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Ask Engadget: best heavy-duty cloud-storage solution?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from is from is from Joe, who needs to backup half a terabyte of data to the cloud, as you do. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking for an online backup solution for between 100GB, up to 500GB of data. New options are popping up everywhere recently, but what's the best cloud storage backup solution that'd allow for easy drag-and-drop backup, syncing across multiple computers both Mac and Windows, access from Android devices and at a reasonable price? Thanks!" Well, he doesn't want much, does he? Just world-class storage, universal device access and all for a rock-bottom price. There's plenty of contenders in this particular competition, from Dropbox all the way through to, erm, Box. It's kinda clear that Joe's not just backing up his holiday photos, so even enterprise-level offerings are worth suggesting. Still, the floor's now open to you, so fire away.
iPad workspace app CloudOn goes 2.0, adds Adobe Reader, Box storage support
There are several perspectives on the iPad as a productivity tool. Some knowledge workers thrive on a suite of native apps; others can't really get comfortable within a text or code-based workflow without a legitimate keyboard and mouse. The "third way" of iPad productivity provides a hybrid environment: familiar Office apps or remote access to existing computers, with varying degrees of customization to incorporate the touch UI atop the traditional desktop. We've previously talked about Onlive Desktop, one of the major players in the remote gaming and desktop SaaS space (which seems to have struck a conciliatory tone on Windows licensing by moving from Win7 to Windows Server for the underlying tech). Today, the first major version update of CloudOn, one of the primary alternatives to Onlive and other "full Windows" tools, is hitting the App Store. The original free iPad app from CloudOn provided users in the US, UK and Canada with a straightforward way to create and edit Microsoft Office documents without Office, and without their own PC. The back end CloudOn servers plug into your Dropbox account to give you near-immediate access to your files for touchups or extended editing sessions. What you see on the screen is a remote session, optimized for quick transmission across the Internet to you. It works great on WiFi, acceptably on 3G and shows snappy response on a new 4G iPad as well. In the new 2.0 version of the app, the cloud storage options have been extended to include Box.com for personal or enterprise users. CloudOn 2.0 also adds Adobe Reader to the app suite, permitting iPad users to view 3D content or fill-in PDF forms on the fly. A universal image viewer and full outbound email support round out the new feature list. Instead of making the iPad into a virtual Windows desktop, CloudOn masks the filesystem and other apps to deliver an Office-only experience. You want Word, you get Word -- and nothing else. This no-distractions, one app at a time model can track closer to the native iPad experience of "app immersion." While the lack of native copy/paste and autocorrect does slow things down a bit, I found that I could be pretty effective while typing into CloudOn's apps, especially with a Bluetooth external keyboard. Since you're using "real" Office, albeit remotely, some of the key features normally absent from iPad productivity apps are there for you. Ryan Faas keyed in on one of those features: Track Changes and comment support in Word, which has made CloudOn very popular with members of the legal profession. Last week I met with Milind Gadekar, the CEO and founder of CloudOn, and got to hear a bit of his company's vision for the future of distributed work. He told me that his team forsees a continuing fragmentation of the computing landscape, with multiple OS platforms and devices talking to multiple storage providers. The way to enable productivity, he suggested, is to provide a functional nexus of three key components: your files, your apps and your collaborators. While some successful companies are building the infrastructure for files and collaborators and then laying the applications over that with third party integrations (like Box.com), Gadekar and his team decided to go at the problem from the applications vertex first. Given that there are a lot of very capable and popular storage solutions in the market, this seems like a good play. In developing CloudOn, Gadekar and his programmers are keenly aware that the iPad is being positioned as a productivity tool even though it doesn't have the major productivity app suite that most people use everyday: Microsoft Office. While native app vendors have the freedom to create novel interfaces that leverage iOS's touchscreen UI directly, CloudOn's emphasis is on making the subtle adjustments and accommodations that let Office apps (and eventually more mouse-based apps) work smoothly without a mouse and keyboard. Hiding the Windows desktop from the user was the first step in drastically simplifying that legacy UI. As CloudOn expands its suite of available applications (and perhaps makes a move to other access approaches from its current iPad-only incarnation), we can expect to see some revenue models evolve. For now, though, it's a free service and a great way to get your feet wet with remote productivity apps on the iPad.
