When I attended Blogher13, I stopped by a booth promoting an online backup service: Backblaze. I liked what I heard and wanted to try the service. After returning home, with coupon code in hand, I began backing up my laptop; something I had never done before. I should have known better, especially as a self-imposed geeky type, but we all think it will never happen to us–the inevitable computer crash. I have to confess it’s happened to me before and my computer was not backed up. So you imagine my excitement when I got the opportunity to test drive this product.
What do I like about it?
It runs in the background after initial installation and you don’t have to worry about it. You can schedule it to automatically backup or you can manually do it when it’s convenient (although I would not recommend this option–you might forget to do it!). The best thing about it is that it’s not being backed up to a physical hard drive, but is encrypted and sent to an external server that you can access from your computer or any mobile device. Your data is always accessible.
Locate My Computer
Another perk of this backup program is it allows you to locate your computer. Why would you need that option–how can you lose your computer? Consider this scenario. Your college-bound teen heads off to college with his new trusty laptop. Two opportunities might arise that he might need the “locate my computer” option. Forgetful as they are, students have been known to walk off and leave their computers. It happens. Or their laptop or computer might get stolen out of their dorm room and with this perk, you can locate it’s whereabouts using the “map this” option, and download all files before it’s ever recovered. This could save you thousands of dollars of replacement cost and stressful nights and days over papers, class notes, pictures and other documents stored on the computer.
Giveaway
Backblaze is providing me with a coupon code for one year of backup service to one lucky parent or student. Just enter the giveaway below as many times as you like to increase your chances.
How will you use Backblaze?
To backup all of my professional photography files and graphic design projects for clients (and family photos as well!)
neat, I’ve heard good things about backblaze! let’s see if I win
Sorry Robert. The giveaway ended on Friday. Take at look at this week’s Giveaway: Parents Countdown to College Crash Course. And come back each Saturday for a new Giveaway.