storage posts

Filed under: Utilities, Productivity, iPhone

Dropbox drops onto the iPhone

by Jay Hathaway Sep 29th 2009

Dropbox, the über-slick cloud storage and backup app, now has an iPhone version. You can use the iPhone app to get to your Dropbox on the go, sync media files from your phone to your Dropbox, and share links. You'll need a free Dropbox account - which comes with 2 gigs of storage space - to use the iPhone app, but you can sign up directly from your iPhone.

The iPhone app works with Dropbox's photo gallery feature, so it's easy to upload and view photos on the go. You can also download any of your stored files that you can view on an iPhone, which strikes me as pretty darn brilliant: now, instead of just using Dropbox to back up your computer, you can use it to back up all the media on your phone, too.

If you're away from a computer and your iPhone's music and photos get wiped, they'll still be safely waiting for you in your Dropbox.

Update: Although you can obviously store music (and anything else) on your Dropbox account, there's not actually a way to sync music to your iPhone via Dropbox. Oops. Photos and videos definitely work, though.

Tags: backup, cloud, dropbox, iphone, storage

Filed under: Utilities, Web services

Gladinet releases cloud-to-cloud backup

by Jay Hathaway Sep 1st 2009

Here's an idea I wish I had thought of first: instead of backing up files from your PC to the "cloud" of some online storage service, create a way to back up data from cloud to another. Gladinet's already doing it (for Google Docs users, anyway). With the latest version of Gladinet, you can back up your Google Docs data to Amazon S3, Windows Live SkyDrive, Box.net and more. The backup process can also be automated, so it'll take place behind the scenes, with no work required on the user's part.

Sure, backing up Google Docs might not be such a big deal, but the principle is solid. Arguably, the toughest thing about selling new users on the cloud is convincing them that their data will be safe when it's not stored on a device they can see. The extra security of being able to back up crucial data to multiple systems, in case one provider has an outage, makes the cloud look a heck of a lot more reassuring to the unconverted. For now, though, it's just a good way to back up your documents.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

Tags: backup, cloud, gladinet, google docs, GoogleDocs, storage

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Windows Mobile, Commercial, BlackBerry, Mobile Minute, iPhone, Mobile, Android

Mobile Minute: SugarSync now available for Android

by Victor Agreda, Jr. Jul 29th 2009

Need to sync files across machines? Need to access those files on your mobile devices? SugarSync to the rescue. There are currently SugarSync clients for WinMo, BlackBerry, iPhone, Mac and Windows, and starting today, Android phones (Android netbooks too, if they ever appear).

The apps are free, but you pay for storage, starting at $4.99 a month. You can try it free for 30 days, or keep it free with a mere 2GB of storage. You get 30GB for the $4.99 price. SugarSync hasn't yet replaced my current favorite, DropBox, but in light of Apple's iDisk app release, it seems there are more options for syncing files than ever. Here's to choice!

Tags: android, blackberry, cloud, document, false, file, file sync, FileSync, iphone, storage, sugarsync, windows, windows mobile, WindowsMobile, winmo

Filed under: Retrocomputing

Ever wonder who your hard drive's father is?

by Grant Robertson Jul 27th 2009

Do you ever think about the family lineage of your hard drive? Heck, do you ever think about the history of your hard drive at all? Of course you don't. Hard disk storage has become so ubiquitous, so reliable, and so inexpensive that most of us never give it a second thought. But where would Download Squad be if you didn't have all that cheap, seemingly endless space to download your prize finds to?

Nowhere, that's where.

So hard disk drive, we salute you. These videos, which I found on the Magnetic Disk Heritage Center are true gems. The first, an IBM marketing film-strip ca. 1957, dramatizes the invention of the hard disk at 99 Notre Dame, San Jose, California by IBM engineers in the early 1950s. The entire concept of storing data in such a way that it's directly addressable, and accessible at random is so heady and incomprehensible for the time, they explain it over and over again. It even demonstrates how they built a marketing tour bus and went on the road to demo the new hotness to customers across the USA.

The second is a true geeky-pleasure masterpiece. A very technical discussion of the inner workings of IBM's second generation of hard drives. Possibly intended for engineers who serviced the units -- which look larger than your washing machine and dryer put together -- it's as dry as a bread sandwich, but it shows some amazing footage of the inner workings doing their thing. Amazingly, those inner workings haven't really changed *that* much in principle, they've just gotten a whole lot smaller, faster, cheaper and densely packed with bits and bytes.

Grab some popcorn and click through to check out both videos.

Tags: ephemera, hard disk, HardDisk, hdd, IBM, retrocomputing, storage

Filed under: Web services, Social Software

Share files via Twitter with FileTwt

by Jay Hathaway May 26th 2009

If you've used a file-sharing service that lets you upload files and send the link to a friend via email, you might appreciate FileTwt. It's the same idea, but you pass the link along via a tweet or a direct message on Twitter.

