Can I Transfer Files Between My
Mac and PC Using Cloud Storage?
Posted by Polina
Q: I need to share files between two platforms, my Mac and PC. Which cloud storage services can do this?
A: Other than being able to backup and access all of your files online, the best thing about cloud storage is the ability to sync and share your files across all of your computers. Thankfully, those users who have both a Mac and a PC can partake in the syncing fun. For example, MyPCBackup, JustCloud and ZipCloud all install a special folder onto your computer called the "sync folder." Install the program on each of your computers, regardless if it's a Mac or PC, and drag and drop the files that you want to have access to on both. Now every time you make changes to any file in the sync folder, the change will show up on each of your computers.
SugarSync also has one of our favorite interfaces for syncing files across your computers. In fact, the tutorial below will show you how to use SugarSync to share files between a Mac and PC, or vice versa when you click the PC link within the video:
Click here to compare all of our cloud storage services and pick the right one for you.
How Can I Back Up My Photos But Still Allow
Certain People to View and Save Them?
Posted by Polina
Q: I have family photos that I want to store online, password protect and be accessible to my family members only. I have 75+ years of photos that my dad wants family to have access to.
A: This is a great question and highlights one of our favorite features of the top cloud storage service in our rankings. SugarSync has advanced sharing options that include exactly what you are looking for. All you need to do is add the photos to a specific folder and back this folder up using SugarSync.
SugarSync Share Settings
After you add that folder to the backup, simply click on it and hit share in the SugarSync file manager. From there you will be directed to a webpage showing you various sharing options (pictured above). There you can choose folder permissions (i.e., whether the folder is read-only or if your family members can save the files and/or sync them to their computers), as well as the option to set a password for the folder. SugarSync will create a special link that you can then email your family members. When they open the link, all they need to do is register their name and email with SugarSync and enter the password you specified for the folder. They can then choose to either sync the folder to their computer using SugarSync, or simply open it on the web. As an added perk, you will receive a daily summary email of activities in the folder you have shared.
And of course, aside from the ability to have your family members securely view and save your photos, your precious files will be safely backed up online and ready for you to access at any time. If you want to read our full review of SugarSync, click here, and don't forget to check out our full cloud storage comparison chart.
If I Back Up Music and Photos Online,
Can I Access Them From Another Computer?
Posted by Polina
Q: I have a Macbook. If I back up photos and music online, is that information available from any other computer I may have access to? Can pictures be available to other users that I choose?
A: With cloud storage, you're essentially killing two birds with one stone — backing up your computer in case of a crash or theft while making your files available on any computer with an Internet connection. Cloud storage services' syncing features make it easy to sync your photos across multiple computers; however, most services, like SugarSync for example, do not let you sync iPhoto files. Getting around this is easy though, since you can just sync the actual files and their original non-iPhoto folders. SugarSync will also let you put the iPhoto files in the web archive, which allows you to easily access the files from the web on any computer. You can use the web archive with iTunes files as well; however, you cannot sync the iTunes files. Instead, you can save the original MP3s for syncing.
Most of these services make it easy to share photos too, even letting you give out passwords to particular people. Spideroak, for example, has special "share rooms," which have a custom link and password of your choosing. Once a share room is created, you can keep adding files to it. You can make them public or private by sending the link and password to someone specific. Now you don't have to worry about sending files too bulky for email, just use cloud storage to share your favorite photos. Compare all of the top cloud storage services here.
Google Drive Privacy Policy:
How Private are Your Files?
Posted by Polina
Google Drive, the Internet giant's answer to services like DropBox, is causing a buzz in the world of cloud storage, with excited Google followers signing up for the service without looking twice. The problem, however, is while most cloud storage services pride themselves on how secure they keep your files, Google doesn't exactly make it clear that privacy is a priority.
Take Spideroak, for example. Not only are your files triple encrypted upon backup, but they also have a true zero-knowledge password and data policy. This means that your password never goes to their headquarters and you are the only one that will ever have knowledge of it. More importantly, not even Spideroak employees have access to your data. Here is a quote from their privacy policy:
"The data that you transmit as part of your use of the Services (“Storage Data”) is in encrypted form and SpiderOak does not have access to your Storage Data in its unencrypted form."
