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.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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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.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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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.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Automatic backup is a part of many mobile operating systems from Android to iOS and going way back to Windows Mobile, which used Microsoft MyPhone.  Ironically Microsoft didn’t include a backup solution for their new flagship mobile operating system, Windows Phone.  However, word surfaced today that they plan to rectify that situation by implementing a new automatic backup system for Windows Phone.

WMPowerUser found a job listing for a Software Engineer to join Redmond’s Windows Phone Backup, Migrate and Restore team.  It sounds suspiciously like the Apple iCloud and Google Android cloud backup that allows the phone to be backed up automatically each night while most users sleep.

“Come join the Windows Phone Backup, Migrate, and Restore team. Our goal is to ensure that no matter if someone loses their phone, drops their phone in a lake, buys a new windows phone, or just has their toddler wipe their phone by entering the wrong PIN over and over, a user can quickly and seamlessly get their phone back to a good state. The features we are producing will be new for the next version of Windows Phone and will help ensure Microsoft stays ahead of the competition when it comes to disaster recovery.”

The post makes it pretty obvious what Microsoft are looking for.  It also means that this feature won’t be coming any time particularly soon, since they haven’t yet hired anyone to run it.  Still, it’s a step in the right direction, albeit a bit late.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Syncdocs is bringing Dropbox-like functionality to your desktop and your Google Docs.  SyncDocs allows users to automatically have the latest versions of all of their Google Docs documents available locally on any computer they choose.  That’s handy for those times when you are out of WiFi range, but still need to get a bit of work done.  We had previously looked at Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office, but it proved to be a hassle with long-term use and Syncdocs provides better functionality.

There are multiple ways to use Syncdocs.  You can keep your My Documents folder synced with Google Docs, create a backup of your Google Docs cloud storage, or make Google Docs the default editor for your local documents.  No matter what you choose, it’s all pretty simple to set up and get started using.  Once you have downloaded Syndocs you can begin the installation process.

When Syncdocs launches for the first time you will need to enter your Google Docs user name and password (this should be the same across all Google applications) and agree to the terms of service.

You will now need to choose a folder where you want your synchronized documents stored.  There are also some settings you can choose from (don’t worry you can change these later if you need to).  Choose if you want to automatically convert new Office files to Google Docs format, make Google Docs your default office suite, or make Google Docs your default PDF reader.

Syncdocs will now launch in your system tray and immediately begin to sync files.  You can double-click the icon to access your sync folder or right-click it to get a context menu of options , including telling you how much of your allotted free space is being used.

There is a free version of Syncdocs, which has a limited number of files that can be synced and also a paid version, which costs $19.95 per year.  You can combine the paid service with a Google Docs storage plan for 20, 80, or 200 GB of Docs storage per month.  To download a copy you can visit the Syncdocs website.  This is is the simplest way so  far that we have found to Sync Google Docs.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Cloud Storage has become one of the most popular services on the internet.  It’s everywhere you look these days, from Google Music to iCloud to SkyDrive to Amazon Cloud Player.  Recently we introduced you to a new cloud backup service named Backify.  They were offering 512 GB of storage for free with two tiers of unlimited backup for $3 and $5 respectively.

I hope you signed up at the time because if you procrastinated like I did then you’ll be in for a surprise.  Earlier today I decided to finally take the plunge, but when I clicked on the “Sign Up FREE” link at the top of the homepage I was greeted with a message announcing that “Free accounts are no longer available.”  Instead, now the 512 GB account is $1.50 per month.  Obviously that’s still probably the best cloud storage deal on the internet.

The two unlimited tiers are also still available and now appear to be the better deals.  That is, of course, if you own more than one computer or have more than 512 GB of files to store.  The $3 plan lets you install on up to five computers, while the $5 plan doesn’t specify any number of computers.

The service is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.  You can check it out by visiting the Backify website.  There is no word at this time if users who registered for the 512 GB plan when it was free were grandfathered in.  Nor are we sure why the “Free” button is still a part of the homepage.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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A new cloud storage service has jumped in the game and they are either in it to win it or in it to go broke in a hurry.  Backify is offering a mind-boggling  512 GB of free storage, along with two paid plans – unlimited for $3 per month or unlimited plus briefcase for $5 per month.  That’s a whole lot storage for nothing, or next-to-nothing.  It’s also a reason to be skeptical.