In keeping with Twitter's spirit of brevity -- or maybe with FileTwt's inevitable bandwidth costs -- the max file upload is currently only 20mb. FileTwt is a brilliant idea for a couple of reasons, though.

Twitter can be a good broadcast and promotion mechanism, and sometimes you want to share a new design or a demo of some music you recorded with everyone who follows you on Twitter. Or maybe you have a friend who needs a file, and Twitter is the only way you two are connected. Tweeting can definitely be faster than sending email.

Tags: file-sharing, filetwt, sharing, storage, twitter, upload

Filed under: Internet, Web services

Archive.org gets 4.5PB data center in a box, geeks everywhere drool

by Grant Robertson Mar 26th 2009

If you had to back up every hard drive, USB key and portable device in your possession, just how much space would it take? What if you wanted to backup the Intarwebs? I see you reaching for that 1TB back pack drive. Not so fast! Try 4.5 Petabytes. That's four and a half quadrillion bytes.

In order to support the ever growing Wayback Machine at Archive.org, Sun just delivered a brand-spanking new data-center in a shipping container. To put that much data storage in perspective, it would hold nearly 55 copies of everything in the Libraries of Congress.

Dude, when that deal with the guy in Lagos comes through, this is the very first thing I'm buying! Take the jump to watch a 4 minute video which would make any good storage addict drool.

Tags: backup, petabyte, storage

Filed under: Audio, Utilities, Podcasting, web 2.0

Playlist.io: store music in the cloud with Drop.io

by Jay Hathaway Mar 10th 2009

Drop.io is known for having one of the best, most simple file storage interfaces out there. They've already expanded into file sending (usend.io) and tweeting (tweet.io), and music playlists are the next thing on the hit list. Enter playlist.io. It gives you 102mb of space to upload audio files into a playlist that you can play or redownload from anywhere.

Once your music is uploaded, you can customize the look of your playlist, or subscribe to it in RSS. Possibly the coolest feature is Dropcast, which lets you subscribe to your playlist as a podcast in iTunes. Forget turning Playlist.io into the next Megaupload or Rapidshare, though. It's not searchable, and they have a one-click takedown policy.

Tags: cloud, drop.io, music, playlist, playlist.io, storage

Filed under: Internet, Windows, Beta, Web

Livedrive web storage service adds Facebook, video playback support

by Brad Linder Jan 16th 2009

Livedrive has added a bunch of new features to its web based file storage and sharing service. The company, which claims to offer unlimited file storage, now allows you to:

Use a Java based tool for drag and drop uploading using the web interface
Watch videos from the web portal after they've been re-encoded
Drag and drop images from Livedrive to Facebook and vice-versa through a Facebook app

Livedrive also offers a Windows utility that adds a virtual hard drive to your system allowing you to copy files to and from your Livedrive account using Windows Explorer.

The service is free while in beta.

Tags: livedrive, storage

Filed under: Utilities, Mozilla, Browsers, Web

Do more with GMail storage with the GSpace Firefox addon

by Lee Mathews Jan 6th 2009

I've used GMail Drive for quite a while - it's a handy way to back up files into my unused GMail storage. The GSpace addon for Firefox is another way to take advantage of your inbox's excess gigabytes.

Install GSpace and access it from the Firefox tools menu and you're given an FTP-style interface to transfer files. You can also switch to special modes for viewing your photos or listening to music that you've uploaded. Multiple GMail accounts are supported, though you have to switch between them. Being able to access them all simultaneously would be a killer feature, but it's not a serious deficiency.

You'll probably want to set up a new filter for GSpace messages. By default they show up in your inbox like the rest of your new mail. All it takes is filtering subjects for GSPACE and telling GMail to skip the inbox (archive). Doing this won't affect how the files display in GSpace.

Don't fret if the if the installer reports the addon's size incorrectly while downloading - it showed 4gb on my system, but the actual file is only about 200k. Sure, there's a banner ad displayed at the bottom, but AdBlock can take care of that if it really bothers you.

Tags: firefox, gmail, gspace, storage, web-storage

Filed under: Internet, Web services, P2P, web 2.0, Web

P2P storage service Wuala launches web access, API

by Brad Linder Dec 16th 2008

Wuala is an online storage and file sharing service that takes a different approach than most companies offering similar services. Wuala offers users 1GB of web space for free and charges for additional storage. Nothing new there. But the company also lets users dedicate a bit of hard drive space on their own computers to storing files from other users. In exchange, you get an equal amount of additional storage space for free. That's because Wuala uses a peer to peer network to store and transfer encrypted files.

Today Wuala has expanded the service by adding a web interface and web API. Users can now share selected files over the internet. Users can also send links to files that are privately shared to friends who haven't already signed up for the service. The new API also allows third party developers to integrate Wuala with third party web apps, widges, or other services. For example, you could create an app that would allow users to open images stored on Wuala with an online image editor like Picnik or Splashup.

Tags: p2p, storage, wuala

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Windows, Macintosh, Web services, Commercial

Backblaze offers truly no-hassle online backups

by Lee Mathews Dec 3rd 2008

Many users have the same problem when it comes to configuring a backup application: they forget to add one important file or folder to the job. Backblaze - a new online backup service - thinks they have a solution to the problem.

