How To: Set Up a Box Account for Windows and Android Part 1 – Windows
Last Updated on Saturday, 21 January 2012 12:37 Written by Alan Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:00
Box, formerly known as Box.net, has become a premiere storage location on the web. There are many places that users can store their files in the cloud, such as SkyDrive and Dropbox, but everyone seems to settle on one particular service depending on need, usage, and pricing; or simply by sticking with a service because it was the first they heard about.
Box is available for both personal and business use, and it’s surprisingly popular with some very large companies. In fact, Box claims they are being used by 82% of the Fortunes 500 companies, which is a staggering number, especially since Box seems to get less attention in the tech world than other rival services. Like many of today’s cloud file storage services, Box has many mobile options and is very easy to set up.
The easiest way to get started in on your computer. In this case I am using Windows 7 and I will just point my browser to the Box web site. A personal use Box account is free and includes anywhere from 5 GB up to 50 GB of storage and file size limits from 25 MB to 1 GB, as well as access via a mobile app. Once you have signed up for an account and received your confirmation email you can log in and get started.
The main interface is pretty basic. Your files, once you have added some, will be front and center. The right column has options for uploading and sharing, creating folders, inviting people to collaborate on documents, and more.
First we will need to create a folder, so let’s click either the “Create a new folder” option from the right column, seen above, or click the “New” button and choose “New folder”. Notice you can also create a web document , Google Doc, or Google Spreadsheet.
Name your new folder and it will appear on the main files area of your user interface. Now lets add a document to the new folder. Again there two places you can click – the “Upload and share files” link on the right or “Upload” button above the files area. You can then browse to a file anywhere on your PC or network, click to hightlight it, then click “Open” and the file will automatically upload to the Box cloud.
You can now email a link to the file to someone or invite others to work on the document with you. You can right-click the file to get a list of options that includes download it, uploading a newer version, tagging it, deleting it, and more.
The top menu, which by default puts you on “Files” also allows you to add “Contacts”, view your recent “Updates”, handle your “Account”, and, the most important thing in today’s world, get “Apps” – both mobile and others, such as a Google Docs plug-in, Box for Office, Box for iOS, or many more.
Box is one of the most popular and fully-featured cloud programs in the world today. As you can see from the above tutorial it’s very simple to setup and use and it brings the cloud to the average user. Next time we will look at accessing that cloud from an Android device.
How To: Set Up and Use AVG LiveKive for Cloud Backup
Last Updated on Saturday, 7 January 2012 11:40 Written by Alan Thursday, 19 January 2012 07:00
There are a lot of services out there that want to collect your money for keeping your files safe via backup to the cloud. Many of them are less than sure things and there’s no guarantee they will still be in business when you need to collect on your stored files, and that could be potentially disastrous. The best recommendation is to stick with the big names that are likely here to stay and don’t look for the too-good-to-be-true deals that are out there. With that in mind, there a few names to look at for cloud backup, like Amazon S3, Carbonite, and AVG LiveKive.
AVG is famous for their anti-virus product, which resides on many user’s computers. They have have both free and paid versions of it and both are solid choices for any home user. They also recently released a cloud backup service called LiveKive, which comes in three tiers, depending on what your needs are. You can get 5 GB for free, 25 GB for $49.99 per year, 50 GB for $59.99, or unlimited for $79.99. You can get a 30 day free trial to see if you like the service.
With the Unlimited version, which we’ll be using in this example, you can install the service on multiple PC’s. Once you have purchased AVG LiveKive you will receive an email with a voucher that you will need to activate and also a link to install LiveKive on each computer. After you have downloaded and installed the app you can begin the setup process. First you will need enter your newly created account information – an email address and password.
Now enter a name for the device you are currently setting up. In this case I am using my production notebook which, on our home network, is identified as “Laptop-1″. Perhaps not all of you are as original with your device names as I am, don’t be jealous….
At this point it can take up to a minute to generate the cryptographic keys for your device. This will ensure that your files, while being transferred and also while on the AVG servers, will remain private. Once it’s done you can click the “Finish” button.
