Tag: Dropbox

Dropbox – 3 Device Limit for Free Accounts

Dropbox is probably the first-mover in the cloud service business. That’s its primary advantage. Heck, I’d be bold to say that probably that’s its only advantage.

I was early to adopt the cloud syncing service. My free Dropbox account’s allowed storage has gone up to more than 18GB from referrals. Other services have sprung up ever since Dropbox. More importantly, Google got into the game with its Google Drive. Yet, I stuck with Dropbox because it was my first cloud service and they were doing a fine job at desktop syncing and backing-up my important files.

This week, though, I got a new office laptop. And I was surprised to discover that Dropbox is now limiting syncing up to 3 devices only, including mobile apps, for free accounts. The three devices limit would probably be enough for most people.

However, I’m not most people. Thus, I’d probably drop Dropbox soon and switch to Google Drive altogether. Even with paid storage upgrade, Google Drive is still much cheaper than Dropbox. The only thing that worries me are the apps that only have Dropbox integration as option (e.g. YNAB Classic).

SugarSync – A Cloud Service with No Search Functionality

If you are a cloud service to backup, access, sync and share documents, photos, music and movies across devices across different platforms, then I don’t need to stress enough the importance of a search functionality. We’re not talking about sharing one or two documents only here to start with.

In the case of SugarSync, the Search Feature has been requested for as early as October 2010. It has been at the top of their priority list ever since, as they have indicated in their responses. In my opinion, to be at the top of the priority list for almost two years is not priority enough.

No need for full content search of each document. It borders on the breach of privacy anyway. A simple file name search is acceptable!

It is funny how SugarSync can brag about their offerings, and even bashed Dropbox for the upgrade (but still inferior) in their referral bonus program and Google for being late in the game, but they can’t even implement the simple but basic functionality of search.

Synchronize Files from Office and Home Machines using Dropbox

Oftentimes, you find yourself needing to keep, access and update files from workstations at the office as well as from a computer back home. These files can be work related, a password keeper, or maybe media files like photos you want to share with officemates or friends.

One solution is to bring with you a portable device like a usb flash drive to dump the files into for further access and edit. However, bringing a flash drive around can prove to be a hassle with the inconvenience of plugging and safely removing the device from the computer. Unless you hang this thing around your neck all the time (i.e., if you find it a good fashion accessory), you’ll oftentimes find yourself looking around for it and racking your brains trying to remember where you last left it, in your pocket, in your bag, in your cabinet, or maybe the trash can.

Thankfully, now there’s dropbox.
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