Tip: Access your files in the cloud from iPad and iPhone
Online backup providers are ten-a-penny these days, so finding your own unique selling point in an increasingly crowded market takes a little bit of thought. SpiderOak has been selling online backup space for around 18 months now -- it's not the cheapest option, but it does boast a user-friendly client that makes the whole backup process that little bit easier. It works across Windows, Mac and Linux, and it's capable of syncing folders between different computers to ensure you always have access to the latest versions of your files, whatever computer you're sitting at. SpiderOak also offers a free iPhone app, recently updated to version 1.2 with full iPad support, which allows you to access and use your backup files directly from your mobile device.
The great thing about SpiderOak is that it offers a free lifetime's 2GB worth of storage, believing that when you use that up you'll want to upgrade to a subscription offering more storage. That's all well and good, but SpiderOak charges $100 a year (or $10 a month) for 100GB storage space. That's off-putting to many, and it's a shame it doesn't follow Wuala's example in offering smaller packages for less (such as its extremely competitive entry level 10GB package for just €19 a year).
Despite this, there's plenty you can still do with the free 2GB package if you're careful about what you back up. And thanks to the revamped iPhone/iPad app, SpiderOak gives you access to your files from a multitude of sources: your connected computers, any secure web browser and now your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad too.
The app gives you access to your backups for a number of purposes: to view them on your device, to set up file-sharing (or to access other people's file shares) and to email files from your backup store without having to power on your computer to do so.
SpiderOak is available for both Windows (Windows 2000 or later), Mac (OS X 10.5 or later) or Linux computers, plus the iPhone and iPad. A free 2GB account is available, while paid-for accounts cost from $100 per year per 100GB of storage space.