Get a beta invitation to Cubby file-syncing service
The general public can't sign up for Cubby just yet, but Cheapskate readers can! Here's your no-wait invitation to file syncing and sharing done right.
Happy Friday the 13th. Let's celebrate this no-different-than-any-other-day-on-the-calendar day with a great freebie!
Cubby, the new file-syncing and -sharing service from LogMeIn, has been running a closed, invitation-only beta for the past few months. It's still closed, still invitation-only -- but I've got invites just for you, Cheapskate readers.
In other words, you can now get a free 5GB Cubby account. Just type in your e-mail address and presto, you've got access. (Watch your inbox for an activation e-mail. Mine arrived almost instantly.)
Quick caveat: This is capped at 5,000 users. If the limit is reached, you'll be put in the regular beta queue.
So, what the heck is Cubby, and what makes it better than, say, Dropbox? For starters, the latter gives you only 2GB of free cloud storage; Cubby gives you 5GB. And for each friend you refer who signs up, you get an additional 1GB (for a maximum of 10GB).
But Cubby isn't solely a me-too cloud storage service; it can also sync unlimited files and folders between PCs, much like Microsoft's Live Mesh. Dropbox, for its part, syncs only its own folder, and only the amount of data that's allotted to you. Same goes for Windows Live SkyDrive. With Cubby, you can choose any folder on your hard drive for syncing/sharing.
Want to learn more about it? Read Rafe Needleman's "LogMeIn launches Cubby: File sync and share done right."
And that was beta 1. The company recently rolled out beta 2, which includes unlimited sharing of cubbies, an updated iOS app (it's also available for Android), and an icon indicator that shows which files and folders have been, er, cubbified.
Cloud storage is all well and good, but I love being able to sync an unlimited amount of stuff between my PCs. That's great not only for sharing, but also for backup.
If you miss out on the instant-access offer, don't worry -- LogMeIn is admitting new users from the beta queue on a regular basis.
Bonus deal: As several readers informed me, Steam just kicked off its Summer Sale 2012 (and the site has been overloaded since, so you might have trouble getting through). There are tons of great deals, including new daily discounts, but my favorite without a doubt is Portal 2 (PC/Mac) for $4.99. That price expires at midnight tonight.
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