Unlike most applications where items to be backed up must be manually added by the user, Backblaze works by automatically excluding the junk it knows you don't really want to back up anyway. Gleb from the Backblaze team explained it like this:

"The reason we took this approach was that most users would get stuck at the "pick what files and folders to backup" step. They either didn't know how to navigate the file system (try finding your PST file), or their files were not organized, or they just didn't have time."
By default it won't back up operating system, application, or temp files, and you can add any other exclusions you like via the settings screen.

Now, if you're like me and confined to 30kbps upload your initial backup is going to take a while - four days in my case. Once it's done, Backblaze keeps things efficiently in synch by performing differential backups. Your data is encrypted prior to uploading, transmitted securely via HTTPS, and users that demand added security can add their own private key.

Tags: backup, cloud, online-backup, storage

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, iPhone

Use an iPhone or iPod Touch in disk mode with DiskAid

by Jay Hathaway Nov 10th 2008

One of the first things that iPhone and iPod Touch users noticed was the lack of a built-in "disk mode," where your device would appear on the desktop as a drive that you could use for file storage. Other iPod models even had a setting to specify how much of their storage space should be used for music, and how much should be used for disk mode, but the latest and greatest ones didn't. But thanks to an app called DiskAid, you can still transfer files between your iPhone and your Mac or PC without jailbreaking or using iTunes.

Sure, you may already know how to access a jailbroken iPhone's hard drive via SFTP, but that's a pain in the butt compared to DiskAid. You can just plug your device in, start it up, and start transferring files in a straightforward interface that anybody who's ever used Windows Explorer or the OS X Finder can figure out. As a brief disclaimer, realize that storing files on your iPhone doesn't mean your iPhone can interact with them. It's like putting music on an old iPod in disk mode: you can store it there, but you can't play it.

Tags: disk-mode, DiskAid, iPhone, ipod-touch, storage

Filed under: Internet, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Freeware, P2P, Beta

Wuala P2P online storage service goes live

by Brad Linder Aug 14th 2008

Wuala is a social file storage application that we first looked at back in February. At the time, Wuala was in private beta, but starting today anyone can sign up for an account.

Unlike other file storage/sharing services, Wuala doesn't provide you with web space. Rather, your files are encrypted and then stored on the computers of other Wuala users. While this might sound a bit scary, the upshot is that you can store large amounts of data. The more space you allocate for Wuala on your hard drive, the more online space you can access. And your files are duplicated on multiple computers so that you shouldn't have problems accessing your files even if some of the folks in your network have turned their machines off for the night.

Wuala has a desktop client for Windows, Mac, and Linux that you can use to upload and download files. Or you can access a web interface. The service is still in beta, so nobody's promising that all the kinks have been worked out. But as of today, Wuala is in public beta, not private.

Tags: backup, file-storage, online-storage, storage, wua.la, wuala

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Web services, Beta, web 2.0

Sync and share files with OpenDrive

by Nancy Messieh Jul 16th 2008

BOXSTr has launched a new application, OpenDrive, which simplifies syncing files on your computer with your BOXSTr storage account. The application creates a remote drive on your computer and uploading files is as simple as a copy and paste job.

OpenDrive differs from other file syncing and storage sites in one significant way. Any changes made to files in your computer's remote drive are saved in real time to your online account, making the syncing process as simple as possible. On a slower internet connection, however, this method does have its drawbacks.

OpenDrive also comes in handy when sharing large files - allowing you to link to them directly from your desktop. Right clicking on any file in your remote drive will provide you with a link to share with friends and family. You also have the option of copying files to a public folder that can be viewed by anyone. If you place music in your OpenDrive folders, you can stream, embed and share songs directly from your BOXSTr account.

While in public beta, users are given 1GB free storage. The application runs on Windows XP and Vista, with a Mac version and direct mobile uploads in the works.

Via Mashable

Tags: boxstr, opendrive, storage

Filed under: Internet, Security

SpiderOak: Online backup for Windows, Mac, or Linux

by Brad Linder Jul 15th 2008

No matter how often you backup all the important files on your computer to DVD or a spare hard drive, if your house goes up in flames, all your data will be gone. That's where online backup services come in. Companies like Carbonite and Mozy have been offering simple, automated backup solutions for a while now. But while Mozy has Mac and Windows clients, and Carbonite has Windows covered (with a Mac client coming soon), neither offers support for Linux. SpiderOak does.

SpiderOak offers 2GB of online storage space for free. If you only want to backup some Office documents, the free service might be all you ever need. But if you want to backup your photo, music, and video collections you might want to check out the subscription plans. For $10 a month you get up to 20GB of storage space. Each additional 10GB will cost you $5. Or you can signup for "forever" storage. A one time $500 payment will get you 20GB for as long as SpiderOak is in business, while $1000 will get you 100GB.

Tags: backup, spideroak, storage

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

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