 |
Carbonite Review: Online Backup |
Go to Site | View Full Comparison Chart |
Website: |
Visit Website |
Rating: |
 |
| Excellent and comprehensive online backup with easy remote file access, exclusive discount | |
Full Review: |
[Editor's Note: Carbonite has set up a special discount for NextAdvisor.com visitors. Visitors receive 10% off of a one-year plan and 14% off of a two-year plan which combines the NextAdvisor discount with Carbonite's two-year discount. Visitors will save 21% off a three-year plan through Carbonite's three-year discount.]
Carbonite is comprehensive and robust online backup service that will not wow you in terms of special features, but will keep your important files backed up. It's a simple that program runs invisibly in the background. As with all online backup services, the initial backup will take a while. Depending on your Internet connection speed and the amount of data on your hard drive, it could take a day or more. Your computer is completely usable during this time, but you'll need to keep it on and connected. Subsequent backups will take less time as Carbonite will only need to save new files and previously backed-up files that have changed. By default, Carbonite backs up your documents, preferences, email, photos, and music. We like that Carbonite takes care of preferences and emails automatically, since many online backup services don't, requiring the user to manually locate these files and add them to a backup schedule. However, it won't back up files larger than 4GB unless you tell it to. In the event of a crash or any other data loss, you simply use the downloadable Carbonite InfoCenter to restore your lost data. But Carbonite's usefulness goes beyond disaster recovery. While we generally talk about an online backup service as a remedy for catastrophic data loss, there's another feature users will love and use much more often, and that's versioning. Carbonite will automatically save up to twelve versions of every file you back up. This allows you to roll back to a previous iteration of any file to recover lost changes. It's like the ultimate "undo." Anyone who's ever made unalterable changes to a large text or graphics file will recognize the value in this feature. Carbonite can also be used to access files from any computer that has an Internet connection. Simply log in to the remote access section of carbonite.com and you'll see all your files, just as you would if you were looking at your hard drive (minus the programs). It's a good feature, and it's one you'll find with many online backup services, although it's not as evolved as it is in a product like SugarSync. You can't, for instance, use it to securely share files with others. They're for your eyes only. A small knock against an otherwise great service. Carbonite offers unlimited storage for a single computer for $49.46 per year (after discount), roughly $4.12 per month. Two- and three-year subscriptions can bring the price down to an equivelant of $3.61 per month. Unlimited backup is a good deal, but users considering which backup plan they'd like should note that set-limit backup plans generally allow the syncing of multiple computers, whereas unlimited plans (like Carbonite) will only back up a single machine. For pure online backup, Carbonite is a great bargain. While it may not have all the fancy features other online backup providers have, the setup is simple, fuss free, and comprehensive. You'll just set it and forget it—until the day you need to restore your files. |
Search our blog archives and frequently asked questions for more information about Online Backup Service Reviews
| Discount / Free Trial: | 10% off 1 yr; 14% off 2 yrs; 21% off 3 yrs |
| Paid Storage Fees: | Discount price: $49.46 for 1 yr; $94.96 for 2 yrs; $129.95 for 3 yrs |
| Gigabytes (GB) of Storage Included: | Unlimited storage; 4GB max individual file size; 100GB max file transfer per month |
| File Access Options: | Access from any computer's web browser |
| System Compatibility: | Mac OS X 10.4 or above |
NextAdvisor Online Backup Blog Headlines
Mozy coupon code: 20% off on online backup
Mozy, one of our favorite online backup services, is offering 20% off until the end of March. This Saint Patrick's Day inspired coupon code is GOLD. Just enter that code in at checkout to receive 20% off; this comes on top of Mozy's discounted annual plans. A one year plan will come in at a [...]
Does the Carbonite remote access feature allow me to view any file or email i...
The following is an actual user submitted question:
Q: I am considering buying Carbonite and would like to know if I still need GoToMyPC remote access program if Carbonite allows for remote access? Does the Carbonite remote access feature allow me to view any file or email individually from any computer, similar to the GoToMyPC program?
A: [...]
SugarSync discounts personal plans
We reviewed SugarSync for Business on Monday. Today we're reporting that the online backup service is offering exclusive 15% discounts on its 60GB and 100GB plans. It's a limited time offer; in fact customers have until March 31st. We really liked SugarSync when we reviewed it. It's a fun and feature-rich service that's particularly useful for [...]
SugarSync for business reviewed
We really liked SugarSync's personal backup service when we tested it, so we were eager to see how its SugarSync for Business plan differs. Strangely, the biggest difference seems to be in the price, and not the functionality; from a price perspective, that's a very good thing.
The base price is currently $29.99 per month for [...]
Exclusive Mozy Promo Code
We are very happy to bring back the exclusive 15%-off Mozy promo code. This brings the price of this excellent online backup service down to $4.21 per month. Put that together with Mozy's yearly discounts and you can receive a year of safe, secure online backup for $46.01, or two years for $88.36. This is [...]
The New York Times ponders the plight of the Internet user
In this day and age, even the Fashion & Style section of The New York Times is worried about Internet security issues. This weekend, the Times recounted the experiences of Allan Goldstein, a 60 year old college professor who uses the Internet, but does so a bit nervously. He worries that NYU's online system will [...]
Online backup services and the value of version histories
Last month, someone asked a question about file corruption. They wondered if their online backup service could restore working versions of files that had become corrupted on their hard drive. I suggested that "versioning" or "file history" might come to their rescue. This feature, offered by most online backup services, holds on to a certain [...]
I am a Carbonite subscriber. My computer recently crashed. I changed from Win...
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I am a carbonite subscriber. My computer recently crashed. I changed from window to A Mac. How do I get my serviced [...]
Mozy discount for Black Friday: Save $15-$20
Mozy is making dramatic price cuts on its annual online backup storage plans for Black Friday. Until November 30th you can save $15.00 off of the single year plan, and $20.00 off of the two-year plan. That brings the prices down to $39.49 and $73.96, respectively. It's a really great deal for unlimited online storage [...]
Should you manage your own online backup encryption key?
When you use an online backup service like Mozy or Carbonite, your data is encrypted before it leaves your computer. This makes your data essentially indecipherable to hackers, should they somehow be monitoring your Internet connection. The software itself manages the encryption and the service will have your encryption key. Now according to Carbonite's Help [...]
About Us Blog Contact UsTerms & Privacy PolicyAffiliate ProgramSite map
Copyright© 2006 - NextAdvisor.com - All rights reserved.