SpiderOak Deal: Get 5GB Free for Life or
25% Off Cloud Storage and Backup

Today SpiderOak released their new version 5.0. The new update features SpiderOaks new syncing system Hive. Hive is a completely private and simplistic data syncing system which allows you to seamlessly share data between devices. Hive easily integrates with SpiderOak mobile, which allows you access to your entire file system from your mobile device or tablet. With the new SpiderOak 2.o iOS app, using SpiderOak on the go is easier than ever.

Starting today through May 12 at 11:59 p.m. CDT, SpiderOak will be offering a special offer for those who sign up and download the new SpiderOak 5.0 system. For those who have yet to download the SpiderOak system, when you sign up you will get 5GB of free storage space for life for either personal or business use. For those who already have SpiderOak, you can receive 25% off when you upgrade to an annual plan. To redeem this special offer, go to your account tab, click "Buy more space" then select "Upgrade my plan." There you will see a Promotional Code box. Type in ILoveSpiderOak in the box and select update. Upon selecting this you will see the 5GB option as well as the 25% discount, choose your promotion and continue through the checkout process.

In our reviews we found that SpiderOak is one of the most secure and most trusted of many of the online backup and cloud storage services. With the new 5.0 update, they improved their services even more. If you're interested in SpiderOak and would like to know more about their product, visit our full review here for more info on their product and what they offer.

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iDrive Vs. Carbonite: Which Online Backup Service Is Best for You

Online backup is becoming one of the most common ways for people to store personal information and files. With so many different types of services out there, it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. Some of the bigger name companies, such as Carbonite, offer a lot of different features and space, while some smaller companies, like iDrive, offer an affordable, no frills solution to your backup needs. What the decision really comes down to is what are your needs?

Carbonite is one of the industries top online backup services. They offer anything you might need from an online backup service. If you are looking for features like syncing, file sharing and encrypted data protection, Carbonite is the service for you. Carbonite is perfect for those with large amounts of data to back up, since they offer unlimited space. If you sign up for Carbonite through NextAdvisor.com, you get a special discounted price, depending on what kind of plan you choose.

iDrive is a great service for someone that only needs the basics. They offer everything that is needed in terms of an online backup service but without all the extra features like syncing and advanced file sharing. If you are looking for a service that fits just your basic needs, this is the service for you. If you sign up for iDrive through NextAdvisor.com, you can get a 17% discount when signing up for a annual plan.

There are many other great services out there for online backup, each offering its own features and plans to help fit you and your budget. If you are looking to find some other options, visit our compare page where you can see how they all stack up against each other.

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The New Kindle Fire App For
Just Cloud and MyPCBackup

Due to popular demand, Just Cloud and MyPCBackup have recently released their new Kindle Fire app. The new app allows users that have the Kindle Fire to use the app seamlessly to retrieve, file and share all the same information that is saved in their cloud and/or backup service. Just Cloud and MyPCBackup operate very similarly, since they are owned by the same company, so the app will be virtually the same for both services.

Some of the highlighted features of this new app include its ability to automatically back up camera rolls, file sharing capabilities, music streaming and ability to sync to what ever file you need at anytime. These features make it easy to access your files and allow you to work, back up and share those files while on the go.

If you're interested in learning more about MyPCBackup or Just Cloud, check out our full reviews on both of these services. If you are a Kindle Fire user, you can also check out our reviews to see what other services may be compatible with your device.

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SugarSync Unveils New
iPad, iPhone App Design

For all you iPad and iPhone users out there, SugarSync has recently unveiled their latest update for iOS apps. The new updates to the already widely popular app will make it easier to view, share, edit and sync all your files across multiple devices. Over the past few months, SugarSync has been working on this update to help promote productivity to those who use SugarSync on the go.

The updated apps contain new and simpler navigation. Now you will be able to quickly access, share and search your content. Also your shared content is now even easier to manage with the "Shared by Me" tab. Other updates include device filters and a cloud search which allows you completely manage all your files inside the cloud. Our favorite feature, however, is the ability to open and save in the app. This new feature lets you save documents, photos or videos from other apps into your SugarSync app. Now when you are browsing your email on the g,o you can save documents to the cloud straight form your phone.

