Infinite Storage Details

http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/18/bitcasa-explains-encryption/

Infinite Storage in the Cloud

Amazing new 'cloud'...infinite storage for your device!! It's all stored on the net, in the cloud...sign up free:


https://www.bitcasa.com/beta-signup?share=1847924689

Google Contact Sync

I've been using a company BB device that I will be handing in soon, since I'm leaving that company. I want to leave the company, but not my contacts that won't fit on the very limited SIM card. I tried backing up using BB software. Aside from being cumbersome and wired, it will not help me if I get an Android or Symbian device. Google Sync will. And it so far it's beautiful. A small, simple to use, app from Google. Download, install, run, and let it sync! A couple of minutes and all your contacts are on Gmail, and ready to by synced to your Android, BB, Symbian or WM device. And like everything Googly, it's free :). Just download the version of Google Sync specific to your handset.

After you sync and log on to Gmail, you will get a notification telling you that Google provides you 25 levels of back up just in case you lose your contacts. Now that's what I call cloud service :)

Google Sync...I love it!!

Another Hit for the Cloud

Looks like talk is cheap, even in the cloud. But outages are not cheap. Outages and uptime, among other things, are what the cloud was created to solve in the first place. While the illusion of the cloud sounds like an IT dream come true, the reality can be a nightmare as you can see from this posting on ReadWriteWeb regarding Reddit's outage and continuing problems with Amazon's cloud:

(The URL is misleading, it has nothing to do with ipad, someone didn't have their coffee when they wrote the name)

http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2011/03/ipad-for-business-round-up-web.php

2000 Movies

I think I've finally convinced my uncle to hover in the cloud. Just a few weeks ago he was very unwilling and saw absolutely no need for the cloud and such fancy services. However, his collection of 2000 movies may have helped change his mind.

A few weeks ago, he bought a new 8 TB drive and he was telling me that he will put his collection of 2000 movies on to it. I suggested the cloud, but he wasn't interested. He said he'd get me a 1 TB portable drive and get me some of his collection. Since then, I've been anxiously waiting for him to come visit. Yesterday I caught him on SkyPE, and I happened to ask him about that collection (and my copy!). The lost collection. Demolished by a hard disk failure. The HD was a new Western Digital 8 TB RAID. Yes RAID, Redundant Array of Independent Disks. You know, the type that is 'anti-fail'. Well they failed and he has no backup and WD does not take any responsibility for data loss, but they were kind enough to recommend a data recovery service. The data recovery service they recommended does not guarantee anything except that it would cost him a less than $8,000 to recover whatever they can find, if anything.

Near the end of our chat about this topic he said "I wish there was a service where we can store all this stuff and have it available for easy access". "The cloud!", I said, and I think he is finally convinced.

To recap, I'm happy to save another soul, but I am angry that I lost my, yes MY copy of 2000 movies. I know it's not as bad as losing your cancer research http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20028475-1.html, but it's still a loss for humans to the machines.

Next time, I will talk about my recent cloud development experience using Amazon Web Services.

Stay tuned...