Is your Google storage just a big mess of unorganized files and folders that make it impossible to find anything? Here's how to clean up your Google Drive.
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Dropbox
Bottom Line: Dropbox is a simple, reliable file-syncing and storage service with enhanced collaboration features, but it's not as inexpensive or integrated as platform offerings like Google Drive, iCloud, and OneDrive.
The Best Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Services for 2019
Why waste valuable storage space on your PC or phone when you can store your documents and media in the cloud and share it across devices? These top-rated services let you do just that.
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How to Send Large Files Over the Internet
Trying to figure out how to transfer large files online? Gmail has a 25MB limit, but don't worry; there are plenty of ways to send large files over the internet, like Mozilla's new Firefox Send.
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Box (Personal)
Bottom Line: Online syncing and storage tool Box is easy to use and integrates with a wide range of apps and services, but it costs a lot more than similar products.
Livedrive
Bottom Line: Livedrive delivers unlimited online storage for a single computer and as many mobile devices as you'd like, but you can't use private encryption keys with the service and it lacks a continuous backup feature.
The Best Online Backup Services for 2019
You need to protect your computer from all data loss threats, including hard drive failure, ransomware, and natural disasters. One of the best online backup services can make it easy to secure your files.
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ElephantDrive
Bottom Line: ElephantDrive's flexible backup and versioning capabilities are overshadowed by its file upload limitations and unintuitive desktop experience.
Get Organized: How to Choose Backup Services and Software You'll Actually Use
Do you know you need to back up your data, but have trouble coming up with a plan? Productivity expert Jill Duffy can help, with strategies for online and local backup aimed at lazy people, perfectionists, and everyone in between.
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OpenDrive
Bottom Line: Online backup service OpenDrive is a good value and uploads files quickly, but its options for restoring backed-up files are not intuitive and its mobile apps need improvement.
Zoolz BigMind
Bottom Line: BigMind offers sophisticated apps and is easy to use, but it lacks common features found in competing online backup services, including private encryption key protection and robust versioning.
Acronis True Image
Editors' Rating: excellent03.13.2019
Bottom Line: Acronis True Image's full disk backups, fast performance, and useful extras such as active file protection, make it well worth the cost.
SOS Online Backup
Bottom Line: SOS Online Backup offers top-notch security features and true archiving for your files, but expect to pay top dollar for this service.
Carbonite
Bottom Line: Carbonite is an easy-to-use online backup service that offers unlimited storage, but a license only covers a single computer and you can't use it to back up your mobile devices.
SpiderOak ONE
Bottom Line: SpiderOak ONE offers top-notch security features and flexible backup and sharing options, but it's more expensive than the competition.
IDrive
Editors' Rating: excellent02.27.2019
Bottom Line: You won't find a better overall online backup service than the full-featured IDrive, especially for the price.
At its simplest, sync programs synchronize specific files or folders between multiple devices. For example, if you have a pc at home and a netbook for travelling, software such as Syncables will maintain current versions of your files and folders on both devices and automatically update any changes from one device to the other.
GoodSync is a powerful synchronization program that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can sync files to any number of locations, including other computers, online storage, and mobile devices. You can sync files to any number of locations, including other computers, online storage, and mobile devices.
There are several file syncing applications for both Windows and OS X, but few point and click options are cross-platform.
As much as file transfer is a good enough solution, SyncMate can actually sync data between Mac OS X and Android. Sync is different from just transfer, data gets updated on both devices and it can be done automatically without you having to move a finger.
If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch you’ll want the latest information available on each one. There are a number of ways to synchronise different kinds of information. Here’s my suggestions as to the best solution for each area that needs syncing. If you have an Android Phone read this article instead.
Addresses
Use Apple built in Address book (OSX) and Contacts (iOS) and they sync over iCloud. This will keep you iPhone and computer in sync. If you have an Android phone read this article on how to sync iCloud with Google Contacts.
Calendars
Use built in Calendar app on your iPhone and OSX, and sync via iCloud. If you want to share outside of the Apple ecosystem (eg to an Android phone like Google or Samsung) read this article.
Notes Option #1: (The Apple way)
Use Notes app on your iPhone and computer – they sync with iCloud.
Notes Option #2. (My preferred way.)
Use Notational Velocity (on the Mac) synced with Simplenote (iOS). This is a beautiful combination and superior to Notes in many ways. For more info see here.
I find it handy to have 2 separate Notes apps. My Notational Velocity currently has 748 notes in it: song lists, research material, bits of computer code and so on. It’s more of a reference file.
I have a much smaller set of notes (about 10) that I sync with my wife. For this I use the built in notes app synced over iCloud to both our phones. She would be overwhelmed with all my other notes!
Therefore Notes only has a few files, eg house cleaning plan, lists of presents, our shopping list. When I go shopping my wife can add items from home while I am shopping and I will notice them in the shopping list!
