 | |
| Industry | Online Backup Software |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Pro Softnet Corporation |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
| Products | IDrive |
| Website | www |
IDrive Inc. is a technology company that specializes in data backup applications. [1] [2] [3] Its flagship product is IDrive, an online backup service available to Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android users. [1] [2] [3]
Pro Softnet Corporation was founded in 1995 and is based in Calabasas, California, within Los Angeles County. [4]
Pro Softnet Corporation's initial product was called IBackup, but it acquired the idrive.com domain name from defunct company I-drive around mid-2003. [5]
IDrive products were mentioned by Lifehacker, Macworld, PC World, CNET, Tech Crunch, Notebook Review, PC Magazine and Engadget. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
Pro Softnet Corporation has been plagued by patent infringement lawsuits and has spoken out publicly about how they are a drain on the company's resources. [13]
IDrive is an automated backup application that runs on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Once installed, users select folders and files to be backed up at user-specified times. IDrive offers incremental and compressed backups so users only upload modified portions of a backup file, and files may also be updated in real time with a continuous backup option. Users have the ability to limit bandwidth usage during the backup process. [6] The previous 10 versions [14] of a file are automatically retained and IDrive does not automatically delete backup data, even if backup files are deleted on the user's computer. [7] Users can share their files through email, social media sites including Facebook and Twitter, and via a mobile phone application for Android, iPhone and Windows Phone.[ citation needed ]
IDrive allows a user to back up data from all compatible devices to a single account. The iDrive application runs natively on Windows, OSX, as well as on several models of NAS devices made by Synology, QNap, and Netgear. [7]
IDrive provides multiple data retrieval options. Backup files can be accessed remotely from any Internet browser or with IDrive's client software. If a user wants access to all backup files, IDrive can ship all backup files on a 3 TB hard drive. [6] [15]
Files on IDrive are stored using 256-bit AES encryption allowing for an optional user-defined key that must be shared with IDrive, but which IDrive claims will not be permanently stored on their servers. [9] IDrive also provides activity reports, backup status reports and shared file reports.
IDriveSync allows a user to synchronize files across different devices. [16] [17]
IDrive Portable is a USB hard drive designed for local backup. [18] The hard drive has 3 terabytes of storage space and runs at 5,400 RPM. [18] [19] [15]
IDrive Lite is a free application for iOS, BlackBerry and Android devices, which allows users to back up their contacts list online. [10] [20] Users can also restore their backup contacts to different devices, even devices that have different operating systems. [10] [21]
In 2012, IDrive released IDrive EVS, a publicly available software development kit and API. [22] The kit, which includes built-in encryption and a command-line API, allows users to create applications for use with IDrive's cloud storage services. [22]
IDrive Photos is a subscription-based app for iOS and Android devices that allows users to back up photos from their phones. [23] [24] By default, photos are saved in their original resolution in cloud storage. [25]
IDriveConnect - allowing users to access their Google Docs as if they were sitting in a regular folder on their computer. [12]
IDrive 360 - Endpoint cloud backup for enterprise, IT and Service providers
Maxthon is a freeware web browser, created by JeffChen in Singapore. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and as Maxthon Mobile for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8. Since version 6, Maxthon is based on Chromium.
Hightail, formerly YouSendIt, is a cloud service that lets users send, receive, digitally sign, and synchronize files. YouSendIt.com and YouSendIt Inc. were founded in 2004; the company renamed itself Hightail in 2013.
SugarSync is a cloud service that enables active synchronization of files across computers and other devices for file backup, access, syncing, and sharing from a variety of operating systems, such as Android, iOS, Mac OS X, and Windows devices. For Linux, only a discontinued unofficial third-party client is available.
Microsoft OneDrive is a file-hosting service operated by Microsoft. First released in August 2007, it allows registered users to store, share and sync their files. OneDrive also works as the storage backend of the web version of Microsoft 365 / Office. OneDrive offers 5 GB of storage space free of charge, with 100 GB, 1 TB, and 6 TB storage options available either separately or with Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
MediaFire is a file hosting, file synchronization, and cloud storage service based in Shenandoah, Texas, United States. Founded in June 2006 by Derek Labian and Tom Langridge, the company provides client software for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, BlackBerry 10, and web browsers. MediaFire has 43 million registered users and attracted 1.3 billion unique visitors to its domains in 2012.
MobileMe is a discontinued subscription-based collection of online services and software offered by Apple Inc. All services were gradually transitioned to and eventually replaced by the free iCloud, and MobileMe ceased on June 30, 2012, with transfers to iCloud being available until July 31, 2012, or data being available for download until that date, when the site finally closed completely. On that date all data was deleted, and email addresses of accounts not transferred to iCloud were marked as unused.
PlayOn is a streaming media brand and software suite that enables users to view and record videos from numerous online content providers. The suite consists of two main products: PlayOn Cloud and PlayOn Desktop. PlayOn Cloud is an online service for recording digital video streams, accessible via native iOS or Android mobile device applications. PlayOn Desktop is Windows-based software that acts as a streaming dashboard and hub on the PC. The available streaming websites are organized as channels in both products. Users browse through or search the video content found in those channels in order to record the videos for later viewing. PlayOn Desktop allows watching the videos real-time on the PC, or casting the videos to a TV via a streaming device or gaming console.
