The competition for data storage has now begun because AOL has finally released a free 5GB to their users. Anyone can signup for the service on the Xdrive site but I am sure a lot of people are still going to be skeptical just because the name AOL is attached to it.
I decided to give it a try anyways and see what they had to offer. I definitely like the interface because it is easy to follow and you can find what you are looking for very quickly. The thing that makes me love the service the most would have to be the applications that they have to offer that integrates it into Windows.
Their desktop software has a lot of great features:
- Easy to use Backup Smart Pick Options
- Schedule multiple automated backups
- Access Xdrive through Windows Explorer
- Manage and share folders and files
- Drag and drop folders and files
- Open and save files directly from applications
- In-product help and user-friendly wizards
- Skip the Download plugin included
They also have a web browser plug-in that will let you download things straight to your Xdrive account by using an option in your right-click menu. I thought that would be pretty cool but I quickly got disappointed when I found out that it is only available for Internet Explorer.
An alternate solution to download content directly from the web is available but it isn’t as easy. You have to copy and paste the desired URL into a text box in order to initiate the download. It’s still nice for people who don’t use Internet Explorer.
I’m still not quite sure whether I would use this on a regular basis but I have been pondering the idea of using this for sharing files with my friends and family. Xdrive has an option that will let you share a folder with certain people that you choose. I’ll have to play around with it a little more to find out how much I really like it.
Thanks for the tip Jeff!
Not that I usually trust AOL, but I’ll take your word for it since I trust you (famous last words). This has potential, have to play with it a bit and see how well it would work. Be much easier then having multiple CD’s with all my pictures.
Well, now it appears the site is having troubles…it had so much potential too. I’ll give it try again tonight and then again over the next couple days. However, they have not made a very good first impression with me.
Yeah, I get a pretty funny error message when I try to login now: “We’re handling a lot of requests right now and it looks like yours got lost along the way. Please wait a moment for the Internet to catch up and try again.”
It got lost or their trying to log my information?
Okay it appears to be working now
Once I figured out what the heck my correct user name was:oops:, finally found it buried in the confirmation e-mail. Also looks like you can have more than one account, as they talk about being able to link them together. Something I’ll have to look into further since my music collection takes almost the whole 5 GB 
I didn’t see the multiple account thing…I just don’t understand what would stop people from creating 10 accounts and getting 50GB of storage then?
Glad you saw that though, I’ll have to look into it.
My username, did manage to get me logged in, but I too see that stupid error message.
Well guess that 5Gb they are offering has got everyone rushing into it!
I’m using Mozy actively though.
I am wondering how much will wait Google before launching something similar?
I tried to upload a file and it gave me some stupid error,they have some serious problem to fix.
I tried to upload a file today and it failed with some error, I tried both method. They have some serious issues to fix.
I pity the fool who uses AOL.
When it WORKS it is great. [mediamax.com] is offering 25 GB of space with 1 GB bandwidth/download limit (per month) and the interface seems to be simpler. Their desktop software is crappy though.
While Installing I am getting folllowing error :
Feature : DefaultFeature
Component: DefaultComponent
File: C:\Program Files\Xdrive Desktop\xdErrNotifier.exe
Error: The system cannot find the file specified.
Any solution???
Thanks
Hi, Xdrive desktop app seems contain virus!
My NOD32 detects the virus and stop installing.
You can see the screenshot [flickr.com]@N00/242336884/.
The NOD32 heuristic system picked up the virus which means that it didn’t explicitly match a virus in the database but it found something that made it suspicious. It is probably just a false alarm which happens from time to time.
If you need privacy just create an encrypted volume with TrueCrypt ([truecrypt.org]) and chop the encrypted volume up with something like 7-Zip and upload the individual files.
I’ll have to give it a try.
After all the above comments and experiences, is anyone willing to test XDrive?
I guess not. Definitely I will not try.
Xiejol has a really good point for people concerned with privacy. Truecrypt is a great open-source encryption solution so I will try it out as well to see if I can get it to work with XDrive. I can’t believe that I didn’t think of something like that.
I’ve been “testing” over the last 36 hours and have been running into issue after issue. The only way I have been successfully access my XDrive on the web was via a button on the desktop manager which at this point quit working again (says my login info is wrong, although it took the same info prior).
I think their servers are just currently overwhelmed and it should all pan out over the next few days.
As of ‘right now’ (as in to say that it may not still be when this comment is read) I was able to get right in on the desktop application. The one thing I liked about XDrive was being able to view your drive in Windows Explorer.