Once you sign up you will be able to download a software program that takes care of backup for you.  That’s a plus because the website interface has ads, and the app doesn’t.  Of course, that’s costing Backify some revenue, so  that makes one doubt the validity of the service.

For now, we are taking a wait-and-see approach to this because of all of the red flags – price, storage space, etc..  However, it does SEEM to be legitimate.  We will do some testing on a computer not connected to any network and research their security a little further.  It’s not far-fetched that a start-up would do this to get in the game, so let’s not assume anything is amiss here.

In  the coming weeks we will have a full report on using it, how it works, and how secure it is.  For now, if you want to try it out then take some precautions like using a throw-away email address and a password that isn’t being used for other sign-ons you have.  If that’s not a problem for you then by all means give this service try. We plan to do the same.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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Microsoft is acknowledging an issue in Windows Home Server 2011 that can allow the system to potentially overwrite your album art and music metadata without authorization.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Talk about your nasty bugs.  The problem had been pointed out twice by the website WeGotServed (see How To: Stop Windows Home Server Overwriting your Album Art and MP3 Tags and Windows Home Server 2011 Metadata Synchronization Issue)

The Microsoft announcement also acknowledges two other known bugs in WHS 2011 – “”Repeat” button does not function for single file streaming from Remote Web Access Page” and “The media file will still be displayed in the media player after they have been moved to a new folder.”

While there are no fixes or patches for these issues as of yet, Microsoft does give specific work-arounds that can be used for now.  We expect a permanent fix to come with the next update, whenever that may be.  Of course, we may be expecting too much since there has never been a patch issued for the Windows Media Center StartResources.dll problem, and then pointed out a second time with an update.

For now, users will need to follow the instructions that Microsoft gives on their TechNet Wiki and hope for the best.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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This past week we received the announcement of the LEO HS4 from manufacturer Tranquil PC.   The new device is one of the first on the market to run Windows Home Server 2011 – the latest OS to come out of Microsoft, which was previously known as VAIL.

With home servers becoming more and more commonplace in today’s world, Windows Home Server has become more of a mainstream item than anyone could have expected a few years ago.  WHS 2011 adds a lot of new functionality, although it did lose one key feature that users loved – Drive Extender.  WHS 2011 serves as centralized storage and backup for all computers on your home network – PC and Mac alike.

The LEO HS4 Server provides automatic backup, digital music, photo, and video sharing, remote access, Windows Phone 7 support, and supports lots of add-ins.  That’s all standard in any WHS 2011 box.  Specific hardware specifications for the LEO HS4 include:

• 2TB Low Energy Primary Hard Disk
• 2GB DDR3 RAM
• Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor (i3-2100T 2.5GHz)
• Media Kit including PC Restore CD and Server Restore DVD
• 24 month RTB (return to base) warranty

The box contains 4 internal dive bays as well as two optional expansion ports that each can support up to five hard disks – making it capable of storing as much as 40 TB of data.  To make up for the lack of Drive Extender Tranquil PC has included “a licenced version of DataCore’s storage virtualisation software Add In DriveHarmony, to provide data protection (mirroring) and hard drive pooling.”

This is one we are looking forward to reviewing, especially given the demise of our previous favorite from HP.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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The blog Six Revisions is sponsoring a free download of WinX DVD Copy Pro which will run for three days.  It starts today, May 1st, and will end on May 3rd.  WinX DVD Copy Pro can rip and backup encrypted discs.  It can do a disc to disc copy or disc to .ISO copy, as well as copy a DVD to a single MPEG2 file with original video tracks and original surround AC3 audio.

For more details you can read the Six Revisions blog post or head straight over to the WinX DVD Pro Copy download page.  The program retails for $35.95, but for now you can download it with a free license.  It’s not a trial copy either, so it won’t expire.

Alan

Alan is the owner and editor of Making Windows Easy. In addition to writing about technology he is also an avid distance runner and hiker. Read More

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