Business News Holding

Category: storage

  • Sony Reader Adds Cloud Storage Capability

    Every major technology company has worked their way into the mobile marketplace, as Sony has found their foothold with the popular ebook Reader device. Now they’re taking that to the next level, with the addition of Cloud Storage capabilities.

    Their new device, the Sony Reader PRS-T2, is now being released a year after the PRS-T1. While that device did gain popularity, it hasn’t been able to push aside Amazon’s Kindle. But these new upgrades may force ebook fans to sit up and take notice.

    The largest change is the incorporation of Evernote in the new device. That’s Sony’s aggregation service, built off of cloud storage, giving users the ability to mark their favorite sections or quotes from an ebook and store them in the cloud. They can then reference each highlighted section at their leisure.

    Evernote also gives users the ability to store video content or articles on the cloud, and then download them on demand to their Reader. That way users can read something on their home computer, and then pick up where they left off later on their mobile device. And a solid Wi-Fi connection is the only requirement.

    The Sony Reader PRS-T2 also comes with much improved battery life, and a promise of two months of continual usage between charges as long as the Wi-Fi feature is disabled. That’s roughly twice the battery life of the PRS-T1, a huge improvement for avid readers.

    Fans of the old device interested in checking out the new model can purchase it with a free download of the first Harry Potter book included. Future ebooks can either be borrowed from your local library or purchased for permanent download.

  • Microsoft Retools SkyDrive Cloud Storage

    Microsoft already offers a market-leading cloud storage service through their SkyDrive system. But the computing giant isn’t resting on its laurels, as evidenced by the recent announcement of some major upgrades to their offerings.

    According to the company’s debriefing, SkyDrive’s entire interface has been retooled, and will now match the tile-centric layout of all other Windows 8 devices. The new layout, deemed ‘Metro’ by Microsoft, will appear consistently on all the company’s new releases, include the upgraded Office release and new Windows operating system.

    In addition, Microsoft has added to SkyDrive’s search capabilities, expanded the sorting options, and improved the functioning of the drag-and-drop features. The SkyDrive desktop app has also received upgrades that should smooth performance on both Mac OS X and Windows 8 platforms, helping bulk uploads complete faster and with less glitches.

    Microsoft has also taken off all restrictions from the SkyDrive API, giving programmers the ability to adjust its functioning to their needs. This now allows third-party apps of all sorts to be uploaded to the Drive, making their cloud storage system welcoming for as many devices and users as possible.

    These significant upgrades shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to fans of Microsoft or industry experts. It’s been clear for well over a year now that Microsoft feels their SkyDrive will soon become one of the cornerstone products in their library. And since it will seamlessly integrate into all other Windows-powered desktop and mobile devices, they expect an increase in user retention across the board.

  • Cloud Storage Service Carbonite Chastised for "Misleading" Advertising

    Now that there are a ton of affordable cloud storage options on the market, younger companies must find ways to break through the noise made by their much bigger counterparts. Carbonite, a relatively small American cloud storage company, declared on their UK website that users would enjoy unlimited online backup storage. Apparently, the Advertising Standards Authority has cried foul, and Carbonite is scrambling to explain the details.

    An anonymous third party made the ASA aware of the website’s claim, and declared that the wording of Carbonite’s promise was misleading. Apparently it violated several sections of the Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, which weighs in on internet promotions. The ASA’s claim goes even further, declaring that Carbonite refused to help ASA investigate the situation.

    The problem is apparently in the details. The ASA found that unlimited data could be uploaded, but once a user exceeded 200GB of data, Carbonite would make less bandwith available. The slower backup process was not specified, leading to the rule breach.

    Carbonite was told to remove the statement from their site, but they instead released word saying they respectfully disagree with the ruling. Their statement suggested Carbonite was not made aware of the decision nor allowed to participate in the review process, so they will be contacting the ASA to look into the issue.

    Although Carbonite may not agree with the ruling, turning their back to it may bring dire consequences. The ASA has the power to submit an open case to the Office of Fair Trading, and they can have a company shut down. Possible civil claims by affected users are also always a possibility.

  • Box Raises $125 Million in Additional Capital

    There are many quality cloud storage companies out there, but Box has managed to distinguish itself by leaving private consumers alone and instead zeroing in on the business community. That small difference has led to a large amount of funding, but Box isn’t resting on its laurels. In order to take their business where they want it to go, Box is still looking for cash, and has been very successful in their search. Box recently announced a $125 million additional funding raise, bringing the total company valuation up to $1.33 billion.

    Several companies were involved in this latest fundraise, including Social+Capital Partnership, but it was General Atlantic that led the way. According to available data, this latest round of capital means Box has just about doubled in value, all during the last nine months. Back in the fall of 2011, Box was valued at $650 million.

    PrivCo, the research firm that released Box’s financial data, praised this latest move. Their CEO, Sam Hamadeh declared it proves that companies that have a strong model for revenue are still able to raise private capital at this scale, even during our economic recession.