This is a comparison of online backup services.
Dmailer was a French company which specialized in portable backup and synchronization software for devices, including USB flash drives, memory cards, external hard disk drives, MP3 players, embedded phone memories, SIM cards and flash-based memory cards for mobile phones.
ZumoDrive is a defunct cloud-based file hosting service operated by Zecter, Inc. On December 22, 2010, Zecter announced its acquisition by Motorola Mobility. The service enabled users to store and sync files online, and also between computers using their HybridCloud storage solution; the latter functionality stopped working in approximately September 2011, while the former was undergoing formal takedown on May 1, 2012. ZumoDrive had a cross-platform client that enabled users to copy any file or folder into the ZumoDrive virtual disk that was then synced to the web and the users' other computers and hand-held devices. Files in the ZumoDrive virtual disk could be shared with other ZumoDrive users or accessed from the web. Users could also upload files manually through a web browser interface. A free ZumoDrive account offered 2 GB of storage, and users could upgrade to paid plans ranging from 10 GB to 500 GB for a monthly subscription fee. The ZumoDrive service was integrated into Yahoo! Mail, allowing users to send or receive any file on their ZumoDrive, and powers HP's recent CloudDrive technology, bundled on all new HP Mini netbooks.
Style Jukebox was a hi-fi high-resolution audio cloud music streaming and storage player for the Windows, iOS, Android and Windows Phone platforms. A Web Player was also available for Mac, Windows and Linux.
Amazon Drive, formerly known as Amazon Cloud Drive, was a cloud storage application managed by Amazon. The service offered secure cloud storage, file backup, file sharing, and Photo printing. Using an Amazon account, the files and folders could be transferred and managed from multiple devices, including web browsers, desktop applications, mobiles, and tablets. Amazon Drive also let their U.S. users order photo prints and photo books using the Amazon Prints service.
Google Sync was a file synchronization service from Google that provided over-the-air synchronization of Gmail, Google Contacts, and Google Calendar with PC and mobile device Mail, Calendar and Address Book applications. It used Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync® to let service users synchronize their Google Apps mail, contacts, and calendars to their mobile devices, wherein the users can also set up or customize the alerts for incoming messages and upcoming meetings. Google Sync worked with PC, Mac, Linux, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian S60, iPhone, iPad, Windows Mobile, and other devices. Google Sync was announced in February 2009 and discontinued for non-business users in December 2012.
iCloud is a cloud service operated by Apple Inc. Launched on October 12, 2011, iCloud enables users to store and sync data across devices, including Apple Mail, Apple Calendar, Apple Photos, Apple Notes, contacts, settings, backups, and files, to collaborate with other users, and track assets through Find My. It is built into iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, macOS, and visionOS. iCloud may additionally be accessed through a limited web interface and Windows application.
Google Drive is a file-hosting service and synchronization service developed by Google. Launched on April 24, 2012, Google Drive allows users to store files in the cloud, synchronize files across devices, and share files. In addition to a web interface, Google Drive offers apps with offline capabilities for Windows and macOS computers, and Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Google Drive encompasses Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides, which are a part of the Google Docs Editors office suite that allows collaborative editing of documents, spreadsheets, presentations, drawings, forms, and more. Files created and edited through the Google Docs suite are saved in Google Drive.
Bitcasa, Inc. was an American cloud storage company founded in 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was later based in Mountain View, California until it shut down in 2017.
Yandex.Disk is a cloud service created by Yandex that lets users store files on “cloud” servers and share them with others online. The service is based on syncing data between different devices. Yandex.Disk was launched in English in June 2012.
Livedrive is an online cloud backup and sync storage service owned by j2 Global. The company provides users with unlimited backup space and 2,000 GB or more of sync storage. Livedrive enables users to access their data from mobile phones and tablets. Currently Livedrive has apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and ChromeOS.
Puffin Browser is a remote browser developed by CloudMosa, an American mobile technology company founded by Shioupyn Shen.
The HomeSync is an Android TV box and home server combo developed by Samsung Mobile. The unit is a full Android Jelly Bean device with a hard drive. While all other connected television units made by Samsung ran Orsay-based Samsung Smart TVs, due to the fact the HomeSync is made by Samsung's mobile division, it ran a skin of Android Jelly Bean. The HomeSync at launch was compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition and Samsung Galaxy Camera. Others may have been supported if they had a protocol called "Samsung Link". The specs are noted to resemble the Ouya video game console minus the hard drive. It was announced in February 2013 at Mobile World Congress. It has been compared to the Apple TV series by Apple, which also integrated with iOS devices, but did not have network storage and cost less. The console features a 50 USD credit for Media Hub when you buy a HomeSync. On December 17, Samsung made most Android devices support the unit by adding it to the Play Store, also widening support of Samsung phones. Shortly before it launched, the store page and manual were available but unable to be bought.