In contrast, here is a quote from Google's terms of service:
"When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content."
Though Google will never claim to own or use your content, and would probably never want to, the language of their terms suggests that they have the right to use it. Since using Google Drive clearly includes submitting your content, your data is available for their use and will never be completely private like with other cloud storage services whose terms clearly state the privacy of your data. Combine that with all the information you have stored in Gmail, Google+, Google Docs, etc. and Google has access to a good portion of your private information.
And what if you are hacked? Since you use the same username and password for all of your Google services, the hackers have access to all of the data that Google has been mining, from your email to all the files you store in Google Drive.
If you are truly concerned about your privacy and safety, don't put all of your important computer documents solely in Google's hands, in addition to all of the information you have already provided. Opt for a separate cloud storage service that will also backup your entire computer, privately.
Storing Files: Comparing SkyDrive, Google Drive, DropBox and Other Cloud Storage
Posted by Polina
With big names like Microsoft and Google joining the cloud storage market, choosing the right cloud backup provider is increasingly difficult. That's where we come in. There are some key differences between SkyDrive, Google Drive, DropBox, SugarSync and other cloud storage services that may steer you one way or another.
SkyDrive. As with Google Drive and DropBox, SkyDrive installs a designated folder onto your hard drive where you can drag and drop specific files and folders. Once you have copied a file to the SkyDrive folder, the file will be instantly available on the web and on any other computers that have SkyDrive installed. Their limited time offer is 25 GB free, and their usual storage allotment will be 7 GB. A handy feature that sets this service apart from Google's is that you can access folders from a SkyDrive equipped computer's hard drive even if the folders you need have not been added to the SkyDrive folder. However, this feature will only work if the computer you need to access is on and connected to the Internet. So if your computer crashes, you're out of luck. SkyDrive is meant to be used as a store-as-you-go solution, meaning that most people will only add folders to be stored as they need to use them. This leaves the rest of your files in danger in case of a crash or theft. Read more on what we had to say about SkyDrive here.
Google Drive. The Google Drive folder can be used just like SkyDrive, by dragging and dropping files you want to access remotely. Google gives you 5 GB of free storage when you sign up. People who are regular users of Google Docs will enjoy Drive's online document-viewing format and sharing features because they are nearly identical to Google Doc format. However, the service has no remote access functionality and unlike other full cloud storage services, does not have total online backup capabilities, leaving most of your files at the mercy of computer mishaps. Like SkyDrive, Google Drive is meant for storing files on the go so you can work on them later. Most users won't think to copy old photos and documents into the designated folder because unlike other cloud storage services like SugarSync, Google Drive does not backup your entire computer upon installation.
DropBox. DropBox, the pioneer of using a special folder to drag and drop your files into, also give you 5 GB of free storage when you sign up. Pricing for DropBox's paid plans is a bit steeper than their new competition. And again, the service is not meant to backup your entire computer, unlike the other cloud storage providers that are similarly, if not better, priced. In fact, DropBox placed last in our cloud storage comparison because of its lack of full backup.
SugarSync. This service is a different species of cloud storage. With SugarSync, which also gifts 5 GB of free storage, you can sync any folder to the web and across your computers, without having to move folders into a designated folder like the other services ask. You can sync multiple folders together as well, so that any change you make in one folder on one computer, shows up in the other folder on another computer. Most importantly, however, is that SugarSync is meant to double as your full online backup service. Upon installing, you are supposed to backup your entire computer, so that every file is secure, ready for access and can be restored in case of a computer emergency.
JustCloud, ZipCloud and MyPCBackup. This family of services gives you unlimited storage for one computer, so every single one of your files will be safe no matter how many you have. They also feature a sync folder, which is similar to DropBox's, SkyDrive's and Google Drive's designated folder model. Dragging a file into this folder will update and sync the file across all of your computers and the web. Read the reviews for each of these services, here.
Check out our cloud storage comparison chart to look at full pricing and features.
What is SkyDrive? How Is It Different from Other Cloud Backup Services?
Posted by Polina
Q: Is SkyDrive similar to SugarSync? How does it compare to other cloud storage?
