Android Cloud Storage Apps

by ShersAndroid

Store your digital content in the "cloud" to free-up memory on your Android smartphone or tablet computer.

Cloud storage has become a popular way to store documents, images, videos and music, while freeing up space on your Android smartdevice. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when storing things in the "cloud." Learn about cloud storage and how to keep your data safe in the "cloud."

Cloud Storage and Cloud Storage Android Apps

Store your Stuff in the Cloud

Android has some great apps to help you add more storage to your smartphone or tablet. These apps connect to the “cloud,” which you can access from your computer and/or mobile devices, as long as you have an Internet connection. Why store things in the cloud? We are increasingly creating digital content—from documents, pictures and more. File sizes vary, and soon our smart mobile devices fill up with stuff, then we have to find a place to put it. That’s where cloud storage comes in. 

Cloud storage brings pictures of nice fluffy, white clouds to mind—and we picture our digital content floating somewhere above our heads, stored until we need it again. Well, sorry, but this is not what “cloud storage” is. Cloud storage is way to store digitized content online, at a hosting company’s onsite server. When you send something to cloud storage from your phone or tablet computer, it is delivered via WiFi to the server where your storage account is located. 

Cloud Storage

Online Storage in the Cloud
Cloud Storage
Cloud Storage

Benefits of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage

Here is a list of benefits to cloud storage:

  • No need for physical storage, i.e., CDs, DVDs, pen drives, external hard drives.
  • Maintenance and backup can be automated.
  • Convenience: you have more storage space for photos and other digital content, while saving memory on your mobile device.
  • Many cloud storage apps work across all your devices—smartphones, tablet computers and desktop and laptop computers. 

Potential Problem with Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage

Nothing's Perfect

Potential problems with cloud computing and storage include: 

  • Security:  hackers, malware and other problems can attack your digitized data, and even cause you to lose sensitive data or favorite photos. 
  • Availability and reliability:  area networks may be out of range, the hosting company may have problems keeping their service up and running most of the time.
  • Potential exists for your uploads to be intervened and stolen by hackers and others.      

Tip: Be Careful What You Store in the Cloud

If you decide to use cloud storage, keep in mind the potential for loss of sensitive data and precious files. It is best to avoid storing these items in the cloud:  personal documents (such as birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, tax and financial information), irreplaceable photos and other digitized content. These types of items are best stored at home on an external hard drive or other storage media. Also, whatever you choose to store in the cloud, make sure you have a backup at your home or office, in case the hosting company decides to fold or is attacked by hackers, or natural disaster, etc. 

Helpful Home Options for Digital Storage

Western Digital My Passport Essential SE 1 TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive (Black)

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SanDisk Cruzer 32 GB USB Flash Drive SDCZ36-032G

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Only $10.67
Sandisk 16GB MicroSDHC Memory Card, Class 4

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Only $6.37

Best Android Cloud Storage and Cloud Storage Apps

Here are some of the most reliable and safest cloud storage apps in Google's Play Store. These apps can help you bring quick and easy ways to store digital content for business or personal uses.

Dropbox

Only $0.0

Dropbox Android App

Google's Play Store & Amazon Appstore

The Dropbox app has a free account available, with up to 2GB of storage space, that you can use for as long as you need or want to. The pro plan is $9.99/month for 50GB of storage, while the Pro 100 plan is $19.99/month for 100GB of cloud storage. There is one more plan option, the Team Plan, with gives you a large, shared quota, centralized admin and billing, etc. The basic price for the Team Plan starts at 1TB of storage for 5 users, at $795/month. This app can be installed on your Android device’s SD card, and you can lock the account with a four-digit pin code. Dropbox is easy to use. 

Dropbox will work on all of your mobile devices, and also on your office and home computers. This app also allows you to share files with your contacts via email or SMS. You can download files for offline access. Dropbox offers a download size of 2.8 MB, with an upload file size limit of 300 MB. This is a free app, but it’s ad-free.

SugarSync

Only $0.0

SugarSync Android App

Google's Play Store & Amazon Appstore

The SugarSync app is another cloud storage option that is easy to use, reliable and safe for your digital content. However, SugarSync offers a free account of 5GB, up to 500 documents, 2,000 photos and 2,000 songs. The next storage plan is 30 GB, for $4.99/month or $49.99/year—you can do a 30-day free trial of this account. And it goes on up from there. A 100 GB cloud storage account with Sugarsync will be able to accommodate 10,000 documents, 20,000 photos, and 15,000 songs. Doesn’t that stagger the imagination? It does mine. 

SugarSync will also work on all of your mobile devices and is accessible from your home and office computers, as long as you have an Internet connection. The download size is 1.1MB, however, I couldn’t find the upload file size information. Sugarsync will allow you to download files for offline viewing, and make changes to files on your mobile device or computer, and Sugarsync will automatically snyc to save the new version of your file. Sugarsync can also be accessed via web browser on your computer or Android mobile devices.

 

Box

Only $0.00

Box Android App

Google's Play Store & Amazon Appstore

The Box app is another popular safe, easy to use and reliable cloud storage service available on the Android Market. Much like Dropbox and Sugarsync, Box offers different plans. Box offers plans categorized as Personal, Business and Enterprise IT. You can start off with a personal plan for free, up to 5GB of storage. Box allows you to view and access files anytime, and on all of your devices, as long as you have an Internet connection. You can share files, a whole folder and receive real-time updates when anyone’s viewed, edited or commented on a file. Online collaboration is easy with Box, as you can invite others to share and edit, post comments and have discussions and more. 

Box has an upload limit of 100MB and I couldn’t find the download information. You can save files directly to your device’s SD card, or to your home or office computer. Box even offers a widget for your mobile device’s home screen, for easy and fast access to your cloud storage. 

Cloud Cloud Storage

More to Come

There are so many new options available for cloud computing and cloud storage that's it hard to keep up with them all. I'll keep watching for new options available in Google's Play Store, and will post them here. It's fun to watch all this tech stuff changing right before your eyes, evolving every day!

More Android Articles on Wizzley

By Shersandroid

How To Download and Install Android Apps from the Android Market
This article offers step-by-step instructions and images to walk you through downloading a new app from the Android Market to your Android device.

Android Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage Apps
Need more storage on your Android device? Take a look at cloud storage. This article will explain cloud storage, and offer a list of some of the best cloud storage apps available on the Android Market.

Essential Droid Productivity Apps
Do you need help keeping your business and personal life on track? Check out these apps in order to stay more organized and on track!

Shersandrod Wizzography
Learn about who Shersandroid is and what led her to write about Android products.

Updated: 05/02/2012, ShersAndroid
 
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Are you a fan of cloud computing and cloud storage? Why or why not?

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RubyHelenRose on 02/27/2013

I love drop box for it's auto storage of my photos onto my laptop and mac mini.

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