Don’t Make Sharing Files So Difficult – Embrace The Cloud!

Back in the day, we used to have to make do with 1.44 MB capacity floppy disks to pass around often only a word document or two.

Now without doubt, the storage devices have got bigger (in terms of disk space), smaller (in terms of physical size), more reliable and convenient.

But in the tens (is that what follows the noughties?), the 2010s that is, we really should be embracing the cloud.  Its ultra convenient, ultra flexible and with prices starting with free – well you can’t argue with that can you?

Stop using memory sticks that you know you always leave plugged into a public computer and have to scurry back to see whether its been lifted or not – embrace the cloud, its the future!

The Options

Of course there are both paid and free versions of cloud based storage services.  We’ll explore a couple of the free options – the most popular ones.  To start off with (or even as an addition to a paid plan if required), the free plans out there should be enough for anyone to get started – and there aren’t that many downsides to be honest.

Firstly…. the industry leader….

Dropbox

Dropbox is probably the most popular and leading free online cloud storage provider.  And with a generous 2GB of free space, which you can top up to 16GB for “free” (by completing certain actions), its a great place to start.

Also, with a handy app that sits in your taskbar available you can treat your Dropbox folder (basically a folder that is uploaded, well at least the changes to it are, to Dropbox so that you can login via apps, programs or the website and access the folder wherever you are) like any other folder on your computer.  Well worth it and gets our recommendation.

SkyDrive

And in a fairly close second place is SkyDrive, by Microsoft.

Similar concept, offers 7GB of space to users for free, which can initially make it more appealing that Dropbox – however don’t forget with Dropbox you can upgrade for free your initial 2GB offering up to and including 16GB.

SkyDrive, as you might expect, ties in nicely with Microsoft products such as Office, so it may be seen as having a slight advantage in professional circumstances.

Again, there’s a desktop app for this beast which can be easier to manage than using the website.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, DropBox gets our vote every time, although it can be a matter of personal preference – and how much you initially need to store – obviously with the initial SkyDrive offering being slightly higher.

However, the one thing that is abundantly clear is that whatever you do, its faster, easier and more secure to embrace the cloud.  Plus, you might as well, it is most certainly the future of many many things!