A: Like Google's new Drive, Microsoft also set out to create their own cloud storage solution, SkyDrive. It is similar to SugarSync in that you can sync folders across all of your devices and access the files on the web; however, it lacks SugarSync's plethora of extra syncing features and, more importantly, its focus on backing up your entire computer.
What is SkyDrive? As with Google Drive and Dropbox, SkyDrive installs a designated folder on your hard drive. Dragging folders and files into the SkyDrive folder will automatically make these files available on the web and across all of the computers that have SkyDrive installed. The service can also be used for remote access; as long as a SkyDrive equipped computer is on and connected, you can access that computer's entire hard drive from the web using a security code emailed to you by the service. For a limited time, Microsoft is offering 25 GB of free storage, up from their usual 7 GB that they will probably revert back to soon. 20 more gigabytes costs $10 per year, 50 GB more is $25 per year and 100 GB more is $50 per year.
How does it compare to SugarSync? Instead of SkyDrive's functionality that requires you to sync folders and files to a specific folder, SugarSync allows you to sync any folder across all of your computers and the web. This erases the need to move folders around. It also lets you sync two or more folders together, so if you make a change in one folder, it will show up in another folder, even if it's on a different computer. And though SkyDrive allows you to access your computer's hard drive from the web even if particular folders weren't added to the SkyDrive folder, this only works if said computer is on and connected to the Internet.
This brings up the problem of "What if my computer crashes?" If you are using SkyDrive as your sole cloud storage solution, then only folders you've manually added to the SkyDrive folder will be saved in case of a computer catastrophe. On the other hand, SugarSync, as well as other full cloud storage services, require you to backup your computer before you begin syncing files. Thus, unlike SkyDrive, which solely makes it easy for you to access and update your files on the web, SugarSync is a full cloud storage and online backup solution focusing on both accessibility as well as loss prevention.
Google Drive Review: What is Google Drive and How Does it Compare to Other Cloud Storage Alternatives?
Posted by Polina
Today Google announced their answer to cloud storage, Google Drive. The new service allows users to seamlessly sync their folders on the cloud, making it easy to access files anywhere with an Internet connection. And although we liked Google Drive's simple interface and intuitive drag and drop functionality a la Dropbox, the service is still lacking the full backup capabilities that its cloud storage competitors include in their repertoire of features. So is Google Drive right for you? We compare it against some of the other top cloud storage services:
GOOGLE DRIVE: Best for Agility, Affordability
How It Works: Google Drive installs a designated folder on your Mac or PC where you can drag and drop files that you want to access in the cloud and across any other device you have the service installed on. Once you have added the files to this folder, they are instantly accessible in your Google Drive web account and your other computers. You can then download the files onto other computers and also view them in a Google Doc format for easy editing as well as collaborative sharing with others. This is great when you need to work on particular files from your office, at home, for example. The service is also available for your Android, and is coming soon to iPhone and iPad. Google Drive's paid plans start with 25 GB at $2.49/month and go up to 16 TB for $799.99/month (not that you'll ever need that much space).
The Downside: The problem we run into with Google Drive, however, is that though it stores the files you need in that moment in time, what about loss prevention? You may not need to access that folder of 2 year old family vacation photos anytime soon, but what if your computer crashes and you lose all your pictures? Sure you can individually copy each folder you may want to revisit at one point into your Google Drive folder, but that will require you to pay for extra space, something you may not think to do when you're first signing up for Google Drive. On the other hand, alternative cloud storage services require you to initially backup your entire computer, so if your laptop is stolen or your desktop crashes, every single folder on your computer is safe in the cloud, ready to be restored whenever you need to, not just the folders you decided to sync up one week.
SUGARSYNC: Best for Flexibility, Reliability
If you love the idea of Google Drive's ability to sync any folder to the web, you'll be crazy about SugarSync's feature-rich syncing abilities. With SugarSync, you can sync any folder to the web, without having to move folders into a designated folder like Google Drive requires. SugarSync's interface even allows you to select multiple folders and sync them together, so that any change you make in one folder on any computer, shows up in the other folder on another computer. Not only that, but you can backup your entire computer with SugarSync in one go, never having to worry about a crash or theft. Like Google Drive, SugarSync also offers 5 GB of syncing storage for free. Check out the SugarSync review and these tutorials on how easy it is to sync.
