External Storage - USB?

david78

If you get a network drive you can create your own Cloud for the home. There is the initial setup cost, but no ongoing charges for much more storage. Its more secure too.

anotheruser

^ People store their bank cards on "other people's computers" .....

But with millions of people storing photos of holidays and home videos of Christmas parties, it's not exactly anything interesting to look at, even if the likes of Amazon or Microsoft or any other company (apart from Google) decide to look.

Google is another matter, they freely admit they look at data so they can serve you ads that "are more relevant to you".

While I don't use Cloud storage myself, as yet, I see that in the end, that is what it will be. Plus, as the poster above says, you can easily create your own cloud storage.

Fightsback

anotheruser wrote: »

^ People store their bank cards on other people's computers...

But with millions of people storing photos of holidays and home videos of Christmas parties, it's not exactly anything interesting to look at, even if the likes of Amazon or Microsoft or any other company (apart from Google) decide to look.

Google is another matter, they freely admit they look at data so they can serve you ads that "are more relevant to you".

While I don't use Cloud storage myself, as yet, I see that in the end, that is what it will be. Plus, as the poster above says, you can easily create your own cloud storage.

If you are going to use a cloud, encrypt your data before you put it in the cloud.

Nilrem

Fightsback wrote: »

If you are going to use a cloud, encrypt your data before you put it in the cloud.

Very much so, and still keep a local backup.

It's not unknown for people's cloud accounts to get hacked as they have far far lower level of security than most systems that handle card data (if just because most people don't want to go through the hoops involved in good security).

Also IIRC a few weeks ago there were several fairly nasty exploits discovered (and then patched) with some cloud services.

Stompa

anotheruser wrote: »

But with millions of people storing photos of holidays and home videos of Christmas parties, it's not exactly anything interesting to look at, even if the likes of Amazon or Microsoft or any other company (apart from Google) decide to look.

It'll become much more of a concern when automated facial recognition starts getting rolled out though:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3003053/Google-claims-FaceNet-perfected-recognising-human-faces-accurate-99-96-time.html

and they can identify who is in the photos.

bluesnake

Stompa wrote: »

It'll become much more of a concern when automated facial recognition starts getting rolled out though:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3003053/Google-claims-FaceNet-perfected-recognising-human-faces-accurate-99-96-time.html

and they can identify who is in the photos.

Google via google+ have been talking about this for about 2 years now. Then they want to use the gps info and date so all the other photos to that event will be tied together completing an album of the event.

JethroUK

Infidel wrote: »

Hi.

Just a quick question. My PC is pretty much full to the brim so I need to offload some stuff (also I should ideally back-up all my photos and music regardless - just in case it finally conks out).

I was wondering if instead of buying an external hard drive it might be better to get some USB storage devices (like the small ones that look like small mp3 players).....I've seen small ones that are around 64gig.

Anyway, just wanted people's opinions on the pros and cons. Are they reliable? And finally a recommendation on a good place to buy at a good price (high street or internet).

I'm looking for a minimum of around 200gig........but it doesn't have to be on the same device. I heard that often it's better not to put all your eggs in one basket anyway.

Thanks.

You need at least terabyte drive nowadays and you probably have plenty of space

If you are looking at backing up music and photos then burn them to DVD

They are so cheap you can backup regularly and thereby create not just 1 but 100s backups

I backup regularly to dvd and just write the date on the front and chick or in my draw with the other copies