What is iCloud - Syncing Rival Added

Wooohooo!! Seems like among the bunch of competitors on the file syncing market, there has appeared the new potentially powerful rival, or better to say, iRival in the field.

The thing is that, Apple has recently declared the news about the release its file syncing service – iCloud, for its users, which is planned to become a decent alternative to already famous 4shared Sync or Dropbox.

Yet, although the company sees the flourishing perspectives for iCloud, it seems to me, that it has few chances to get strong enough to fight back the grandees in the core charasteristica features. Here, I’m, certainly, talking about the free space, which is 5GB for iCloud users, which is on the one hand much better, than 2 GB, given by Dropbox. Still, 4shared Sync still stays at the top with its whole 15GB.

It seems strange, as for me, why have Apple even decided to release iCloud, which doesn’t have any obvious advantages over other services. Okay, we all have somewhat a passion for the company’s products, but come on, there’s gonna be at least one more motivation factor, don’t you think?

For now, the most essential question is that, whether the long-expected iCloud will provide any exclusive benefits to earn the popularity among users worldwide, or will it stay just a bonus service for those, who have got 30 GB of files, for instance.

We’ll c))


Stay cool)
Andy

Yahoo Futures– the Ship has Sailed!

I first got acquainted with Yahoo! service many years ago, or it just seems so now, as the paste of technological progress has already reached its cruising speed. And although I’m not its active user right now, Yahoo! will always be like the old-school toy, which you used to play being a mere child, but still can’t throw away into the trashbin…

Yet, no matter how nostalgic the service’s fans will be, it seems that Yahoo! will not be able to reach the popularity rate of its rivals, or at least stay competetive in the relative niche of the market. One of the reasons for that is the recent firing of Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, who used to be taken almost as the new “Steve Jobs” for the company, though the expectations were not fulfilled.

As for now, the future of the service is more, than vague, in spite of the fact that its top-managers keep saying that everything’s gonna be ok. From the objective perspective, it sounds more, like one of autotraining therapy sessions, than the logical long-term planning.

Moreover, since the competition’s getting tougher each day with Google worldwide expansion in almost every sphere of modern IT-technologies (introduction of Google+, the purchase of Motorola Mobility, or the release of Google Hotel Finder, for instance), Yahoo! isn’t seemingly strong enough to survive the battle with its mighty rival.

In this respect, Google has one more powerful engine to maintain its positions on the market – the company’s management is constantly searching for more niches to take and is ready to invest money in the innovative projects, if those seem promising. I’d not be surprised at all if the next step in Google development was the introduction of the company’s own file-syncing service, for example, to help the users back-up all their data online, similar to 4shared Sync, or SugarSync.

These are, of course, just the thoughts; likewise as the final ‘good-bye’ to old-known Yahoo! is yet to be said. Unfortunately, taking the recent events into account, this ‘good-bye’ can’t but take place in the recent future…


Stay cool)
Andy

More Deals, More Sells, More Rumours: Skype+ GroupMe

Rumour has it…Well, not actually the rumour, but some of the popular news sources have begun speaking of another essential purchase on the softmarket.

Namely, one of the huge competitors in the modern software industry, Microsoft, or, better to say, one of its newly-bought enteprizes, Skype, has officially released the news about its purchase of GroupMe for around $80 million.

For those, who haven’t yet heard of GroupMe, the service enables you to chat with people via sms on your mobile phone or just from your PC and use the conference calling option, without a need to add others to the chat everytime, you wish to send an sms to everybody from the particularly created group.

Although, the analytics admit, that the purchase of GroupMe will definitely be helpful in the maintainance Microsoft’s position in the relative field of the market, I’ve got some doubts about that.

I haven’t been using GroupMe myself, though I’ve tried it, having heard the news about the deal, and, to be honest, the service is simple, and, all in all, fun. Yet, I really couldn’t find any super-advantageous features, if compared to Skype itself, and it seems quite vague, that GroupMe is really as useful for a person, as the data backup with versatile sync apps, like 4shared Sync, or SugarSync, for instance.

The conference calling option, as an example, is available in all modern smartphones, so you don’t, actually, need any additional app or service to talk to several people on the phone simultaneously, and Skype chat room isn’t a brand-new function either.

Of course, my opinion won’t be shared by GroupMe fans, or, perhaps, some experts, who predict the flourishing future for this services integration, but something tells me, that the purchase of Motorola Mobility is much more important and promising, than this one.

If I were asked, I’d say, that Microsoft should also develop the independent software fields within its businesses, like the development of mobile applications not for Windows Mobile only, but for other OS’s as well, provide their users with access to file-sharing sites, like RapidShare, or 4shared, for example, and create various apps to stream video and music, and other essential accessoires for people, who need to have high-quality services at hand, not just chat with their friends.

Otherwise, the giant won’t handle the comptetion with its rivals, I’m sure of that.

But, as usual, we’ll see.

Stay cool
Andy

Storage Wars – Will Spam Help Dropbox to Win?

You know, how it happens sometimes, you’ve got some idea, stuck in your head, and it’s officially impossible to get it out of your brain. It’s usually the curiosity, causing your sleep deprivation, until the matter of your interest gets clearer.

That’s what has happened with me and PR of Dropbox on the web. Really, can you get, how even the most creative and initiative marketing team of the company reach such results, that it seems that the whole global internet network is full of dropbox, dropbox here, there, anywhere.

At first, I really thought these PR-managers just new some hidden ancient secrets, how to spread huge amount of information around the world in several seconds. But, having surfed through various resources, I’ve come across stunning facts.

It’s not that I don’t admire companies, wishing to take all possible benefits from the side of their users…, but it was the immense disappointment to find out, that Dropbox doesn’t have any troubles manipulating and taking advantage of their clients.

Anyway, it is how it is: you can get additional 250 MB storage space, if you share Dropbox links and people register at Dropbox via these links.

Surprising, ha? I have heard of many Affiliate Programs, involving link sharing, but come on, they pay you money, not some tiny pieces of space....

Moreover, isn’t it a bit humiliating for the loyal users to act like spammers and place these links all over the social media, like Twitter, for instance, sometimes even begging their followers to help them get the space.

I don’t really believe in global justice for everybody, but as for me, this is rather a matter of ethics and the respectful attitude towards the users from the side of the company, which should definitely mean much…

Dropbox should, perhaps, monitor other sync services practice, like that one of 4shared Sync, for example, providing much more space (15GB) for free without any conditions…

This is it for today

C ya soon, guys)

Stay cool
Andy

SugarSync Review - Which is the Best Sync Service?

For those, who’ve been missing my reviews, I’m sorry again for quite a delay, mostly influenced by daily routine stuff. Nonetheless, here I am now, back with the fresh ideas and a review to share with you.

To tell the truth, when I started my blog, I actually planned to jump from one kind of software to another, so that the whole bunch of newly-presented apps would be covered. Yet, having started with worlds’ famous sync services, I’ve decided that it would be better to finish with this niche of soft market to make the vision of this field clearer, and only after that move on to other one.

Having already posted 4shared Sync review and Dropbox review, I’ve chosen the third so-called “competitor’ and am now ready to present SugarSync review.

So, what is SugarSync?

1. To start with, I’ve visited official site of SugarSync and, if honestly, was a bit confused about such a huge number of tabs, lists of features, etc. The first-sight impression was that SugarSync can do everything. Nevertheless, having read the app features, I’ve found that the described functions are all quite similar, if not duplicated. Still, applauds to content-managers, they are very-very verbose.

2. Before I could, actually, download the app, I was asked to sign up as the new SugarSync user, and it was basically ok, though I had to provide my full name in addition to e-mail address. First thought: will they stock me now?))

3. Finally, I have reached the downloading part of the app, and it was a little odd, that the size of the SugarSync file, provided in instructions and the actual size of it were different. Hm, really, the company seems to be working on the government, so far).

4. The installation was ok, and didn’t really differ from other sync services, I’d already tried.

5. I managed to sync a few text files, some music and photos, yes, but, again, again there was a problem with downloading my favorite Fallout: New Vegas, it has turned out that the free SugarSync account allows to synchronize only up to 5 GB-sized files. RRR…that’s disappointing.

6. As for security, well as much as several days have past, I didn’t notice anyone steal my photos, or music. Good news? I hope so…


All in all, I’ve decided to compose a chart to compare the objective differences between the 3 competitors at the sync market and defined the most beneficial options in bold. Here, it is:




Now, you can make your natural choice, guys.

See you soon with the upcoming reviews.

Andy