JUSTCLOUD: Best for Unlimited Storage
If you like the idea of having a designated folder that contains all the stuff you want to sync, but also want the ability to backup your computer and keep everything stored no matter how many files you add to your machine, JustCloud is a great fit for you. You can drag files into the sync folder and watch them instantly appear on your web account, ready to be viewed, downloaded and edited whenever you need, just like the Google Drive folder. In addition to that, you are allowed unlimited backup storage for one computer. Read the full JustCloud review and see how its backup capabilities may be more bang for your buck.
The Bottom Line: Google Drive's lower tier plans are a good value if you are looking for individual folder syncing and file access on the web. However, if you want to make sure that your entire computer and all of your files are backed up and secure, check out our cloud storage comparison chart and see how you can have full file syncing, full computer backup and restoration all in one affordable service.
How Do I Backup My Facebook Account?
Posted by Polina
Q: I want to make sure that I never lose the photos I have posted on my Facebook account. Is there a way to back them up?
SOS Facebook Backup
A: Facebook has over 800 million active users, many of whom rely on the social networking site to keep their photos, and in turn, memories. And though Facebook is a secure and fun way to share your photos and updates, mistakes happen and you never know when you may accidentally delete a photo, wall post or message.
Thankfully, SOS Online Backup gives you a way to not only backup your computer life, but also your social media life. SOS is one of the only online backup services that offers social media backup of users' Facebook accounts. It will backup your wall, photo albums, messages, friends and videos. When you set up this social media backup plan, just make sure you link this particular application to your existing SOS account. SOS will ask your permission to access your Facebook information, as well as permission to randomly post on your wall; however, this may just be a general permission agreement because we did not experience such posting on our behalf. The initial backup may take a while depending on how much data you have. After it's done, you will be able to access all of your Facebook data through the application. If you cherish your Facebook photos and never want to take the chance of losing them, definitely check out our full review of SOS Online Backup and see why we gave this service 5 our of 5 stars.
It's Friday the 13th, Make Sure Your Computer is Protected
Posted by Polina
Friday the 13th is here, and we want to make sure that your computer has all the tools to fight bad luck. Don't let a computer mishap like a virus, theft, crash or accidental file deletion affect you on the unluckiest of days. Both online backup services and Internet security software can help detour any unfortunate mishaps with your computer.
Online Backup: With online backup services, you don't have to worry about deleting your files on accident — they will be securely stashed on the web, ready to be restored and downloaded at any time. Make some unwanted changes to your 30 page dissertation? Don't fret. Services like Carbonite keep multiple versions of your backed up files so you don't ever have to regret any changes you make. If Friday the 13th brings about a computer crash or a criminal, online backup will make sure that you will never lose your precious files. And even if you catch some bad luck by forgetting your laptop at the office, you can work on your important project files at home when you upload your files to your online backup web account. Not only that, but you can even sync your documents across these computers with services like SugarSync, keeping you updated and on top of things even when you're not having the best of luck. Don't let this unapologetic day get the best of you, compare the best online backup services and sign up now.
Security Software: Friday the 13th can also be a day that hackers and cyber thieves find it funny to release viruses onto unsuspecting computers. Make sure your computer is protected from viruses and mal-ware with a respected security software suite. Most of the top security software can also monitor your web browsing, so you don't have to worry about stumbling across a Friday the 13th joke site. And a few select security software suites even monitor for new or previously undetected viruses, so you know that your computer is safe. Check out all of our reviews of the top security software to find one that fits your needs.
And be careful this Friday the 13th!
Which Online Backup Service Has No Knowledge of Your Password?
Posted by Polina
Q: I'm looking for the most secure online backup service. Which one doesn't have access to your password?
A: When it comes to security, one of the first online backup and cloud storage services that comes to mind is Spideroak. In addition to standard triple-encryption on the backup, transmission, and storage end, you create your password on your own computer, not on their web interface. SpiderOak servers will never receive your password, which offers a true no-knowledge backup security experience. Be careful and make sure you have a great memory or store your password in a safe spot because once you lose your password, there is no getting it back.
Check out our full Spideroak review and don't forget to see how it compares to other online backup services.
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