box gives you 5gb free storage along with easy ways to get more storage for free. I was able to work my way up to 50gb at no cost.

Another one to look into is Google Drive where you can get 15gb for free.

Both have apps for the iPhone and iPad.

SkyDrive comes with 7 gb and works on IPad and Android also. I have 25 gb for SkyDrive . Some where along the line they gave a free update. Have the Drop box too. Have the Google drive but never really got interested in using it.

This shows a comparison http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/skydrive/compare

Dropbox is another good storage system.

You get a lot of free space by connecting your pc, tablet etc. I also told my sister in law about it and she said she wanted it so I referred her for more free space for both of us and now I have 3.25 GB of free space.

Box.com had a free 25GB promotion earlier this year. I signed up for that. A couple of days later, I found out about their free 50GB promo. I also have a free 25GB SkyDrive. If I recall correctly, SkyDrive started with a free 25GB offer. Microsoft dropped the 25GB free storage offer to something much less at some point but offered those who got in early to keep their 25GB if they took action before the deadline. I did it (login to SkyDrive and tick an option "Yes, I'd like to keep my 25GB storage").

In the other news, Microsoft lost a trademark suit in UK so they'll rename SkyDrive to some other name. I wonder what it'll be, CloudDrive, XDrive?

16TB available online, from my own server of course. I never have to leave anything at home.

Don't need to make it easier using cloud storage...I'd rather spend the money for multiple backup drives.

I use my drop box to link photos with my tablet, netbook, and PC. That way when I am out I can show the photos to friends. I have a painting idea folder so when I am painting I use my notebook to research ideas and look at samples of what I want to paint that I find when I as on the PC.

I also scanned in all my business cards to make finding the one I need easier to find if I am home on my PC or if I am away with my tablet.

I have my camera files taken on my tablet go to drop box then when I get home they are already on my PC to be backed up on my external drive.

Just a few things I use it for. But, I never put any important information in it.

The next big thing, I suppose-

Did you ever read all legal details about this cloud storage? I'm not using them and are not tempted too for two reasons.

Firstly, some time ago one website that was giving accounts to users where they can store files (and share them) was shut down when accused of "making possible" sharing copyrighted material. As accounts were private, admins had no way to determine what was stored by users. As result of shut down ALL users lost theirs data. Even those, that were not storing anything illegal. And they never get this data back.

Secondly what happen if there will be cloud meltdown? Are they responsible for security and backing up users data, or not. If not, there is no reason to hold anything important in cloud but rather put money in secure home storage.

I think a lot of the concerns about Cloud Storage reflect a fear of innovation. The group that used to be called Early Adopters are now called Beta Testers. There are benefits to being an Early Adopter, but the vast majority of us want stability and security.

Once a technology passes our own acceptance level - where we perceive the advantages to outweigh the disadvantages, we hop on board and try to look like we were True Believers right from the start .

And some of us take on the role of Luddites... and can see the worst in everything (and possibly be right!)

Wanting to be first to "adopt" any piece of software is being naïve at best. Unless you are closely associated with the development, the risk is greater to be affected from incompetence and just too many short cuts. Quality is no longer a priority these days. Being first, however, provides the supplier invaluable input to refine/complete their project ... for FREE. Although risky, it is effective particularly when most are using this process also.

The "Fear of innovation" statement would be better reflected by saying "Fear of fear of innovation". Just look at most social issues today ... The fear of being considered in fear/phobic of something, nicely manipulates people...

Also keep my photos on cloud storage.A lot more convenient.

I have a laptop and a Android Tablet. My wife has a Ipad.I keep all my photos on the laptop hard drive and a back up on a thumb drive.To load photos on the Ipad it was so much fun to use Itunes or a special attachment.Every time I took pictures for a trip we took.The wife wanted them on the Ipad and I wanted them on the computer and tablet.Now just put them on the computer from the camera.Edit them using Picasa then drop them in Dropbox and its a done deal.Everybody happy.No more going to tablet with thumbdrive and Itunes for Ipad.Still keep copy on thumb drive.

Carry the Android tablet now for most trips.Same thing connect camera to tablet.Load and edit then to dropbox.They go every location that you have set up dropbox.

I agree with you - I avoid Apple and Google like the plague - if you are an Amazon customer they give you 5GB of free cloud storage.

The concerns over Cloud storage are not really related to technology - it's more of a privacy concern. When we launch pictures, texts, thoughts, (you name it) across the internet in addition to it never going away, it's possible available to Federal snoopers like NSA, even your mail (outside) is photographed - enjoy the brave new world.

Where I live I can buy a 2TB external storage HDD for $ 99.00. No security concerns that way!.

I also have a FREE program which lets me install any of my MP3 music or movies on my iPhone and iPod Touch

I love the free stuff, but I was going to download a free program the other day and researched it and it is free, but when it is on your computer the company you download it has an attachment to your computer. Didn't download it...

What do you mean "attachment to your computer"?

That's why you should have good security on your computer.

You wouldn't believe how many people still have none!

If you install third party software on your computer it can gain access to your whole system. And there is nothing that you can do about it. It's enough if it will run with administrator privileges. And try to restrict its access to system usually makes program not working at all.

And no, you don't have choice under what privileges program will run. It is decided during installation. When you see something like "program needs to be run under administrator privileges" it means that it will be installed with at least elevated access to system.

So basically: you install this kind of program and give potential access to whole comp to program or not install it at all.

If you read most licenses for software programs you buy, you will find that most say that you buy the USE of the software and not the program itself. And when you run the program, you run it under the auspices of the manufacturer, which includes requiring administrative privileges, external contact, etc.

