Zumodrive shutting down - here are some alternatives for file backup and sync
Posted in Labels: cloud storage, file sync, free resources
I just received an email this morning from ZumoDrive stating that they are shutting down. The email had information on how to save your files and also talked about Motorola moving the service to MotoCast in the future. For more information on the shut down: http://support.zumodrive.com/kb/general/zumodrive-shutdown-faq.
I have already moved all of my files out of ZumoDrive and will be just using Dropbox and Sugarsync as my main backup and sync services.
Here are some other cloud file sync and backup services:
Dropbox is a service that allows you to sync your files on your computer with their system as a backup. This also allows you to access the files anywhere. You can also sync the files across multiple computers. This means that you have automatic backup of your files and 24/7 access to your files. There are apps for iOS, Android, webOS and Blackberry. You can even share files and folders with others.
SugarSync - Sugarsync is another powerful sync and backup service. You can have it back up your files on their server, and sync the files among multiple computers. You get 5GB for free and there are fee based plans with more storage. You can access your files through any web browser and there are mobile apps and a mobile site.
The Websync feature is also nice. If you are accessing your files through the website, you can select "Edit with websync" and a Java program will download a temp copy of your file, allow you to edit and save it and then upload the new version. You can also share files with others through email or the web.
Box.net, an online data storage service, is offering 50GB of free online storage for iOS users in an effort to compete against iCloud. If you sign up using your iOS device before December 2nd, you'll get the 50GB account for free.
Box also gave out free 50GB accounts to all owners of HP TouchPad webOS tablets. I found it to be a bit cumbersome to use. It doesn't sync files like Dropbox or Sugarsync and it is a pain to upload files. However, 50GB of free online storage is pretty cool.
Google Docs - you can upload any type of file (up to 250MB each) and you get 1GB of storage free. You can purchase additional storage at $0.25/GB/year, which is a good deal. There is no automatic sync built in. There are some 3rd party applications that you can use (like GDocBackup, which I use.) It doesn't sync to your desktop or backup automatically, but it is still very useful.
Amazon Cloud Drive is Amazon's version of online file storage. It comes with 5GB of free storage and you can upgrade to 20GB of storage by purchasing an Amazon MP3 album. There are also other levels of storage that you can pay for (up to 1000GB for $1000/yr).
The service does not mention anything about file syncing, just that you upload your files to their servers and then you can access the files from any computer. You can upload documents, musics, photos and video and download and preview them from any computer.
You can stream your music files from the service and any music you purchase from Amazon are stored on the Cloud Drive for free and don't affect your storage capacity.
CX allows you to backup your files, sync them across multiple devices, share your files and collaborate on them with others, and even discover new ideas and friends.
A free account starts off at 10GB of storage, which is more that the other services offer. Like the other services, you can earn more storage for referring others to sign up (to a maximum of 16GB). There are also paid plans with more storage (50GB, 100GB and custom amounts).
It is currently available for iOS and Android is coming soon. No mention of other mobile OS's.
What is unique is that every file you share has a comment system so you can share it and collaborate with others on it.
Pogoplug, a company that already has streaming and sharing devices, announced a new service: Pogoplug Cloud.
The Pogoplug Cloud service provides 5GB of free storage and allows users to store their files online. They can then access, share, or stream the content from their mobile device. You sign up directly from any mobile phone, web browser, or tablet. You can purchase additional online storage also. 50GB is $9.95 per month and 100GB is $19.95 per month. Pricing is similar to many other cloud storage systems.
One thing that is different is that you can host a private, unlimited cloud for no monthly fees by purchasing a Pogoplug box ($99) and connecting it to your network.
Pogoplug will automatically upload photos and videos from your mobile phone to your Pogoplug cloud with no syncing required. (I have Sugarsync set up to do this on my Android phone). You can share anything in your cloud through email, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ and even create shared folders. You can also stream videos, photos, and musics to your phone.
There are free apps for iOS and Android.
SpiderOak is another free backup, sync, sharing and storage system. It works on Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
There is a free 2GB account and you can earn up to 50GB of free storage by referring friends.
It's another great way to make sure that your files are backed up and available to you any where.
How do you backup, sync, and store your data?