Mail Accounts
Do it manually or use iCloud if you want.
You can setup your computer and iPhone to use any email provider that you want (eg Gmail, Hotmail, Apple mail or whatever) and the mail will sync across. Just be sure to use IMAP (not POP) when you set up your mail. Then the emails can sync across all your iOS devices and computers just from your mail account – you don’t need iCloud or anything.
What iCloud does when it comes to mail is that it syncs the Mail Account information (username and password etc) to your iPhone. It doesn’t sync the actual email. So you can enter the settigns by hand, or use iCloud to sync your settings.
ToDo lists
Advanced: Things
Things is my favourite here but it is NOT CHEAP! There are many, many other free options available.
Things wins hands down if you are into organising your life via to-do lists GTD (Dave Allen) style. (I have hundreds of to-do’s in Things and it’s not cluttered.)
Simple: Apple Reminders
If you want a simple free solution to store just 10 or 20 to do’s then Apple’s built in ‘Reminders’ will do the job and it will sync across to the to-do list in ‘Calenders’ on your mac.
Photos
Photostream will make the last 30 days worth of photos available to any iPhone, iPad and computer (up to a max of 1000 photos).
(1) Turn on ‘Photostream’ in iPhoto on your computer under the iPhoto top Menu called ‘Preferences’ –> ‘Photostream’ tab then click the ‘My Photo Stream’ checkbox.
(2) Turn on Photostream on your iOS device under the ‘Settings’ –> ‘Photos & Camera’ –> ‘My Photo Stream’ –> (ON).
If you want to create a temporary Wi-Fi connection between your Mac and another device, you can create your own network from the Wi-Fi menu. Click the Wi-Fi menu and choose Create Network. Enter the details for your network, such as a network name and channel; When you create a computer-to-computer network, the menu icon changes to show a computer (). When you're done, click the Wi-Fi. Program that manages wireless network mac os x A long hidden airport command line utility buried deep.On, I can turn my interface in monitor mode, as explained in a 2007 OSXdaily article.I can also use the integrated Diagnostics utility to.
IMPORTANT: You need to make sure this only syncs photos when you are on wi-fi or else you would use up lots of data.
To turn on Photostream over cellular phone network (or check that it is in fact turned off!) you need to check BOTH these settings:
Settings –> iCloud –> Photostream (ON)
and
Settings –> General –> Cellular –> Use Celllular Data for –> iCloud Documents (ON)
If both these are on, photostream will work over cellular network.
If you have an Android phone, use Google Photos.
Receipts (Photos)
No solution!
I have been looking for a simple app that will sync photos of receipts across from the iPhone to the computer for all purchases that I make. Evernote was the closest I came but it lost half my photos in the sync so I don’t trust it. Bento is too clunky. There are numerous ‘Receipts’ apps but they either don’t sync or are too cumbersome. I’m open to suggestions!!!
I use Devonthink to store my receipts, but I can’t easily access them from my Pixel phone.
What is iCloud?
iCloud is Apple’s sync solution. You can sync your email settings, Address Book, Calendars, Notes, Photos and Keynote/Pages documents over iCloud. It’s very robust (unlike Apples earlier attempts such as MobileMe) and fast.
Related posts:
How to fix up broken address book syncHow to sync your Address book across computers and iphoneHow to get your address book contacts into your mobile phoneHow to sync your Apple Address Book (Contacts) with Google contactsHow to sync an Android Phone with OS X.rogersays:
How To Share Files Between Mac Pc
March 31, 2012 at 8:06 pm
how do i setup mail using imap instead of pop and does this only work for mac – iPhone or between macs as well? it’s frustrating deleting or reading a email 3 times!!!
Replylornesays:January 17, 2013 at 3:33 pm
icloud only works on Mountain Lion, and yet it works on all windows computers including XP, (12 years old). Do I need to scrap my 3 year old Snow Leopard Mac Book Pro?
ReplyWaynesays:January 18, 2013 at 4:55 am
It works on Lion too, but I get your point!
ReplyRodsays:June 6, 2014 at 1:32 pm
All I want is a simple note taking app that I can edit on both my iPodTouch and my Mac and sync with my Mac *without* having to go through any Internet stuff, any 3rd parties, or any special service such as iCloud. I want my notes to live only on my iPod & my Mac. (BTW, I use POP for email, not IMAP.) Mac chat program for facebook.
ReplyWaynesays:June 8, 2014 at 11:30 pm
The built in Apple notes app used to do that but sadly no more notes sync via iTunes sync without iCloud. Very sad. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4191
ReplyTheresa Fritzsays:October 11, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Receipts- I just saw a program called “Paperless lite” on sale for $9.99 on MacUpdate that claims to capture receipts, have you seen this program? What do you think? Theresa
Replylucysays:November 1, 2014 at 8:54 pm
You suggest that you will tell us how to synchronize iphone with Mac Mail but all you say is use the Cloud. How pray tell is that done? Your job of explaining not done yet.
