In the Cloud
Online backup services offer advantages and pose risks
En español | As the digital age advances, our hard drives and smartphones overflow with photos, music, documents and contacts. Digital cloud services to the rescue. With a few clicks and for a few dollars a month, they provide hassle-free backup of your digital life via off-site servers — in the cloud, so to speak — that can be accessed with any browser.
See also: Backing up your digital life.
Photo: C. J. Burton
"You don't have to worry about house fires or stolen computers," says José Andrade, editor of Engadget en Español. "And you can access your information anywhere in the world from any computer and most smartphones." You can also share files.
But is your data secure? Experts recommend proceeding with caution. If in doubt, exclude your most sensitive data.