    The Box board of directors will shift a bit now. Gary Reiner, one of General Atlantic’s investment partners and the former CIO of GE will join the board. And with their coffers full, Box will focus on building for the future. That means new technology, expansion into more regions of the world, and the capability to manage even larger corporate partners.

    According to Box CEO and co-founder Aaron Levie, the company is at the forefront of a software revolution. He envisions a time when every company in the world has balanced access to mobile technology, social media and cloud computing in order to keep pace with the direction of business.

  • IRS Hires Unisys for Cloud Storage Services

    According to a recent press release from international IT company Unisys, it will begin working with the Internal Revenue Service to provide completely private cloud storage. Under the Enterprise Storage Acquisition task order, Unisys will manage all of the IRS’ records.

    Unisys won the contract, and will keep it for at least a year. After the initial year, they will have nine more one-year options. The contract, if it runs for the entire discussed decade, could net the Pennsylvania company $139 million. Each year of service is priced differently, based on an internal analysis the IRS ran estimating their required storage.

    According to Ted Davies, the president of the company’s Federal Systems division, deals like this could become more commonplace. Even the Internal Revenue Service is operating under significant budget restrictions, and outsourcing their cloud storage needs to partner companies is simply more cost effective.

    As the contract begins, Unisys will take on all of the storage assets that the IRS currently owns and manages, folding them into their own cloud storage network. All in all, Unisys will take on upwards of 7.5 petabytes of the IRS’ current storage space, held is a range of data centers.

    Unisys will then design, construct and launch a completely new storage environment for the IRS, moving all of their current data onto a private cloud service. The IRS will pay for the space they are currently using, and then will spend more as their storage needs increase. 

    The stock market responded well to the new announcement, as shares of Unisys stock rose by nearly 3% by the end of business on Thursday.

  • Dropbox Spam Attack Underlines Possible Security Issues with Cloud Storage

    Dropbox is currently one of the industry leaders in cloud storage, alongside products like RapidShare, Google Drive and MediaFire. But when Dropbox became the target of a fairly major spam attack, even those that promote cloud computing had to admit that cloud storage poses a real security issue for IT professionals.

    The spam attack that Dropbox users experienced was traced back to the source, specifically one particular user who didn’t follow the basic rules of password security. A hacker snagged several users’ log-in information off a wide range of site, including the info of a current Dropbox employee, and discovered that employee used the same password and login for his Dropbox account as he did on the other sites. He accessed the employee Dropbox account and discovered a document filed with email addresses for other users. The result was tons of spam messages pushing Dropbox users to gambling sites.

    Although this problem was fairly minor in the grand scheme of things, it underlines the larger problem. Something much more sinister could have been introduced to the system, or the hacker could have figured out how to access some of the data stored on the Dropbox cloud. It starts with the individual’s misuse of passwords, but it also suggests that cloud storage employees may not be taking their responsibilities as seriously as they should.

    This time it was a list of emails, and that list was included without an additional password or any sort of encryption. Next time it could be government paperwork, or banking and medical records. Dropbox responded strongly to the issue, declaring they will instantly be incorporating security changes.

    Those changes will include an additional piece of identity proof during the sign-in authentication process, automated checks through the system searching out suspicious actions, a way for users to review their log-in history, and frequent requests to change passwords.

    It’s never going to be foolproof, but it is a solid step in the right direction. IT administrators will need to take a lesson from the Dropbox fiasco, and remind their coworkers about the need for heightened security. With billions of files now stored on the cloud, there’s simply too much data at risk to stand idly by.

  • LawCaseXchange Offers a "DropBox for Lawyers"

    Cloud storage has become a viable option for all businesses, but some industries need services more closely tailored to their needs. Thanks to a startup that just launched on Friday, lawyers should soon have what they’re looking for.

    The company is called LawCaseXchange, and the goal of Founder Shayn McFarland is to create a service that can share case documents quickly and securely online. McFarland has spent the last decade working as a paralegal, observing the inefficient way that case files were emailed or sent by physical couriers.

    Many cloud storage services have cropped up over the past few years, but none of the big titles, such as Dropbox, iCloud or Google Drive, focused enough on organization and collaboration to fit the needs of legal professionals.

    LawCaseXchange addresses those issues directly. Case files can be organized inside of specific case folders, with the proper parties invited to check out a new document as soon as it is uploaded. All files are available for the life of the case, and if new counsel comes on board, they have the complete history at their disposal.

    The startup utilizes Amazon’s S3 cloud, and it’s 256-bit encryption technology. McFarland said that they needed that massive might in case the company’s stored data is ever subpoenaed. It’s a similar level of support that the big companies enjoy, and is currently being put through the paces by a large legal firm based in San Diego.