Sprint LG Viper 4G goes on pre-order April 12 for $100, release date still TBA
Sprint's finally starting to get the ball rolling with its first LTE devices, announcing this morning that it's ready to begin pre-orders of the LG Viper 4G on April 12, and the next-gen goodness can be yours for $100 (after $50 mail-in rebate). The actual release date wasn't specified, but at least we know this means it's coming up much sooner rather than later. As a refresher, the Viper comes with Gingerbread, a 4-inch WVGA NOVA display, a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660 Snapdragon S3, 1GB of RAM, NFC and Google Wallet functionality, a microSD slot, 50GB cloud storage from Box and a smattering of eco-friendly features. For the full rundown, gaze upon the press release below.
Connect by QuickOffice and Box OneCloud attack iPad file round-trip challenge
The baseline of iOS document sync and editing rests with Apple's iCloud, which allows the company's three productivity apps (Keynote, Numbers and Pages) to automatically back up, synchronize versions across devices and accept uploaded files via the web browser -- or, if you're sneaky, you can use a Mac folder that ties into the cloud storage service. That's all well and good, but it doesn't deliver the syncing magic of services like Dropbox, Box.com, Egnyte or SugarSync for easy and rapid file access on the iPad. Of course, getting your files onto the iPad is only half the trip -- specifically, half of the round trip. "Round tripping" files means that your iPad productivity apps need to be able to save modified documents back to the cloud, creating new versions automatically rather than having to be manually emailed, uploaded or copied over. Cracking that challenge is a key advantage for apps that aim to address the enterprise/mobile professional market. This week, two major players announced new round tripping features for their productivity platforms; one's from an application vendor moving into the cloud, and the other's from the cloud storage side opening up new opportunities for app developers. First, we have Connect by QuickOffice. QuickOffice was founded in 2002 and grew up in the smartphone space, but CEO & co-founder Alan Masarek told TUAW that "things have really gotten off the hook for us with tablets." In fact, the flagship QuickOffice HD product is the #2 highest-grossing iPad app in the store, sometimes trading spots for #1 with Apple's Pages app. QuickOffice HD already allows solid document, spreadsheet and presentation editing (including the XML/Office 2010 and 2011 formats for Excel and Word), with good round-trip cloud storage hooks for most popular services. The recently-released Pro Select HD product allows administrators to set data security policies and turn off specific file access methods. With Connect by QuickOffice, the company is moving towards providing a proprietary, highly tuned cloud storage system of its own with the viewing and editing prowess of QuickOffice HD on the front end. The new app will allow users to sync immediately, save round-trip and access files stored on remote computers (either in designated folders, or via remote access to the full volume) while still providing sync with other cloud services besides the core Connect service. Collaboration options include file sharing and commenting; you can manage your shared files online via the Connect web portal. Connect will be offered on a free/subscription basis -- the free version lets you view files and sync up to two devices. Premium and Pro subscriptions (at $19.99 or $69.99/year, with Premium going up to $44.99 after an introductory period) add editing features while bumping up the device limits and file sync capacity. Connect by QuickOffice should be available as a free download in the App Store within the next few days. The second new wrinkle is from cloud storage vendor Box.com (formerly Box.net). The company's free iPad app has been revamped as Box OneCloud, providing quick links to over 30 Box-friendly iOS applications for viewing and editing files. Four of those apps get pride of place as "premier apps," offering -- wait for it -- round-trip file saves directly back to Box.com for the simplest possible integration and file management. Rockin' demo video below. The four premier apps available at launch with Box OneCloud are portable document reader/annotation tool PDF Expert, speech-savvy notetaking app PaperPort Notes, remote signature & authorization app Adobe EchoSign and, surprise surprise, QuickOffice HD. All four should gracefully save back to Box, and there will be more premier apps coming in the future. Box accounts are available free for personal use (5 GB storage, with paid upgrades available), and business accounts start at $15 per user per month. The iPad may not be the ideal tool for office applications, but if these two vendors have anything to say about it the story is going to get better.
Box OneCloud learns from Dropbox and iCloud, allows simpler document editing on-the-go (video)
If you're an avid Box user, what we're about to say is apt to have a great, positive impact on your life. For everyone else -- well, chances are you aren't about to swap out of whatever cloud ecosystem you're already entrenched in. In an effort to create a somewhat unique take on iCloud and Dropbox, Box has introduced OneCloud for iOS, a self-proclaimed "enterprise mobile framework to bring together your mobile content and the mission-critical apps designed to work with it." For now, it'll support over 30 iOS programs, four of which add "round-trip" integration; in other words, OneCloud will enable you to open a document in QuickOffice, edit it, and save it back without ever having to manually switch programs. To its credit, this is about as close as one could come to being genuinely productive on a device that tends to have productivity a bit lower on the priority rungs, but the video after the break still shows just how clunky the whole operation is. For our money, an ultralight laptop still makes more sense for business professionals on the go, but it's certainly not a bad backup to have around for making tweaks in a pinch.
