Protect Your Data, Part 2: Cloud Backup Recommendations


Cloud Backup for iPhone
Earlier this week we talked about how to back up your data using an external hard drive, so that your data will be safe even if your devices meet an untimely fate (like those of Wired writer Mat Honan). But cloud backup is important too, and as the major industry players push services like iCloud, Google Drive and Amazon Backup, it becomes more important than ever to make sure that remote data is secure.

It’s important to note that hackers got into Honan’s computer through what’s called “social engineering,” which describes exploiting the people involved in security rather than hardware or software. Specifically, they were able to find out the last four digits of his credit card from Amazon, and were able to use that, combined with his billing address retrieved from an online lookup, to have his Apple ID reset by Apple tech support. So, while password security is essential, it’s not enough. Read More

Nexus Remote Service Keeps Your Docs in the Cloud

Nexus Remote ServiceDropbox, Box, Microsoft SkyDrive, SugarSync, and Google Drive have been getting all the consumer cloud storage love as of late. The services are uber-popular, but may not be the best option for the enterprise due to the simple fact sensitive documents/files stop being sensitive once they are downloaded onto personal mobile devices. Nexus by ionGrid is a solution that lets users access and modify files from an iPad while they file stay protected by company IT policy.

Nexus is composed of two parts: the server portion and the mobile app for iPad. Nexus Server gives the Nexus app access to any SharePoint documents or Windows file shares. The app acts as a portal to these files, giving the user full access to files via a data connection. According to ionGrid, “The combination of the client and server software gives you access to your work files, even when you’re out on the road, and the best quality, pixel perfect rendering of documents that you can find.”  Read More

Box Cloud Storage for iOS adds App Compatibility Menu

Box One Cloud for iPad

Nowadays, picking a cloud storage service so your mobile devices can have access to the same documents as your desktop/laptop can very well depend on how many other mobile apps are compatible. The major cloud storage services recognize this and have made sure that the majority of the apps you already use to “get things done” play nice with their offerings.

Box just made it easier for users to discover compatible 3rd Party apps by releasing an update to their iOS apps that includes the OneCloud menu that lists and allows users to download all compatible apps. Read More

Lenovo Taps SugarSync for Out-of-Box Cloud Storage

You can officially call the early 2000’s the age of the cloud computing wars. Traditionally, cloud computing and cloud storage were something everyday average small business owners and consumers alike didn’t need to get involved in. Now, you will hard pressed to imagine a world where we all are not affected by, or don’t have some instance of our lives in, the cloud.

As as result, cloud storage services are duking it out to be the household name when people think of cloud computing. Case and point, computer company Levono has announced its Levono Cloud Storage, built by SugarSync that will be shipping the service with ThinkPad and IdeaPad laptops and Android tablets. Read More

Box Cloud Storage Teams Up with HTC & Offers 50Gigs Free for Android Users

box 50gb free space for android I’m still riding the Dropbox train, but all the waves that the folks over at Box are making in the cloud storage space is making it real hard to argue the pros of my little 8 gigs of free space with DropBox when Box is “closing deals” like partnerships with the new HTC devices being announced as I type this at Mobile World Congress, and dishing out 50GB of free space for all Android users.

Instead of trying to create its own cloud storage service like other competitors (namely Apple’s iCloud), HTC has announced that it has teamed up with Box to offer users of its new HTC One flagship smartphone 25GB of free storage free for 2 years. This also helps out Box gain momentum to go head-to-head with the likes of Dropbox, its widely popular competitor. If Box can successfully align itself with partners like HTC (like it’s done int the past with LG and iOS) by offering “can’t beat it with a stick” storage deals, Box might just stand a chance against the Dropbox Juggernaut. Read More

SugarSync Lands on Kindle Fire

It looks like the Amazon Kindle Fire is getting a serious look from developers, as some of my favorite mobile apps are getting the Fire treatment. Next on list is the SugarSync cloud storage service that lets you choose which laptop/desktop folders you can sync to other devices and vice-versa.

The cool thing about SugarSync is once you’ve selected the files/folders you want to sync and they are in fact uploaded, you can also choose to download those files on any compatible device for access even if you are offline. Read More

LG and Box offer 50Gigs of Free Cloud Storage

I’ve been touting Dropbox as THE go-to cloud storage service for quite some time now. It’s available on a wide variety of devices, and many mobile apps integrate with it. But, there is something about free that gets my ears to perk up. Case and point, Box.net, a direct Dropbox competitor is offering anyone with an LG Android smartphone 50GB of free space for life. Read More

Livescribe Echo Smartpen is the coolest business tool

For the last week I’ve been using a Livescibe Echo smartpen, and I flat-out love it.  When Livescribe gave me their 8gb version to demo, I have to admit I was dubious at first; I spend a lot of time banging away on a keyboard, and I was pretty sure that the pen and the pad were going the way of the dodo.  Man, was I wrong.

First, the basics: the Echo smartpen digitally captures your handwritten and audio notes, the combination of which is a ‘pencast’.  Basically, when you tap the “record” area of the specially printed paper, everything that you write (and the sounds associated with it) are recorded.  You can transfer files from the pen and share your recorded notes with others, and you can also tap any section of your notes and hear what was recorded when you were writing the note.  Livescribe makes it incredibly easy to share your pencasts with others as it automatically hooks up to your email, Google Docs, Evernote, Facebook, Mobile (iPhone and iPad) and/or MyLivescribe (an online storage space for pencasts). Read More

SugarSync Adds Outlook Support – Add Email Attachments From the Cloud

Not using the almighty Google Apps for your business but still want to take advantage of cloud storage when sending and receiving emails? The SugarSync cloud storage/syncing/collaboration service now offers Microsoft Outlook integration that allows users to add email attachments of any size straight from your SugarSync account.

SugarSync for Outlook works with Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010 for Windows, and works on PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. You have the option of sending a link to a file or the actual file itself as an attachment. The advantage to using SugarSync is that you can send a file of any size as an attachment and not worry about getting dinged with a “file size too large” auto-response email seconds after you hit send. Read More

Box.net Wants iOS Users, Offers 50GB of Free Storage As Bait

To combat Apple’s iCloud offering for iOS 5 users, the Box.net cloud storage service has announced its “50gigs for 50 days” promotion for anybody who downloads the latest version of the mobile to their iPhone or iPad.

Box.net is a rival to the popular Dropbox, Sugarsync, and now iCloud services that offer similar features and options in regards to cloud storage. All of them have free storage offerings as a basic package (2-5GB). Anything after that, you have to opt for a paid personal or business plan that start around $10/month, or refer a ton of people to get additional free storage in smaller megabyte increments. Read More