infoTECH Feature

August 12, 2013

Safeguard Your Mobile Data with Cloud Storage

The rapid expansion of smart phone and tablet use has resulted in another fast-growing need – backing up all that data on your mobile device. Fortunately for the mobile road warriors among us, there’s an app for that.

These cloud storage services allow you to store files and data online and then access them via an Internet connection with your login information and password. Because everything is saved in the cloud, the data is still accessible, even if you’ve lost your phone or had a hardware failure. 

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File Sharing

Perhaps the best known application is Dropbox (News - Alert), the same file-synchronization software commonly used on desktop PCs to easily back up and share large files. You have access to you files on every device you use with your Dropbox account, a big advantage for travelers and people who work in the field.

Since the mobile app is integrated into a device’s system, you can set up Dropbox to automatically back up data in real time. This capability is a big bonus for shutterbugs who want to keep their photos and videos safe in the cloud.

DropBox’s strength comes from its ability to share files, including over social media sites like Facebook or Twitter (News - Alert), as well as through email and text messages. Storage pricing ranges from free for 2GB to $49.99 per month for 500GB, and the app is available free for iOS, Android and BlackBerry devices. Business subscriptions are also available.
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Collaboration

Another contender is Box (News - Alert), which combines files synchronization with some basic file editing capabilities. Box shines when it comes to collaboration – you can invite other people to work on a file through Box’s web interface, enabling people to edit the file and saving the various versions. The app also lets you print the file out, add it to a list of favorites or share via e-mail.

While Box also provides access to files on multiple devices, files must be uploaded one at a time. Depending on your subscription, there are also file size limitations, such as a 250 MB limit for the free version.

The Box app is available free for iOS and Android, and the service is also available for PCs. Pricing ranges from free for 5 GB to $15/user per month for 1,000 GB. Business subscriptions are also available.
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Simple Interface

If you are looking for a simple interface, Cubby is the sleekest of the mobile apps. While very similar in functionality, the streamlined navigation is pleasant and easy to use. Cubby, made by the same company that makes the LogMeIn remote computer control software, scores highly for its unlimited peer-to-peer syncing and clean interface.

Cubby also allows sharing as well as the ability to make a file public, similar to Google (News - Alert) Drive. The Cubby app’s DirectSync feature (available with a paid subscription) lets you sync between your own separate computers without taking up space on Cubby's servers, which is one way to get around file size limits.

The Cubby app is available free for iOS and Android. The first 5GB storage is free, and Cubby offers a referral program where you receive an extra 1 GB for each user you get to sign up, maxing out at 25 GB. Paid (News - Alert) plans start with the 100 GB $6.99/month Pro plan. Business plans are also available.
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Find Your Files

Last but not least, for those mobile users who use more than one solution, the CloudMagic app has a search function to find files wherever your store them in the cloud, including these apps and others like Google Drive. CloudMagic is available free for iOS and Android.



Edited by Ryan Sartor
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