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MediaFire slashes cloud sharing prices
The war for your cloud hosting business just heated up, as major player MediaFire has cut prices to generate more business. MediaFire is a Mac and iOS friendly cloud service that allows you to store and share files. Users can get 10 GB storage for free (ad-supported downloads) and 1 TB of space is now US$2.49 a month. Hyper-needy users can get up to 100 TB for $24.99 a month. "With the launch of our new storage plans, we are looking to provide everyday users with a secure and affordable way to share and store all of their music, photos, videos, and files with the people that matter most," said Derek Labian, CEO and Founder of MediaFire, "Over the next few months, we will be launching several new and exciting products, including new and updated applications for iPad and Android." Individual file size limits have increased to 20 GB, and folders can be easily uploaded and shared. The company provides an app for Mac that includes a menu bar icon you can drag and drop files on and then monitor the upload as it goes. Uploaders can send a URL link to people who are not subscribers so they can click and start a download. MediaFire uses the desktop app to monitor your cloud storage and manage space, with the controls appearing in your menu bar. The app syncs with any other computer, and of course your iOS devices. The company says it is on the verge of offering updated and more powerful iOS versions of its apps. The natural competition for MediaFire includes Google, DropBox and Microsoft OneDrive. One of the most popular services for Mac and iOS users is Dropbox. That company offers 2 GB of free space, with 500 GB priced at $49.99 a month -- considerably higher than what MediaFire is charging. Apple, Amazon and Microsoft offer between 5 and 7 GB for free. Amazon and Microsoft charge roughly $0.50 per GB, while Google costs $0.25 per GB between storage ranges of 20 and 100 GB. Apple's cloud services are very Mac-centric, and I mourn the loss of iDisk, which was a quick and easy cross-platform service. All these price adjustments are terrific for people who have the need to share, transfer and collaborate.
Microsoft announces Office 365 for Government, touts its fluffy cloud-based goodness
Unlike certain folks who wear tinfoil hats Microsoft has no qualms working with the guv'ment. Having added Office 365 support to Windows Phone in its Mango update, the company is now turning its attention to a less tech-averse Uncle Sam with the introduction of the obviously named Office 365 for Government. According to Microsoft, this rendition of Office 365 places US government data in the soft embrace of the cloud via its own segregated community. Offerings featured with the service include Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Lync Online and Office Professional Plus. Now, you don't need to be wearing shiny, crumpled headwear to voice concerns about some evildoer messing around with government data on the cloud. Microsoft assures that the service supports the "most rigorous global and regional standards," including ISO 27001, SAS70 Type II, EU Safe Harbor and FISMA. Given all the waist tightening Uncle Sam's being asked to go through recently, a cloud solution might actually sound appealing if it proves to be more cost-effective overall.
