Some time ago, I covered several of the most popular cloud files storage apps. Since that time, as the reliance upon cloud-based file
storage has pushed the limits of bandwidth (to transfer all of this data), Dropbox has upgraded their Pro account to 1TB
(that is 1000 gigabytes). YouSendIt has
added nice features, including a convenient personal upload page link that
others can use to send you files.
OneDrive
(Microsoft) came out with a full terabyte about the same time as Dropbox,
keeping them running head-to-head with Dropbox in the capacity department.
Although Dropbox is still the cloud-storage provider in direct connectivity to numerous
mobile apps, those who have upgraded to Microsoft Office 365 can enjoy the
cloud storage option at no extra cost. For those running earlier versions of
Office, they do offer a free basic account with 15 GB.
For many, some big news came just this week:
Your Office 365 subscription comes with OneDrive, which
allows you to store and share your documents, photos, and videos, and access
them from virtually anywhere.
Today we announced we will be increasing the amount of
OneDrive storage that comes with Office 365 Home, Personal, and University
subscriptions from 1 TB to be unlimited! As a valued subscriber, you will get
this at no additional cost in the coming months.
You’ve been selected to be one of the first to
get more storage. While we work on removing all storage limits we want to get
you well on your way and have added 10 TB to your account.
While this scenario doesn’t fit everyone, it certainly works
nicely for many individual users, small firms and business. Unlimited storage is truly a game-changer, and clearly sets OneDrive at the forefront of reasonably-priced data storage. Of course, the fact
that this service is a Microsoft product does not mean it is infallible, but
you can rest assured that some of the best programmers in the world are working
on it.
I have been using Dropbox and OneDrive for some time now, and really like the sync features, providing an automatic backup. Dropbox still has a little more flexibility, and download speeds seem to be faster than OneDrive. There is something nice about that "Unlimited" part though. For now, I will continue to use both (along with a few others for occasional use and testing purposes).
As a final note, OneDrive and Dropbox both offer a direct
photo download option via their mobile apps. This is a very convenient way to
have access to your photos and videos from any computer – not just your phone.