Live your life like there's no tomorrow with David Lee Roth in a box (video)
Seriously, guys, when was the last time you ran with the devil? It's been a while, hasn't it? Leave it to David Lee Roth to show us all the way, yet again, this time courtesy of Arduino-based soundbox created with help from the Adafruit Wave Shield. The box runs on a nine-volt battery and has a big trigger button on the top that plays what sounds like Roth's infamous "Runnin' With the Devil" isolated vocal tracks through a speaker on the bottom. The box's builder has promised more to come -- we'd like to request a Murry Wilson "I'm a genius, too" box, if one isn't already in the pipeline.
HP and Box.net team up to offer some business customers some storage some of the time
Fact of the day: Hewlett Packard and Box.net's corporate headquarters are only one block away in Palo Alto, so Meg Whitman could have sealed this deal in a street corner branch of Starbucks. The two companies are teaming up to offer cloud-based collaboration and storage tools to select buyers (but only if they grab the gear via the Smart Buy program). Purchase a HP Compaq 6200 or 6005 Pro Series PC and you'll find 10GB free space waiting for you, plus discounted upgrades. Customers who go for the 8200 Elite Series PC instead, will find a year's free unlimited storage and sync on offer. If that all sounds so exciting that your palms are getting sweaty, head on past the break to find out more.
Box.net befriends Android, will offer Sony Ericsson Xperia phones 50GB of free cloud storage (update: LG phones too)
How much cloud storage space do you need? 2GB? 5GB? Pah! Box.net scoffs at your puny storage needs, and plan to offer a substantial 50GB of free storage (again) for anyone packing a Sony Ericsson Android phone. While the plans have leaked ahead of schedule, the fine details haven't been hammered out just yet; the official blog tells us that the company's "working to provide this offer very soon to all Xperia customers." When the offer does go live, logging in to (or creating) a Box.net account on any Xperia handset will open the floodgates to 50 gigs of intangible internet storage fo' life. If this keeps up, it shouldn't be long till we're looking at gratis terabytes and are freed of our not-exactly-crippling USB stick addiction, right? Update: Sony Ericsson's not the only one getting gratis cloud storage -- LG owners can snag 50GB for life, too. PR's after the break.
Nokia Lumia 800 unboxed: we shed some light on what's inside
We managed to grab enough time with the Lumia 800's retail innards here at Nokia World, revealing some welcome extras including a flexible rubberized case for that affectionate lump of polycarbonate. The requisite data cable, power adapter and headset are all accounted for inside the packaging, which is covered in shots of this dark, not-so-mysterious phone. It's all a bit more vibrant than the packaging of its other 2011 phone, but is still coated in that unmistakable Nokia blue. We expect to get our excitable digits on a review model very -- very -- soon, but until then check out more shots of what we can expect to get alongside Nokia's premier Windows Phone handset. %Gallery-137689%
New PS3 and PS Move bundles leaked by box manufacturer, Black Friday deal evidently in tow (update)
There may be a healthy selection of new PlayStation kits coming your way in the near future. Images of unannounced bundle boxes have surfaced over at Slickdeals, courtesy of Scream777, who claims to work at a package production facility that makes 'em. Those include a previously unknown Mayhem Edition PS Move kit with a Sharpshooter peripheral and the newest Resistance and Killzone titles, while a Complete Entertainment Bundle packs a 160GB PS3 Slim with a free month of PlayStation Plus and the latest Little Big Planet and Ratchet and Clank. Gaming blog Gimme Gimme Games claims that the CEB will be $250, with Scream777 noting that its order invoice lists it as a Black Friday special. Adding credence to the leak, said poster also threw in box shots of the 320GB Uncharted 3 bundle and Goldeneye 007: Reloaded Sharpshooter set -- both of which are currently available for pre-order. Here's to hoping it all proves true, but in the meantime, you'll find more details in the links below. Update: We've received a few comments noting the typo of "stereoscopic" on the box. While all of the pictures in the source do seem like they could be valid (as we mentioned, the latter two can currently be pre-ordered), it's certainly worth raising an eyebrow to.