    According to some attorneys that commented on the new product release, LawCaseXchange should be a fantastic resource for smaller firms that can’t afford to build out an internal management system for the massive amount of documents that pour through their office.

    Companies looking to pick up the service can get started for only $10 a month, which buys 5GB of dedicated storage and 30GB of downloads. At the highest level, $60 a month will buy 200GB of storage and 200GB of downloads.

  • Best Cloud Services for Syncing and File Sharing Services

    Cloud storage is swiftly transforming the way we share data, but it can also be incredibly confusing. There are so many options out there, both large and small, so how do you choose the best company for your needs? If your goal is to share files with associates and have the ability to sync that storage across your myriad of devices, here are some of the best in the business.

    Box is one great option, and users can sign up and start working completely for free. If you’re looking for added security and collaboration features, you’ll have to pony up for a Business account. But since those advanced accounts start at only $15 a month, even the smallest of businesses can get involved.

    If you’re not interested in those added features, you can stick with a free account that will give you 5GB of storage. Step up to 25GB for a $10 monthly charge, or pay $20 for 50GB. You’ll be able to share files and sync across all of your devices.

    For a service that’s simple and elegant, check out Dropbox. Once you’re signed up you’ll install a virtual folder right on your desktop, and you’ll move files in and out just as you would with a traditional folder. It will automatically sync everything, making it incredibly easy to use.

    A free account will only offer you 2GB of storage space, but a $10 monthly charge will get you a full 100GB. Dropbox even offers 500MB bonuses for each friend that signs up through your recommendation. It keeps past versions of every file, so you won’t ever lose anything, and the only drawback is that you won’t be able to upload to Dropbox from your email servicee.

    MediaFire has been around for quite some time, and they offer a great deal through their free service. Sign up, and you will receive unlimited downloads and storage space. However, the free account will only hold on to your data for thirty days. If you want to extend that, they have very reasonable Pro and Business accounts, which are both less than $50 a month. 

    Finally, check out a unique option, called SugarSync. It works much like Dropbox, but adds a ton of versatility. You can sync any folder on your computer, not just their dedicated virtual folder, and it has a great file manager. Their free service will give you 5GB, which you can raise as high as $250GB for only $25 a month. If you’re looking for a good mix of value and features, SugarSync is probably the winner.

  • European Officials Press for Better Cloud Computing Contract

    The European Commission met in Brussels this week to discuss the contracts offered to clients by cloud computing firms, concerned over future legal and privacy issues. Cloud storage has emerged as a viable data storage option for large and small businesses as well as individuals, saving time and money across the board. But according to a policy paper the EC recently released, security and privacy remain complex issues.

    The European Commission declared they are working to help the cloud storage industry, not add additional roadblocks. But they feel that the complicated privacy situation and possibility for expensive legal disputes will keep many European citizens from adopting the new technology. Their focus is the contracts these providers offer, which they feel are unnecessarily complex, and packed with confusing and contradictory disclaimers. The EC found that many of these contracts do not hold the provider responsible for confidentiality, the integrity of the data, or any reliable continuity of service.

    Since data stored in the cloud is often divided among several data centers which could be managed by more than one company, a dissatisfied client will find legal action next to impossible. The policymakers want to insure that this same workflow that makes cloud computing so attractive for consumers and providers doesn’t simultaneously give the providers a way to avoid accountability.

    When pressed, the EC regulators have found that cloud storage companies aren’t clear with their clients what they would do if data is lost or stolen, or even if they would do anything at all. The EC will work alongside the World Trade Organization, the United Nations, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to come up with a fair and balanced legal solution for these issues, but there is no timetable for when those findings will be announced.

  • Dell to Invest in Storage Start-Ups

    Dell has often put money into their own hardware and infrastructure, but after a recent announcement, it seems they are looking to invest outside the company as well. They’ve create a $60 million fund earmarked for Fluid Data Storage, with the goal of supporting developing start-ups that are focused on data storage. In exchange they’ll take an ownership stock in the products, but not the companies themselves, allowing these fledgling computer companies to continue charting their own course.

    It’s a unique mix of building and buying, with the goal of finding the next gamechanger in this evolving industry. Jim Lussier, Dell’s managing director of VC, is hoping to find new products in cloud or memory-based storage, as well as innovative architectures, and it’s clear they are willing to pay other savvy tech entrepreneurs to do the heavy lifting.

    Dell will give five to ten start-ups between $3 million and $5 million during this first round of funding. In return, they’ll take a percentage of future equity, as well as unlimited access to any new IPs the start-ups develop. It’s a great deal for businesses struggling to get off the ground, as long as they’re willing to work off of Dell hardware. Considering the significant market share Dell still enjoys, that shouldn’t be much of a sticking point.

    The start-ups chosen for funding will be selected by a wide range of Dell experts in software, corporate development, acquisitions and storage. On top of the fluid funding, Dell also promises to invest their own sweat equity, hunting down other venture capital groups to keep the money flowing.