The latest release from Xdrive is Xdrive Plus.
In order to get a Free 5GB Xdrive Plus storage account you will need an AOL screen name, if you don’t have one then you can signup for one free and get an AOL email account with 2GB of space too.
Now that you have your new AOL screen name and password you can use them to sign in to your Xdrive Plus account and store many types of digital assets, like Word files, Excel files, PDF files, pictures, music, your browser bookmarks, your AOL email attachments, AOL Pictures.
Using the Xdrive Plus Web Interface you’ll be able to upload files or folders, share them with others. These files can be pictures, Word files, Excel files, etc.
Using our Desktop Application you will be able to do things with your Xdrive Plus account, like drag and drop files from your local (C:\ drive) to your Internet Hard Drive (X:\ drive).
The Desktop Application also provides other features, like scheduling backups, and backup now. [xdrive.com]
Our competitors do not offer the combination of services that an Xdrive Plus account offers. If you need more space then you can upgrade to 50GB for $9.95 a month or $99.50 annually.
If you are an AOL consumers who subscribes to other AOL Premium Services of more then $23.95 a month you’ll get your Xdrive Plus 50GB for Free.
Now that you’ve got your Xdrive Plus account you can take your data with you where ever you go. How?
Using your AOL credentials you can login using any computer that has an Internet connection, just use a browser and go to [xdrive.com] and enter your screen name and password to access your digital assets anytime, anyplace. [xdrive.com]
Do you have a WAP enabled PDA or cell phone? Soon you will be able to access your digital assets stored on your Internet Hard Drive using Xdrive Mobile Service and download your digital assets.
Thanks and Best Regards, Doctor Xdrive
est-ce que xdrive est en français ?!
Check out idrive.com]' rel="nofollow">IDrive-E that offers 2GB of data backups for free. This new entrant also has an intuitive UI coupled with features to make your online backup and restore exercises be as easy as pie.
For me this free online backup app looks interesting. On installation IDrive-E will schedule a backup of the ‘My Documents’. After a peek at their help file, I came to know that I could customize the backups. This is easily done by selecting the files and folders that I consider as sensitive and using the scheduling wizard to schedule the backups for a convenient frequency and time of my choice. I was able to adjust the bandwidth used by the application so that my regular use of the Internet remained unaffected.
You can restore files and folders from IDrive-E to the local computer with a simple drag-and-drop operation using a Windows-like Explorer interface or the main screen. IDrive-E also supports multiple drag-and-drop operations using Explorer view. IDrive-E retains 30 versions of backed up and you can restore any of these 30 versions, including the most recent version of your data files.
There is good protection for the data transferred with IDrive-E. The data is first encrypted with a private encryption key stored on the user’s computer. Then 128-bit SSL is used to transmit all data to and there is also 256-bit AES on storage.
As an Ex-Xdrive’r I’m aware that Xdrive has issues that affect consumers ability to due things that any consumer of an online service would expect that they should be able to, like, to be able login in the service 98%-100% of the time, whether the service is Free or you pay for it.
While Xdrive has been the leader in DAM for several years, seen bankruptcies and poor management/leadership in there many reincarnations, like, 100% Free Service to Free 50MBs accounts, 5GB and higher plans in the Paying Services options, and now back to a focus on the 5GB for Free service, as long as you are have an AOL Screen Name.
AOL management has been in part played a key role in these issues that Xdrive consumers have been facing. Be clear on the thinking behind it, it’s to improve your overall experience when using the One-Stop AOL Portal, known as [AOL.com], here you’ll be able to get an Free email account (AOL or AIM), Free storage and sharing capabilities with Xdrive (don’t forget to check out the new feature at Xdrive, Xdrive Shows), AOL Pictures, Instant Messaging, and many more cool Free services.
Now having said all that, later I will post information about the DAM Industry and the current and new players competing for consumers Digital Assets.
In my opinion, Microsoft is going to the biggest player in the DAM Industry in the near future. I beleive that MS has a vision that will change PC’s as we know them. PC’s will have no hard drives.
Yes, that’s correct, no hard drives. You’ll store all your Digital Assets on Microsoft’s storage severs.
Think I am crazy? There’s already a player in this new field. It’s starts by using the same technique AOL used when they started. Dumb the whole thing down. Simple to use custom made applications, like a browser, email, UI for navagation around the box, using an Open Source OS. If you want to know what it is, I’ll be glad to post information about it.
I’ll comment more about the DAM Industry!
Thanks and Best Regards
DAM Pro