📂 Stop Emailing Yourself Files: Intro to Our Cloud Storage Series

Frank Bravo 0:08
Welcome to Your Tech Makeover, the podcast that gives you tips and tricks to help you simplify and get more out of the technology in your life. I'm your host, Frank Bravo. Today's topic is one that I think everyone can relate to and that is sharing data between your devices. Have you ever emailed yourself a file just so you could open it on another device, or dug through endless folders trying to find that special photo that you know is somewhere? Trust me, we've all been there. The good news is, is that technology has evolved. And so these workarounds are mostly a thing of the past. If you know what tools to use. So in this episode, I'm setting the stage for a six part mini series all about sharing and syncing data. I'll explain what these tools are, how they work, and why you might want to use them. I'll even give you a sneak peek into some of the biggest names in the game. We're not diving into each tool today, but think of this as a map that we will use to start exploring each destination in detail over the next six episodes. Let's start simple. First, what our file sharing and syncing tools. These are tools that allow you to store files in the cloud, and that's in quotes, which is really just a fancy way of saying they live on a secure server that you can access over the internet. Then they keep everything in sync or correct across all your devices. So when you're updating a file on your laptop, it updates on your phone and your tablet or any other gadget that you might have connected to your account. No more emailing yourself documents or carrying around thumb drives like it's 2005. Although, truth be told, I still carry a thumb drive with me everywhere I go, just in case I need it. So why would you even want to use them? Well, here's a quick rundown of the real life benefits of this you can access anytime, anywhere. These files, whether you're at home, at work, sipping a latte at a cafe, your files are just a tap away automatically. And I'll say this in quote, they will back up. No more panic where your hard drive might crash. Your files are safely stored in the cloud. While these can be considered a backup of sorts, they're not a replacement for a backup strategy, which I know you've heard me talk about before. If you've heard other episodes of this podcast for collaboration, this is a great way to be able to share photos of family photos or edit documents with coworkers. These tools make it seamless to have files in multiple places at one time. And then finally, the cross-platform convenience is probably the best thing for this. It doesn't matter if you're using a mac, a PC, an iPhone, and Android tablet. They all work great together and your files can be everywhere all at once. Honestly, once you get used to this system, you'll wonder how you've ever lived without of it. So how do these tools work? Let me tell you in plain English. Here's the gist. You save a file to a special folder on your computer or your device, whether it's your Google Drive folder, your Dropbox folder, or your iCloud drive. There's an app that automatically uploads them to the cloud. From there, it downloads the latest version of all your files to all your connected device, keeping everything up to date all the time. I'll give you a quick personal example. Last week I was working on a website for a client on my desktop computer at home. Later in the day, I was out and I needed to check something because the client had called me and wondered about something. I pulled out my phone and I opened that same file on my phone, and I added some notes so that when I got back to my computer, it was all synced up and ready to go. There were no cables, no emails, no stresses at all. A quick shout out to listeners like you who helped make your tech make over possible. Your support helps keep this podcast going and I truly appreciate it. Want to contribute? Just click the link in the show notes or visit your technique. Overcome. Plus, as a special thank you, supporters who give $25 or more will get $25 off a one time consultation with me to help you simplify your tech. Thanks for being part of the Your Tech Makeover community. Now back to what I was saying. So who are the contenders in this space? I think I said this would be over the next six episodes. I was counting this episode as one of those as I'm going to mention five of them. Here's a quick roll call of those services Google Drive, Dropbox, box, OneDrive, and iCloud drive. OneDrive is from Microsoft. ICloud drive is from Apple. Each of these have their own strengths and quirks, which is why I'm going to dedicate an individual episode to each one of these over the next five weeks. That way, you can figure out which one works best for you and your needs. There are other tools to, and you shouldn't take this as a complete list of options, but these are the big ones out there. Are there other ways to share files? Well. Absolutely. While cloud tools are fantastic for syncing across multiple devices, sometimes you need to share a file locally, like when you're with somebody in a room. That's where tools like AirDrop for Apple users and nearby and Quick Share for Android or Windows users come in handy. These are different tools than they're different from cloud based tools that we're talking about today, but there are valid ways to share a file. So a few things to keep in mind. Of course, all tools are not perfect. So here's a few cautions to keep in mind while you are starting to use these tools. Make sure you understand the security and privacy of the platform you're using. Always use strong passwords and we're possible. Enable two factor authentication. This will help protect your files so that you know you have full control of them. Be aware of storage limits. Some services give you a certain amount of free space, but if you're storing lots of photos or lots of videos, you may hit that limit pretty fast. And remember that internet is required. Cloud syncing requires an internet connection, so plan ahead if you're going to be offline. If this is the tool you're using and you're going to take a long flight where you may not have internet, you may want to make sure those files are downloaded on your device before you leave. So to recap, sharing and syncing tools make it much easier to keep your files organized, backed up, and accessible across all your devices. Whether it's family photos, tax documents, or your next big creative project. These tools have your back. And like I mentioned in the next few episodes, we'll take a deep dive into each of these major services with the goal of helping you figure out which one is right for you. Have you started using these tools? I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what you think about cloud storage and how it's worked. I'd love to include your personal takes in these Dave deep dive episodes. And if you have questions or ideas for future topics, I'd love to hear them too. You can always reach me at Frank at your Tech makeover.com. That's it for now. Thanks for listening to your tech makeover, if you haven't already. Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast platform so that you never miss an episode. And if you liked this or other episodes, make sure you like it in those platforms as well, and you can always check out your tech make overcome so that you can learn more about this and other episodes. And as always, if you want to find out more about me, visit Bravo. Com. Until next time, I'm Frank Bravo, and this has been your tech makeover.