SugarSync has a reputation of having one of the best synching systems on the market, and with this new update it has become even better. As one of the highest rated and best all around services available, SugarSync continues to set the bar higher for itself, pushing the limits of what cloud synching can do. If you're interested in SugarSync or in any other of the online backup services that we review check out our comparison page here.

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Dropbox Teams Is Now Dropbox For Business

Recently Dropbox decided to undergo a major rebranding of their product Dropbox Team, now referred to as Dropbox for Business. The company is looking to take their new Business class storage to a more professional level. The new Dropbox Business offers all the similar features of a typical cloud business storage service, including syncing, file sharing and data protection.

One of the major advantages with Dropbox for business is it's admin capabilities. Console admins have the ability to manage the group members and oversee user activity. They can invite and remove users, email the entire team, purchase additional licenses and track billing history. Admins also have access to a detailed log of user activities including web login attempts, password changes and which devices and applications are linked to their account. On top of all that you will have unlimited space, version history and deletion recovery.

The business class comes in at $795 a year which can be a bit steep for those of you with smaller businesses; however, Dropbox for Business does offer some great features along with unlimited space which can come at a premium with other services. If you have a lot of information that you are planning to back up with your business, Dropbox could be the best solution for you. For more information on Dropbox as well as other business backup systems check out our business backup comparison page.

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World Backup Day 2013:
Be Proactive With Your File Backup

March 31st marks World Back Up Day for 2013. This means it's time to make sure that all your files are safe and secure before the next computer disaster happens to you. With the majority of our information being on our computers, it is essential to find a backup service that is able to keep your important files safe and accessible. Products that offer constant online backup, syncing and encryption are the easiest way to stay proactive with your file storage.

At NextAdvisor we decided to put some of the top rated services to the test to help you find the best choice for your online backup needs:

SugarSync: SugarSync is a great service for backup and offers pretty much everything you could imagine when looking for an online backup service. When it comes to their syncing service we found them to be one of the best — judging by the name that should come as no surprise. SugarSync starts out at $4.17/mo with the annual plan for 30 GB of storage space and allows you to back up an unlimited number of computers. It's definitely one of the most trusted services out there and is a great option for anyone looking to back up their files.

Mozy: Mozy is also another great service for those looking to back up their information. Mozy offers external hard drive back up in addition to their intuitive file syncing application,  Stash. The Mozy service starts out around $4.45/mo with the two year plan, which you can upgrade at any time as well.

Carbonite: Out of all the services we've reviewed we found Carbonite to be the most well-rounded. They offer just about every service you can think of as well as great protection and syncing capabilities. Carbonite's biggest asset is the fact that they offer unlimited space with their plans; however, you can only back up one computer per subscription. Carbonite starts around $4.14/mo with the 3 year plan, and various other payment plans are available also.

Check out our full online backup comparison chart and be sure to celebrate World Backup Day by backing up your computer ASAP.

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Enter the NextAdvisor $500 Giveaway!

Need a little extra spending cash for the summer months? We are giving away a total of $500 to 4 of our lucky Google+ followers! We will be drawing 4 winners over the course of a month. The first winner, picked March 22, will win $50. The second winner, picked on March 29, will win $100. The third winner, picked on April 5, will win $150. And the last winner, picked on April 12, will win $200. You must follow all instructions below to enter. Good luck!

First, follow us on Google+:

Next, answer a few questions for us:

(OPTIONAL) Enter your email to sign up for our newsletter

Terms and Conditions

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Back Up Family Photos With Cloud Storage

Family photos are often the most cherished  possessions in a family's household. Pictures of past vacations, holidays and other family events are priceless, and if lost can never be replaced. However, there is a solution to make sure that these valuable images and memories are never lost again: cloud storage.

There are many advantages to using cloud storage for your family photos. Cloud services make it easy to store all your photos in one centralized and remote location. This way, if something happens to any of your photos, you are still backed up and can recover them with a few clicks of the mouse. Another huge advantage to saving your family photos with cloud storage is the ability to access those photos at anytime through any device. So the next time you go to see family or friends and want to share photos from your recent vacation, all you need is to do is connect to the Internet and your entire photo album is there with you.

There are a lot of options out there in terms of cloud storage and picking the right one with the right features can be hard. Luckily for you, NextAdvisor has done a full and comprehensive product review on some of the the top cloud services to help make your decision a little easier.

