Apple Macs get Carbonite online backup, with free trials

After a beta test, Carbonite, a major provider of online backup services to consumers and small businesses, this week opened its first backup service for Macs.

Carbonite's new service provides automatic online backup for Intel-based Macs running Mac OS 10.4 or 10.5, backing up files to Carbonite's cloud-based servers in the background while users work at their computers. Secure socket layer (SSL) encryption is used for privacy.

The company has already backed up a total of 25 billion files on other platforms, according to its own estimates. Coincidentally, in a report issued this week, Forrester named online backup as one of six application areas that will show significant success in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) arena going forward.

The application software that works with the new Mac service is designed to run on Mac OS without impacting system performance. By default, the software backs up the irreplaceable files in all of the user's folders, including desktop, pictures, and documents files.

In case of user data loss, Carbonite will provide online file recovery to the original location, the desktop, or some other user-designated location on a Mac, Carbonite officials said in a statement.

Carbonite provides unlimited backup space for $54.95 per year, with free trials available.