iDrive promises unlimited cloud-based phone backups for $5 per year
You probably know to keep backups of your smartphone's data in the cloud, but backing up everything can be an expensive proposition in an era when 128GB phones are a practical reality. That won't be quite as much of a sore point now that iDrive's new Unlimited Mobile Backup option is here. As the name implies, the subscription service lets you back up your Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices without fretting about storage limits. Everyone can at least safeguard calendars, contacts and media (including Facebook and Instagram photos); if you're on Android, you can also preserve call logs, text messages and whole apps.
The backups are encrypted to prevent snooping, with multiple versions of files in case you need to revert to earlier copies. You can even restore backups across platforms, so you don't have to worry about losing valuable info when you switch ecosystems. The real allure, however, is the price. iDrive's unlimited mobile plan lets you back up as many as five devices for $5 per year -- not too shabby when it frequently costs much more to get general-purpose online storage.