ReplyMark Lidstersays:November 24, 2014 at 8:35 am
Hey Lucy,
Just had the same issue. Go into settings on your devices and under the iCloud option turn the mail option on. Then in mail on your macbook got mail – synchronise all accounts. I was missing loads of sent messages on my macbook which after I’d changed the settings almost immediately came through. Hope that helps
ReplyTedLsays:December 12, 2014 at 8:47 am
If you want to carry around notes, to do lists etc. and are not worried about security, one of the easiest to use apps is “notepad.cc”. I use it all the time because no matter which device I have with me or around me, I can go into any browser and type notepad.cc/password which is a password I create. Whenever I am doing research where my access is through a corporate computer, I just cut and paste my material to “notepad.cc”. When I get home, I just transfer the material to an appropriate document. I also keep my todo list and shopping lists right at the top. REMEMBER – IT IS NOT SECURE – JUST HANDY!
ReplyJim L Thompsonsays:December 21, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Is there a way in settings to delete emails from computer, ipad and iphone with one delete?
ReplyVicki B.says:March 30, 2015 at 5:03 am
PLEASE somebody answer Jim Thompson & Vickie! It is SO frustrating to delete on my computer and have to do it again on my iPad.
ReplyWaynesays:March 30, 2015 at 5:10 am
If you have to delete them twice there’s something wrong. Look at the article on this site that talks about gmail settings and OS X and make sure you have it set up right. All the best. Wayne.
Vickiesays:January 4, 2015 at 9:43 am
Good question!! I have been trying to figure that out for months! :)
ReplyPassarotimosays:
January 27, 2015 at 11:43 am
I’m looking for a calendar app with icons in month view. Pimlico made DateBook Plus for Palm and then Android. Very useful, one can look at month view and see a cursory schedule based on assigned icons for events. No day view required. Anyone find something like this for iPhone?
ReplyJamessays:February 6, 2015 at 8:03 am
If it’s a Apple device, I love Week Cal. When I use to have a palm years ago, there was one just as good made by Agendus.
ReplyKatiesays:April 20, 2015 at 7:16 pm
I currently have two (older) macbooks, an ipad that I have never synced to my laptop, and an iphone… :/ none are exactly “new” and I have different music on everyone… if I sync my phone with one computer (that has a different Itunes library) will it erase the music from my phone?? is there a way to combine all of these “libraries”…??! I need to un-complicate my mac life!! Help!
ReplyWaynesays:April 21, 2015 at 4:15 am
Easiest way is probably to subscribe to iTunes match for a year for $29 then all songs on all computers will be synced. Otherwise you’ll need to copy them from all the computers to one of your computers and sync the phone to that one.
ReplySergio Mindlinsays:July 6, 2015 at 9:00 am
How can I sync Contacts between my wife’s and mine devices (iPhones, iPads and Mac), since we have separate Apple accounts? We use two separate iCloud accounts.
ReplyWayne
Syncing Files On Two Computers
says:July 6, 2015 at 11:27 pm
You’ll need to add your wife’s iCloud account to your mac or vice versa then just sync contacts to it.
Reply
Best Program For Sync Files Between Mac Pc
Briansays:February 2, 2017 at 2:53 pm
I have an iMac that I’ve been using for years with lots of mailboxes. I only use my gmail accounts and don’t want to use iCloud. How do I sync all the mail and mailboxes on my iMac with another MBP? In other words if I get new emails and move then to a mailbox on my iMac I want that synchronized with the MBP.
Thanks
ReplyWaynesays:February 2, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Just to connect each computer to your Gmail account and this will happen automatically.
ReplyDavidsays:March 8, 2017 at 8:07 am
I’m trying to sync email and calendar on iMac. The email address I’m using is from my web site not one of the free online email clients (Gmail, Outlook etc.). I’ve tried both IMAP and POP3 settings with no luck syncing the calendar (no option to turn on calendar under the email account). Is there a solution for this to work or will I have to install something like Web Calendar onto my web server?
ReplyHank Robertssays:October 24, 2017 at 8:51 am
I don’t get Mail synchronizing. Can someone who actually has it working spell out the requirements?
I have a Mini running Mavericks and a MBP running Sierra, and iCloud has Mail selected on both computers.
The Mini (regular desktop machine) has Mail set up and cleaned out of unwanted mail. The MBP is missing some folders and has every email I ever received
I need a “make this one like that one and then keep them synchronized” operation.
ReplyWaynesays:October 29, 2017 at 2:38 pm
Make sure they are both using IMAP not POP, it should sync automatically.
ReplyOFSsays:June 3, 2019 at 8:00 am
Shame that iCloud doesn’t sync the Gmail groups. I know there are apps to do this but is there a way to do it using only iCloud?