Ubuntu One is an online service where you can store, sync and share your files. You can finally have your own personal cloud and you get the first 5 gigs free. What exactly does it mean to have a personal cloud? Well it means you can store files on any computer and have it automatically sync with any other computers that you choose. Let's say you use 3 computers at home and 1 at work. If you install Ubuntu One on these computers, you can access your files at any time. If you happen to be using a computer that doesn't have the service installed (such as a friends PC or a tablet), don't worry because as long as you can get to a web browser you can access your data by logging into the Ubuntu One web site.
There are many alternatives out there:
So what separates this from the rest? Well for starters it's called Ubuntu One, therefore it works on Ubuntu Linux.
Even if you don't have a Linux PC, you can still use Ubuntu One on all of your Windows PCs and they also give you a good amount of free space. Windows Live Mesh and Sugar Sync also give you 5 gigs free but the rest give you only 2. At the moment there is no true Linux client for the other 5 gig free services, so Ubuntu One is the clear winner if you run a mixed environment.
One of the great things about having your own personal cloud is that you can use also use it as a backup. Now at this point in your life I am sure you have accumulated more than 5 gigs of files so you can use your free space for important files. Anything unimportant can be stored on a USB drive.
However if you really need more space, or if your files are important enough that you can't live without them, then I would suggest in shelling out some cash for more storage. When it comes to your files the question you have to ask yourself is "How much are your files worth?"
If you think your wedding pictures, music albums and home videos are unimportant then by all means go ahead and risk it. But if these are priceless memories then spend the money and buy more space. Even if you saved your files on a USB drive you could still lose your data to fire, flood or theft.
It also has a music streaming app for your iPhone or Android mobile device, just like the Amazon Cloud Player. This is not free, it'll cost you a few bucks a month but if your a music nut then this shouldn't be an issue. If you're an Ubuntu user then the music you buy from the Ubuntu Music Store is stored on your personal cloud and ready for streaming on your smart phone. I love integration.
I have been using Ubuntu on a total of 4 computers, 2 are on Ubuntu Linux and 2 are on Windows 7. I store pictures, docs, home movies and some music and I haven't come across any problems. Also, I still use Windows Live Mesh so the combination of both services has given me 10 gigs of personal cloud space. I also keep a few things on Google Docs, Amazon Cloud Drive and a Sky Drive account, so I am pretty well covered.
So far everything is going great and I haven't spent a dime. If you haven't set up your own personal cloud yet, then head over to the Ubuntu One web site and give it a try.
Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.