You never realize how priceless your family's photos are until they're gone. By backing up your photos through cloud storage, you can rest assured that they will always be safe and available at any moment.

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How Much Does SugarSync Cost?

If you're looking for a one stop shop for all of your online backup needs then you might want to check out SugarSync. We ranked it as one of the best online backup services based on the fact that it offers virtually everything you could imagine for a back up service.

Though its price per gigabyte is slightly more than that of its competitors, it's versatility and compatibility still make it one of the best options around. SugarSync's plans start at $4.99 per month for 30 GB and range up to $24.99 per month for 250 GB of storage.

SugarSync is offering NextAdvisor.com visitors 17% off when you opt for an annual plan. Users still get a 30-day free trial as well. No coupon code is necessary, just follow any links to SugarSync from NextAdvisor.com.

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Online Storage: Best
Options for College Students

It's finals week, you're 15 minutes away from handing in that huge paper you've been feverishly typing for the past week when the unthinkable happens, your hard drive dies. Not only have you lost this paper inevitably putting you in the hole for your class, but you have lost everything else with it — projects, notes, documents, music, videos, photos, everything that was once just a click away is now gone forever. At this point it is too late for hindsight; however, it's necessary to think of how to prevent something like this form happening in the future.

Backup options such as flash drives and external harddrives can work at times but also run the risk of being stolen, lost, or damaged. You need an option that will be there for you at any moment, backing up your information from any location, without the possibility of losing it or damaging it to the point where it is no longer usable. For a safer alternative, online backup is your best bet.

Online backup serves as your hard drive, ensuring that your documents, photos, emails and other important files are stored securely online in case of loss. These services automatically back up your entire computer periodically. Online backup helps prevent the possibility of loss while making your files easily accesible from anywhere that has Internet access.

We reviewed two of the best options in terms of online backup for students, keeping in mind price, compatibility and ease of use here's what we found:

SugarSync: One of the best options we've seen for student online backup is SugarSync, which you can use on a mac, pcpcSugarSync has an intuitive, user friendly set up process. The file synchronization manager allows you to specify which folders you want to back-up, from there SugarSync takes care of the rest, automating incremental backups of previously synced documents and newly created ones. Along with SugarSync's online backup, they also offer one of the best cloud storage syncing systems around. This syncing capability allows you to access content and stream media all from your desired computer, tablet or mobile device. For those of you who are tight on cash and are looking for some free storage, SugarSync allows you to use up to 5 GB of their could service for free. But if you you have more then 5GB they do have some affordable pricing. Pricing plans start off at $4.99 per month for 30GB and upgraded plans range up to $39.99 per month for 500GB, with yearly plans also available. SugarSync is also offering NextAdvisor.com visitors 30% off their first year of online backup, plus 17% off when you opt for an annual plan. Users still get a 30-day free trial as well. No coupon code is necessary, just follow any links to SugarSync from NextAdvisor.com. For those of you who are tight on cash and are looking for some free storage, SugarSync allows you to use up to 5 Gb of their could service for free.

Mozy: Another great option for Online Backup is Mozy. The Mozy back up service is available on both Mac and PC. Set up is fairly easy yet takes a long time to back up all of your files. Along with your harddrive Mozy will back up any external devices that you specify during the set up process. Some of Mozy's best features are its ability to Roll-back a file, meaning that if individual files become corrupted or are accidentally deleted you have the ability to go back and retrieve them at anytime from the Mozy server. Mozy also offers the ability to sync much like SugarSync and will allow you to connect multiple devices through their syncing service. Much like SugarSync Mozzy offers a free storage option as well but it is somewhat limited at only 2 GB. Right now Mozy is offering NextAdvisor visitors an exclusive discount of 15% off with promo code: NEXT. This discount is applied on top of Mozy's annual-plan promotions. Mozy's 50GB storage plan starts at $5.10 per month (after discount) and allows backup of a single PC. An annual plan starts at $56.01, or just about $4.67 per month, Two-year plans are $106.93 which comes out to around $4.43. More information on pricing through NextAdvisor discounts can be found here.

We hope that these reviews help give you a better sense of how online backup can help you. Both services are great options for backing up your information. What it really comes down to is which features and price works best for you.  We hope you take our advice to heart and highly suggest a proactive approach to securing your files and more importantly your grades!

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