So if you are REALLY concerned about your personal privacy, consider moving to a small cabin in Idaho (it's beautiful down there at this time of year).

Ditto.

I fear the bloated government.

I have.

Yes. And only a tiny bit less security with a properly set up private web re-direct to your home network when you're out and about.

I see you have no knowledge about how software works. You mix license with way program is running inside system. So let me explain.

Software license has nothing to do with way program is working in any system. It is just set of rules, how it may be use by user, what are user and manufacturer rights, how to solve legal problems etc. Nothing more. It doesn't at all specify how technically program work on system itself.

Programs shouldn't run under elevated privileges, especially administrator ones, because it always may cause security risks. There are of course programs like antivirus software or some toolkits that have to use expanded access to system, but ordinary program shouldn't go outside basic user account rights. Problem is, that it is usually harder for programmers to write program this way, as administrator's access gives easy way to system resources. So they push user to allow program to use elevated rights. As you can't check what it will means, some programs can use this privileges to collect data about computer usage and send them to program manufacturer over internet. It may be made "legal" in some obscure, often unclear point in license. You can for example make it about "improving user experience with program". Or so popular lately "terrorism risk" clause.

It's getting even worse with data stored on "internet" storage (like cloud disk). Do you know, that by posting picture on Facebook you are automatically giving them right to sell this picture as they see fit? And if they put "illegal files like music and movies" clause this is opening for them way to go through your clod drive and search your files? If I have pictures I took for my customers, and all of them are under different licensing agreement, I'm not willing to risk them stolen and publish just because owner of cloud says he can sell my pictures if I store them on his drive.

And all my friends ask me why I'm not a member of FB or Twitter... Why I have a 4 TB RAID array in my basement... Why I never look up when I step outside... (Only kidding on the last one!)

I don't fully trust cloud storage, and what I store is just a backup copy or a convenient copy of what I store at home.

BOX - gives a large amount of free storage, but there is a file size restriction, unless one pays for the service. No single file can be over some size - I forgot the size, but it makes it impracticable for the files I store. ROMs for the phone, certainly not movies. However, I use BOX for storing Titanium Backup files as they are under the filesize limit.

DROPBOX - does not have a file size limit, but does have a total storage limit, unless you pay for it. So, once again it is not very useful.

When I tried Google's DRIVE, I found it much slower than BOX or DROPBOX.

Actually, I am using Google DRIVE recently, and its performance seems acceptable.

Another tool, good for some things yet not for others.

You *can* drive a drywall screw with a hammer; the results aren't pretty.

I use Dropbox for a number of things, such as automagically synchronizing some files on my Linux systems, and some files between Macs and iThings.

But in all those cases, I can do the same thing using thumb drives. And if the data gets picked up by someone or somebody (such as in Ft. Meade), I don't really care.

My backups, I care. Not on the cloud. Same with a lot of business docs. Not on the cloud.

Clouds are emphemeral -- here one moment and gone the next. Maybe that's not the best metaphor for a place to secure important data? Or maybe it's a metaphor that gives you a better clue just what you're relying on?

Nothing beats multiple backups on hard drives. Not just a partition on the same drive because if that drive fails you still lose it all. As for flash drives, they are ok dependent on the amount of data.

I want to share or move files from 1 location to another. It is just easy to put the files up on cloud at home and then retrieving them at or.. Or if I am sharing the files with someone else. Also I zip them up with a password if it is a sensitive file or to conserve more space.

Any files that are on the cloud is also on one of my hard drives and will remain there.

If anyone uses shutterfly, you will notice that once you place a photo up there, You can not download it again unless you pay for printing. Someone took photos of a event and posted them on shutterfly, but when we wanted to download it, we could not and the person that put them up there removed them from there system and the only place was now on shutterfly. not a fun thing..

oh well.. just be thoughtful when using the cloud. Remember, when something goes on the internet, it is there for life. Even old web sites are cashed for history use.

To see what I am referring to.. Check out:

http://archive.org/web/

Why use the cloud, if you have to pay?

Monday, Newegg had a 2 Terabyte hard drive on sale for $79.99. I think they had a 3 TB drive for 80+ dollars last week.

Can't see the "Average" user filling up a 1 TB drive.

If you're not hardware savvy, there are plenty of external drives that connect via a USB port.

Of course, you can access the Cloud from a different location. Easier, for most folks, than using a FTP program or transporting a device long distances.

OT: Man, I love IE 10 having a spell-check built in. Hope they add a grammar checker for the folks that don't know the difference between "your" and "you're".

A "Cloud" can be hacked - I don't care how secure they think their system is. Nothing can hack an external drive that's turned off with the USB cord un-plugged!

Wow, Seems to be a big topic all over about Cloud access.. Even Xbox one was trying to use all Cloud service, Until everyone screamed about it..

Like I said before, once you put something up, it will never be deleted EVER!

If you want to sync files between devices, there is a free alternative where your data is not stored on an unknown server.

BitTorrent Sync allows you to store whatever you want and since no data gets stored where you don't want it to, there are no size restrictions.

It's available for Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, and IOS.

http://labs.bittorrent.com/experiments/sync.html

If I'm ready yet to put my information out there somewhere, where somebody will eventually hack, and get my stuff.

I backup documents and pictures to external hard drives and CD/DVD disks, when I backup important documents and pictures, I save these documents and pictures to 2 different backup locations, in case one backup location device fails, I still have a backup copy. External hard drives can fail at anytime. I don't use the cloud for backing up my documents.

I use it to transfer from smartphone to computer but I never store important documents.