Box rides on iCloud's coattails, offers 50GB of free cloud storage to iOS users
No, your eyes don't deceive you -- Box is offering 50GBs of free storage inside its cloud for iOS users -- just like it did for TouchPad owners back in June. Anyone who downloads the latest version of Box's app for iPad and iPhone will receive their massive lot for data storage after registering a personal account (existing accounts can join in on the fun as well). To make better use of that extra space, Box will also be bumping upload capacity from 25MB to 100MB per file and baking in AirPlay support. Look, Box is obviously skitching on iCloud's tail, but it sure seems like a crazy good deal considering that space is yours "forever." The promotion will last for 50 days, officially starting at 12AM on October 14th -- although, we're already seeing the update on our end. Full details in the source link.
SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30
It was teased back in September and now, it's finally arrived -- the SlingPlayer Android app optimized specifically for Honeycomb tablets. Available today on the Android Market, Sling Media's latest app allows Slingbox owners to stream TV directly to their slates, and features a new program guide, designed to help users browse content and change channels with greater ease. The SlingPlayer app for Android handsets, meanwhile, will continue to function on tablets in "compatibility mode," without exacting extra charges, though it won't offer the same resolution quality you'll find on a Honeycomb-laced device. Interested parties can grab the app for the familiar price of $30, at the source link below. Otherwise, click past the break for more details in Sling's refreshingly brief press release.
Lego's augmented reality at IDF, eyes-on (video)
It's not as cool as Chipzilla's other augmented reality project, but at least this one exists out in the real world. Present at branded storefronts, the camera-based AR tech uses image recognition on Lego boxes to superimpose their brick-ladden contents in fully animated form. New at IDF was the second generation of the already existing product, which despite being functionally identical to its predecessor, has now been miniaturized thanks to second generation Core processors. Ready to see it in action? Peep the gallery below and the video after the break. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-134152%
Real life Minecraft block combines cardboard box, Arduino, and a projector (video)
You know how when you were a kid, the box something came in was almost as fun as the toy itself? Well, that doesn't have to change as you get older -- provided you've retained that creative spark. Ben Purdy apparently kept his imagination nimble and, with the help of a projector, a piezo element and an Arduino (of course), turned a plain ol' box into a real life Minecraft block. Hit the cube with a stick, or anything really, and the projection-mapped image starts to deteriorate and particles tumble off as you mine it. You won't actually be able to turn your harvested materials into structures or tools, but it's still a good idea to keep an eye out for Creepers. Don't miss the trio of videos after the break.
Iomega's SuperHero for iPhone provides an iTunes-free backup solution
Personally, I have no issue with plugging my iPhone into my Mac every evening before I head to bed, recharging it, backing up my contacts and photos, and syncing my podcasts and music when I want it to. But I've heard before that a surprising number of iPhone (and iPod touch) users don't ever connect their devices to iTunes, and that theory is supported by Apple's big drive to go "PC Free" in iOS 5, leaving a PC or Mac connection out of the equation completely. For those not interested in connecting their iPhones to an actual computer every evening, Iomega is there with its SuperHero dock system, which I saw earlier this year at CES and tried out recently. The device is basically just a dock which plugs into the wall, and has only a power cord input and an SD card slot on it. Combined with an app you can pick up free from the App Store (and in fact, you're prompted to download the app the first time you plug in), the dock automatically backs up photos and contacts onto an SD card, and charges your device. The device was $69.99 at launch, but is now available for as low as $39.99, and at that price, I can see a lot of good uses for it beyond just the most basic of someone who might not understand iTunes or deal with a full sync every time they plug an iPhone in. This could be a good solution for an office or school backup system, where you might not be able to install iTunes and run a full sync on a work PC. Or it might just be a good way to offload your contacts and photos, keeping them in yet another location. The actual setup runs smoothly -- it really is designed for newbies, as it only takes about three taps to install the app early on, and afterward the app runs without any prompting. Plug your iPhone into the dock and let it go. Backup of contacts is quick, though photos takes significantly longer. I just got back from a trip, and loading the 17 photos I took with my iPhone took around 30 minutes. Still, this kind of "set it and forget it" backup is very useful, and of course there are options to not run contact or photos backup if you don't want to. You can also restore contacts and photos directly from the dock itself, so if you ever need to replace your phone, that's all very easy to do, even without a computer. Unfortunately, I don't have multiple iPhones for testing, but presumably, you might be able to use this system to copy contacts over across multiple iPhones -- each backup file is named separately on the SD card (controlled by another option), but it might be possible to plug in a different iPhone, and restore the contacts from there. One issue I had is that there's no way of pausing or cancelling a backup in progress, short of just pulling your iPhone out of the dock. But then again, that works all right, and the sync will just pick up where it left off when you replace the phone, so it's probably better not to have the extra UI anyway. Finally, there's one more option to encrypt contacts with a password if you like, providing a layer of security (which might be important if you set this up at your workplace). That's easy enough to do, though you have to remember that the security is only as good as your password, which you re-enter every time you run a restore. Iomega's SuperHero is a solid little device with quite a few different uses. Originally, I thought it was meant more as a dummy-proof way to get your iPhone backed up, but after using it, I can see quite a few places where a PC free way to get your iPhone's contacts and photos saved on an SD card could come in handy. It also works with the iPod touch. Even in Apple's brand new world of iCloud, where all of this information will be automatically saved on their servers, I can see reasons why the especially careful or paranoid might still want that extra backup functionality built into a charger, and especially after the drops in the SuperHero's price since launch, the SuperHero is a good deal. Iomega's made a weird little creature here with this dock, but it seems destined to be the platypus of iOS backup, sticking to old ways even when normal evolution might have deemed otherwise.