You will be greeted with the AVG LiveKive interface. From here you can control your entire backup and restore process. Initially you will land on the “Backup” tab which gives you basic options for Desktop, Documents, Movies, Music, and Pictures. You can click any or all of the check boxes to backup these files.
If none of these quite fit your backup needs then click the “Advanced” tab at the top right of the screen. This is where you can get serious about this whole process. You will be presented with a Windows Explorer-like interface that lets you drill down through folders and sub-folders to find exactly what files you want backed up.
Now you can check the status of your backup by clicking on the “Status” tab. I am currently on a wireless connection so this could take a while. Depending on how many files you have, and their sizes, your backup process could take minutes or hours. There are other tabs within the “Status” to tell you where you are at. For instance, click “Queue” to see what files are left to upload.
There is a “View / Restore” tab that will show you all of the files and folders that are stored on AVG LiveKive. It works just like Windows Explorer, with a collapsible folder tree. There is also a group of icons that allow you to download files, remove or rename files and folders, view changes, and more. You can also use the built-in Download Manager.
The “Share” tab lets users share files like documents and pictures that are stored in your cloud backup with friends, family, and colleagues. Sharing is secure so that users you invite can’t alter or delete the files they are invited to share and they can’t access your other files.
Finally there is a “Sync” tab which will allow you to use AVG LiveKive to keep files in sync across multiple computers. To get started click the “New” button and name your sync, then begin choosing files and devices.
Once you are set up you can close the AVG LiveKive app, even if your cloud backup is still running. The app will remain active in your system tray. You can right-click it to access all of it’s functionality.
AVG LiveKive is a fully-functional and affordable cloud backup solution for home users. With the $79.99 annual fee for unlimited cloud storage it means you can easily backup all of the files on all of the devices in your home, keeping them safe in case of a hard drive failure or a bigger disaster. In the brief time I have been using it in our home I’ve found it to be simple to use and a great deal for the price and storage capacity. With AVG being an established company you can feel secure knowing that your precious photos and other files will be there if the worst happens.
You can try out AVG LiveKive for your home cloud backup solution free for 30 days by visiting the AVG LiveKive web site.
Syncing.net Allows Syncing of Files Between Multiple PC’s
Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 December 2011 08:05 Written by Alan Monday, 9 January 2012 06:00
These days every home has multiple computers and the need to share files in a way that previously was the domain of business users. All operating systems – Windows, Mac, and Linux – come with built-in sharing options. They aren’t all that difficult to set-up and they work pretty well, but they aren’t always the best solution for every user. Thankfully there are other solutions, and even free ones, that you can use.
One such syncing solution is Syncing.net. They are a Microsoft “Gold Certified” partner, which means they “provide you with the highest levels of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and hands-on skills”. At least, that’s what Microsoft says.
Once you have downloaded and installed the app, you can fire it up for the first time. You will first be asked if you already have an account. If you do then enter your user name (email) and password.
If you don’t already have an account you will prompted to create one. Enter your name, email address, and password and click Next. You will need to use the same account for all of your computers. You are limited to 5 computers.
If you’re account registration is successful you will receive a confirmation message. The message will open a browser window to Syncing.net. There isn’t actually anything to do here, so you can close the window and proceed with setting up the files and folder you want to sync.
Now choose a folder that you want to sync. You can choose a folder, choose the location, or create a new folder. This is the folder you will use for all of your syncing. All files and sub-folders within it will be synced as well. Choose your option and click Next.
The files and folders will appear in the main interface of the application. From there you can view the details of files and folders and set individual sharing permissions on them. Click Next to begin syncing files.
Now you can begin syncing files and folders in real time. Other recipients, who you can grant access to, will receive an email whenever a file or folder is added to the Sync Folder. Syncing.net is a free service that you can install by visiting the Syncing.net website. There is a 3 GB limit per month. Now there’s no excuse not keep all of your files in sync on every computer.
