backup

The lack of options in native backup utilities means some Mac users may look to outside programs for more features. FileFort Free Mac Backup Software for Mac adds flexibility to backups, as well as some useful options, and would be a helpful utility for many users.

FileFort Free Mac Backup Software for Mac is free, but it attempts to install other programs from the developer, including an Internet tool bar, during setup. There were no problems during download, but the user must accept a lengthy licensing agreement to operate the program. User instructions were not obviously available, but there is … Read more

Helium App Sync & Backup saves copies of your vital data for you if you don't want to do it, yourself. It includes an app backup in addition to backing up your sensitive files, but it's a major pain to set up. It takes most of the appeal of automatic backup away.

Helium App Sync & Backup is made mostly for rooters, but it will work with some unrooted phones, too. To be sure it works with yours, check developer options in your settings menu and see if you can turn on USB debugging. If you can't, … Read more

Users with a Mac computer and several mobile Apple devices may want a way to track them from their Mac. iBackup Viewer for Mac is a simple application used to monitor information on an iPhone or iPod.

iBackup Viewer for Mac is available as a free application, but does have a button that solicits donations to the developer. Fortunately, there were no unexpected problems associated with download and installation. The program did not have any instruction or tutorials, but its menu was easy to interpret without them. At startup, the computer does not require any additional configuration and simply loads … Read more

When you need your files to be accessible wherever you go, there is no better option than using a cloud service. SugarSync File Manager for Mac helps you sync and store your files online so you can retrieve and use them at a later time. With this application you can access your files on the go on any device.

If you've ever used Dropbox, then you'll be familiar with how this app works. SugarSync File Manager for Mac offers a free service that allows you to store and sync up to 5GB of data on their servers. There … Read more

Quick housekeeping note: Last month I told you about DietBet, an intriguing site that links you with others for a fun (and potentially profitable) weight-loss contest. I set up a game with a $25 buy-in, then waited to see what happened.

Twenty-eight days later, the contest is over. Exactly 400 people signed up, for a pot total of $10,000. Your Cheapskate is now 8.5 pounds lighter. And in a couple days I'll know how many others will join me in divvying up the pot. Bottom line: This was a huge success for me, and whether or not … Read more

Finding outside storage to back up computer files is critical in the event of a technical problem. CrashPlan for Mac is a well-designed program and cloud service that performs its function as a data storage application.

CrashPlan for Mac is available as a free application, but the cloud backup service is free for 30 days. After that time, users must sign up for a subscription service based on the amount of storage needed and the number of computers they'd like to run the app on. The program's native installer quickly set up the program. The program's main … Read more

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Few cars have inspired as much hope as the Subaru BRZ: Hope that cars can still be unvarnished, affordable, and directly connected to the road and the driver. The BRZ isn't overwhelmingly powerful, it doesn't raise the bar on tech -- hell, it barely meets it in many areas -- but it's a lot of fun to drive in a classic fashion that harkens to the 240Z, 2000GT, and S2000.

We did a video on … Read more

A proper backup solution should back up your files and data on a regularly-scheduled basis. But it should also be able to create a disk or system "image" that can fully restore your system to a new or reformatted disk drive when disaster strikes. Easy-to-use backup utility, Abelssoft Backup can do that -- and it's free to try for 30 days.

Abelssoft Backup's user interface is very easy to use, spare, and clean. That's fine with us, especially the "easy" part; this tool's look is a refreshing break from some other backup … Read more

Users working between multiple workstations may need to access the same file from different computers and back up data between them. ChronoSync for Mac is a welcome program for those users and syncs data quickly and securely.

The program offers a free trial version available with a 500-file transfer limit while the full version requires $40 to unlock. The setup of ChronoSync for Mac went smoothly despite requiring acceptance of a lengthy user agreement. Upon first starting the program up, the user can choose to open a complete user manual, which is a welcome addition to this type of program, … Read more