February 2012 Archives

If you're looking to backup your work documents in the cloud, you may be looking into business cloud storage plans. But do you also need a place to backup and secure your personal media files, such as photos, videos and music? There is no need to buy two separate accounts for both types of files.

We're not talking about an enterprise-wide cloud storage plan, but rather individual user plans for those who need a simple, secure option to backup their personal and work files. One cloud platform can make work and personal storage simpler and easier, and here's why:

Manageability: Two storage accounts equals two separate logins, two separate web clients and one big hassle. Why not keep all of your files--personal or otherwise--organized neatly in one single interface? Select a cloud storage provider that best meets your unique organizational needs.

Cost savings: Instead of purchasing two online backup services and paying two premiums, look for a service that meets both your business and personal needs at one set price. Additionally, look for a cloud storage provider that offers free storage upfront. You'll need more than 3GB to 5GB if you're using one platform for both your personal media and work files.

Automatic backup for all of your digital assets: A single backup and cloud storage platform means your personal and business files are automatically backed up no matter what.

One simple onboarding process: One of the biggest challenges users face when turning to the cloud is the initial upload process, which depending on the number and size of files, can be timely and use up your bandwidth. Keep this process simple by only putting yourself through it once--and look for storage providers that want to help you keep the onboarding process as painless as possible.

Security and Privacy: Business files can often contain sensitive data and materials. No matter what cloud storage plan you choose, be sure to choose one that keeps your privacy and security in mind. Whether personal media or business files, make sure you have the ability to share files privately. While social sharing can be fun, you also don't want to inadvertently share personal photos of your family with the entire Web.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of our MiMedia blog readers! We hope you enjoy sharing your love with others today. To help you get in the spirit of Saint Valentine, we decided to share a little love of our own with you. We pulled together a lovable music playlist from our MiMedia account that we plan to listen too all day long.

1. "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye
2. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" - The Beatles
3. "Just The Way You Are" - Bruno Mars
4. "Bless the Broken Road" - Rascal Flatts
5. "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
6. "Kiss From a Rose" - Seal
7. "The Way You Look Tonight" - Tony Bennett
8. "Always On My Mind" - Willie Nelson
9. "At Last" - Etta James
10. "Everything" - Michael Buble
11. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" - Elton John
12. "Love on Top" - Beyonce
13. "When I Fall In Love" - Nat King Cole
14. "All My Love" - K-Ci & Jojo
15. "Have I Told You Lately?" - Rod Stewart

What does the Valentine's Day playlist in your MiMedia online media storage account look like? Tell us below.

There are many consumer cloud storage services out there, but how do you know which one is right for you? To help you evaluate the current options in the marketplace, we pulled together a few questions you should ask yourself and your prospective cloud storage provider before you wholly commit to a service plan.

1. Will my files be backed up in real-time? Scheduling routine backups can be a pain. Look for a cloud storage solution that has real-time backup capabilities. That way every time you download a song, add a picture, or save a document, that file can be automatically backed up over your broadband connection.
2. Will I be able to locate my files quickly and easily? Ever have to riffle through file after file, search bar after search bar, just to find the one home video you wanted to share with your friends 20 minutes ago? Look at the organizational structure of your potential cloud storage account. Does it logically organize your data by file type or date saved? A good way to know whether or not you jive well with a provider's interface is to take advantage of available free trial offers.
3. Will I be able to upload all of my files? Let's get real: not all of your digital pictures are JPEGs, and some cloud file storage providers don't support every image file format. Look for a provider that supports multiple file formats of all types of digital media.
4. Can I access files on my smartphone or tablet device? Given the social tendencies of today's mobile society, we know you're not always sitting at your computer when you want to view your personal photos or listen to your favorite music album. Make sure your cloud services allow you to view your files on the go.
5. Can I get started using the service without any hassles? For those of you that have a seemingly infinite number of photos, videos, music files and documents, the initial upload process can often result in computer slowdown, bandwidth hogging and file size limitations. Look for providers that offer alternate ways to get started using their services. Convenient onboarding methods, like MiMedia's free, patented Shuttle Drive service, ensure a fast and easy initial backup of all your files.

** DEADLINE EXTENDED**

Ooh la la... love is in the air. That's right, folks, Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching; and to show our love and appreciation for all of the MiMedia users out there, we'd like to celebrate with you this year. No, we don't mean sharing a romantic candlelit dinner for two or a mountain cabin weekend getaway. Rather, we want to celebrate the love you have in your lives with a Valentine's Day photo contest.

Planning a romantic proposal? Buying your mother the biggest bouquet of flowers anyone has ever seen? Enjoying the most lavish meal of your lifetime? We'd love to see your favorite photos from your Valentine's Day experiences this year.

Here's how the contest works:

1. Share your favorite Valentine's Day 2012 photo from your MiMedia account by sending a private email link to MiMedia@lewispr.com by Friday, February 24. If you don't already have a MiMedia account, you can sign up for free here.
2. We will upload your photo to our "Share Your Love" Valentine's Day contest album on our Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/MiMedia
3. MiMedia Facebook followers will be able to vote for their favorite photo in the album by "Liking" the photo. You can vote for as many photos as you want, and don't forget to encourage all of your friends to vote too!
4. Voting will be open from 11:00am ET Tuesday, February 28 - 11:00am ET Monday, March 5. We will announce the official winner on our Facebook page that morning.
5. The winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card and 1 year subscription to a 250 GB MiMedia Premium plan ($149 value!)

Keep in mind that MiMedia has the right to deem any photo inappropriate and will use our discretion when selecting photos for participation in the "Share Your Love" contest. Only photos shared from a MiMedia account will be considered.

Happy Valentine's Day and good luck everyone!

P.S. Remember, with MiMedia's desktop software your precious photos (and all your other media) can be backed up automatically to the best online storage around so your precious memories are always protected!

Attention all MiMedia blog readers! We've spent the past couple of months enriching our blog content in an effort to help you make the most of your experience using MiMedia's cloud storage and backup services. We hope you enjoyed our posts on tips for keeping your pictures and videos secure and creative ideas for your holiday photos. After all, online media sharing and storage is what we know best, and now we'd like to hear from you about what you know best!

We know MiMedia users are photographers, videographers, musicians, bloggers, moms and dads, and we know you all have talents and expertise that the MiMedia community could benefit from. Do you know how to solve digital file format problems? What is the best free video editing software? What are the craftiest projects you can do with your children's' birthday party photos?

We want all of you to get the most out of your MiMedia account and that starts with becoming involved in the MiMedia community. If you'd like to share your expertise and advise, please email your name, contact information and blog post idea (2-3 sentence description) to MiMedia@lewispr.com.

Thanks in advance for helping us continue to build a lasting community of digital media enthusiasts!