Monday 14 November 2011

Who Provides The Best Cloud Storage?

By Robert Mathewson


While you will certainly hear differing feedback over which provider gives you the best cloud storage, there is minimal disagreement over which companies rank among the top three. To take things one step further, there is possibly even a majority that sees the online storage contest as involving really only two companies - Dropbox and Amazon.

In this article, we will look at the key attributes and prices of these two cloud storage providers and let you decide on your own which one is the Leader in Cloud Storage.

Is Amazon the Right Cloud Storage for Everyday Users?

Responding, largely, to explosive interest in affordable cloud storage among casual consumers, Amazon introduced its Cloud Drive service plan in early spring 2011 to spectacular critical reviews. Cloud Drive's price of one dollar per year for a gigabyte of storage space, along with five free gigabytes for every new customer was a direct test to Dropbox's grip on the niche, but it was the brand new service's user-friendly interface that really gained the industry's attention. Perhaps the most significant impact made by Cloud Drive was in the innovations it gives those enthusiastic about maintaining and streaming large numbers of music files.

Engineered as a virtual extension of the popular Cloud Player, the service plan automatically downloads and stores any music files bought on Amazon's site. As for customers of Android mobile devices, the news is even more exciting as Cloud Drive offers an app which allows them to stream any one of their stored music files.

Has Dropbox Slipped Into Second Place?

Prior to the introduction of Cloud Drive a few months ago, the vast majority of personal cloud storage consumers would have probably been in accord that Dropbox addressed their requirements better than anybody else in the marketplace. At the equivalent of $0.50 per month per gigabyte of storage, the service has historically been one of the better cloud storage solutions available at its price point.

With its industry-recognized synchronization software that enables convenient file sharing and complete mobile app integration, Dropbox will undoubtedly keep on being a favorite for years to come. Whether or not is going to be able to ward off Amazon's challenge remains to be seen, however.

Which Online Cloud Storage Service is Best?

Attempting to determine which of these two exceptional providers provides the best cloud storage service basically boils down to the user's own personal preference. Amazon has obviously etched out a corner for itself as the top service for customers who enjoy storing and streaming music files (Dropbox doesn't have this feature) but, while it trumps Dropbox in price, it still finishes well behind in several places.

Dropbox's data file sharing and device-integration technology are still the best out there, and Cloud Drive has not yet tried to compete with this facet of its services. Amazon also trails Dropbox in the arena of security measures, providing basically none when compared.

And so, if you're a casual user concerned with easy use, streaming music, and getting the maximum storage area for the most affordable rate, then Amazon Cloud Drive is the best option. On the other hand, there is no comparison to Dropbox if you appreciate sharing your data files with various people across your personal devices.




About the Author:



No comments: