CompuClever Blog

Which Free Cloud Storage Service Provider Is Right For You?

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We live in a time when there are more free online storage services than ever before. But which one is right for you? And is online storage the best way to back up your important files?

If you have ever experienced a hard drive failure you have probably lost photos, videos and other important files. Or, if you have owned your computer for a while, you’ll probably find you’re running out of space on your hard drive, slowing everything down. Luckily, cloud storage can help you protect your files or free up space on your computer, usually automatically.

However, it can be challenging when trying to choose an online backup and storage service. To make it a little easier, we have described a few of the leading providers, with some pros and cons for each you should be aware of.

Dropbox

dropbox online storage

Dropbox is one of the most well-known online backup services there is. The free version gives you 2GB of storage to start out, and Dropbox is designed to be installed on your desktop computer in order to sync files with the cloud. You can then share these files with anyone with a link.

Many people use Dropbox as an alternative to Facebook to share family photos. Continue reading...

Why You Should Always Backup Locally—Even if You Use Cloud Storage

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Thanks to smartphones, video cameras and other gadgets we all create a massive amount of files. Often our computer hard drives are too small to store all of this information. Luckily, there are free remote backup services such as Dropbox and Google Drive that can automatically upload our files remotely.

The biggest problem with saving remotely on cloud services such as Google Drive and Dropbox is you could be hacked. Even Apple’s iCloud service, with some of the toughest security in the world, has been hacked.

So, it’s always a good idea to backup locally first before relying on remote backup. USB or “thumb” drives are handy devices that in many ways can be the perfect solution for local backups.

Reliable and cheap, USB drives can store anything from 1GB (the size of a feature-length HD movie) to 1TB (1000 feature-length movies) of data. Unlike a powered HDD backup drive, USB drives are also portable and easier to keep safe.

How Many Files Can Be Stored on a USB Drive?

If you’re backing up images from your camera and want to know how many will fit on a USB thumb drive all you really need is to know is the size of the image, which is measured in megapixels. Continue reading...

Are You Prepared for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update?

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windows 10 anniversary update
The update is so massive because, to mark the anniversary of the release of Windows 10 in July 2015, Microsoft is pushing out updates to what seems like every program and service in Windows 10.

If you are a Windows 10 user, or are thinking about downloading Windows 10, there is something you need to be aware of: the new Windows 10 Anniversary update is scheduled to be automatically downloaded onto your computer sometime in the next few days, and it’s going to be massive. Depending on the speed of your computer and your internet link, this Windows 10 update may slow everything down to a crawl.

So be warned!

Why is the August 2016 Windows Update So Big?

The update is so massive because, to mark the anniversary of the release of Windows 10 in July 2015, Microsoft is pushing out updates to what seems like every program and service in Windows 10:

  • Some changes are cosmetic, such as a new login screen.
  • Other updates this August will change how the system works: the Cortana assistant will now available on the lock screen.
  • Some updates are based on feedback Microsoft has received, such as a new way to save Favorites in the Microsoft Edge browser.
Continue reading...

How to Choose a New Laptop

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windows laptop
It can be tough to choose a new laptop. There is an endless variety of features to consider. Will the laptop you purchase end up being too basic, or too powerful for your needs and therefore too expensive? Here are some tips to help you choose the right one.

There’s never been a better time to buy a new computer. Prices are cheap and there is almost endless variety — almost too much variety. A dizzying combination of features can make it almost impossible to choose a new computer. Often we’ll buy a new desktop or laptop only to find it’s underpowered, has poor battery life, or is simply to big for our needs.

To help make things easy, we’ve created this short guide to buying a new laptop.

Why Choose a Laptop Over a Desktop?

This article is going to focus on choosing a new laptop. We think that for most casual users, laptops make a better choice than desktops when making a purchase. Laptops are lightweight and don’t take up much space. Also, since they don’t need peripherals such as a monitor, speakers or a computer desk, are generally cheaper than desktops.

Choosing Your “OS”: Mac or Microsoft?

The first choice what operating system, or “OS” will power your laptop.

Continue reading...

How to Protect Yourself in a Post-Password World

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If you’ve been paying attention to the news recently you will have noticed there has been a cluster of recent privacy “megabreaches” involving more than half a billion passwords. Here are some tips to keep you safer online.

If you are a Netflix subscriber, you may have received an email notice recently telling you to change your password as soon as possible.

In fact, if you’ve been paying attention to the news recently you will have noticed there has been a cluster of recently exposed megabreaches involving more than 642 million passwords belonging to users of LinkedIn, Twitter, and even long-forgotten Myspace.

There seems to be a new one every week. Here are a few examples:

Password Hacks: Lose Control of Your Entire Life

In some cases, a password breach is an annoyance that can be fixed by changing your password. Other times, getting your password hack means losing control of your entire life. Many of us with Yahoo, Hotmail and Gmail accounts have years of our life stored online. Continue reading...