Tech Notes

. . .

There is no longer any excuse for NOT backing up your files online. You can access your files from any Internet-connected computer at any time. And, it’s FREE. So begin the back-up process immediately. Here are a few sites where you explore to see which one fits your needs.

• Mozy: Up to 2GB free storage. Requires a free download of the Mozy software; this helps you figure out which files to back up.
• Omemo: Still in beta at the time of this writing. Works as a peer to peer network to create an immense virtual hard drive.
• Box: Up to 1 GB free storage; pricing plans available.
• DropBoks: Incredibly easy and simple to use – can upload up to 1 GB of your files here.
• MediaFire: Probably one of the best free online storage sites out there. Not only can you upload files here, but they give you lots of extra options (MySpace help, folders, galleries, etc.).
• in.solit.us: Requires free registration; lots of online storage plus neat features such as public file sharing.
• divShare: Upload all kinds of files here, including multimedia. Includes integration with Facebook and WordPress.
• Omnidrive: Up to 1 GB free online storage; integrates with Zoho and Snipshot.
• Yuntaa: Free up to 1 GB; also offers blogging.
• YouSendIt: Need to send a really big file? Use YouSendIt to send files up to 2 GB.
• MediaMax: Up to 25 GBs completely free; this includes video hosting as well.
• Senduit: Need to share a large file with someone? Try Senduit – just upload your file, share a secure URL, and you’re all set.
• Megashares: Up to 10GB available for upload storage; you get a URL where your files can either be privately or publicly accessed.
• Badongo: Free file hosting that allows you unlimited files, photos, etc. to share.

Drop me a note and let me know which one you selected. Make a recommendation, if you wish, for which site appears to be the easiest to use. Click on the word “Comments” to leave a few words.

Reference

Ask.Com Retrieved 19 Sep 09 [http://websearch.about.com/od/web20/a/online-storage.htm]

View these slides for additional ideas about what you can add to your ‘tool chest’.

This online slide presentation at the AuthorStream website contains instructions for using technology tools at the medium technology level of proficiency.

Instructions include:

(1) using MS Office for text to speech — the first 8 slides,

(2) using Mac OS preferences to create keyboard shortcuts for reading text aloud,

(3) zooming in/out for easier reading, and

(4) additional online resources.

Medium Tech Tools

Here are some general helpful tips for using the current version of Firefox.

http://sites.google.com/site/soetechteacher/firefox-tips

Jane Hart has created a slide presentation of 25 technology tools that might be important to your pedagogy. Take a look.

If you get really curious about search engines and their differences, access one of the following sites.

1) Rollyo

“Rollyo is the fast, easy way to create personal search engines using only the sources you trust… You can explore and save searchrolls created by the community of Rollyo users and share your knowledge on a particular set of topics.”
http://www.rollyo.com/



2) Cha Cha



“ChaCha works with virtually every provider and allows people with any mobile phone device – from basic flip phones to advanced smart phones – to ask any question in conversational English and receive an accurate answer as a text message in just a few minutes.”
http://www.chacha.com/

3) Fact Bites



“Factbites – a new way to search the web.
Other search engines spew out meaningless site-names and mangled phrases.
Factbites offers you real, meaningful sentences that are right on topic.”
http://www.factbites.com/

4) Mamma



The mother of all search engines
http://mamma.com/

Documents, photos and other files accumulate on your hard drive. It is a safe bet that if you lost those files, you would not be able to replicate them very easily, if at all. Free online storage is available for you to store those important documents. Some website companies offer you the opportunity to upload, access, and share your music, video, photos.
Access one of the following sites to find out how to safely save your documents online for free.

Media Fire
http://www.mediafire.com/

Notes from the website: “MediaFire is a free and unlimited file and image hosting web site with no strings attached. Our goal is to help make the Internet a more interesting and media rich place by provide the fastest and most simple to use tool for sharing all kinds of files in almost any way imaginable… You can create an unlimited number of folders and sub folders to store, organize and share your files and images.”

Box
http://box.net/

Notes from the website: “Box.net is an online storage and sharing service that gives you access to your files from anywhere. With Box, you can access important documents from your desktop computer, laptop, or even mobile phone. Once you’ve uploaded your files to your online storage on Box, you can also share them with anyone, anytime — Box makes online web file sharing simple.” Small 1 gb accounts are free.

4Shared
http://www.4shared.com/

Notes from the website: “Actually, it is a big online storage where Internet users store their text, audio, video, photo, and other files and share them, if they wish, with other people. It is easy, handy, and free!”

After you have selected one website to use, post a ‘Comment‘ to this BLOG and let us know which one you chose and why.