Honeycomb beta update now available for Logitech Revue, only the intrepid need apply
Logitech Revue users are waking up to some exciting news today, because they can finally run Honeycomb on their TVs -- if they're brave enough to try. As expected, the folks over at GTVHacker have leaked their Android 3.1 beta update for the recently discounted set-top box, now available for download and flash without even requiring a root. You can find all the requisite details and downloads at the source link, though you'll have to register with the site to do so. It's also worth noting that the update is still in a buggy, beta phase of development, and that once you upgrade, you may not be able to go back. If you're willing to dance with danger, let us know how you fare.
Star Fox 3DS case is environmentally friendly in a neat way
Nintendo has found a neat way to make its perforated, environmentally-conscious 3DS packaging into something wonderful. Siliconera snagged an image of Star Fox 64 3D's case, which slips tiny avatars of the game's key players in each hole, Brady Bunch-style.
Bounty Hounds Online coming in both boxed and digital versions
Bounty Hounds Online, an upcoming sci-fi action MMO, is going to give you a choice how you want it packaged: paper or plastic. Er, we mean "boxed or digital." The retail box will be released under the name Bounty Hounds Online Pro and will arrive in European shops this October. For the price of 10 Euros, players will get a leg up on this free-to-play title with exclusive content and in-game currency. Multiple language versions are planned for the box release as well. The game puts players in the role of mercenaries tasked with cleaning up an intergalactic war on a planet known as Clear Sky. You'll get to choose between five classes and four military companies before heading into the battle, not to mention the awesome-sounding CTU transformable combat pets. Recently out of closed beta, Bounty Hounds Online is slated for open beta on August 2nd. You can sign up by visiting the official website.
Amazon Deal of the Day: Cataclysm for $20
If you've started a new account recently or have been waiting to purchase Cataclysm, now's your shot to get the newest expansion on Amazon for only $20. Cataclysm is Amazon's Gold Box deal of the day, with a reduced price for only 24 hours. The deal is currently on the U.S. Amazon store, but the boxed copy of Cataclysm can be added or applied to any region's account. With the recent sales in the EU for WoW and The Burning Crusade, as well as the free copies of WoW that were distributed to game veterans to give away, Blizzard is making a hard push at getting WoW into more peoples' hands and lowering the admittedly high barrier to entry of an MMO that's now 6+ years old. Hopefully, we will see this barrier come down even more over time as Blizzard figures out the answer to one of the more difficult questions in the MMO genre -- how will Blizzard deal with expansions once there are too many to reasonably expect new players to buy them all to get the full game experience?
DIY robot is the brooding teenager you've always wanted to slap (video)
Is a robot really a robot if it refuses to act like a robot? That's the question we were asking ourselves after stumbling upon this DIY machine, which may have just seized the crown for World's Bitchiest Bot. Every time you flip the on switch, this little gremlin will partially emerge from its box to turn itself off with a vicious, whip-like gesture normally reserved for snooze buttons. Continue to rub it the wrong way and the petulant ingrate will eventually scurry away from you and start spinning around frantically, before completely withdrawing the switch and shutting itself off. After that, it'll probably spend a few hours sulking and listening to Elliott Smith in its room, but don't worry -- it's just a phase. Video after the break.
