Best Free Cloud Storage Services

It is important to keep track of the important files and data, moreover it is important to keep it handy without having a second thought of losing it due to some computer crash or device falling or breaking. We have compiled a list of best and free cloud storage service providers.

These cloud storage providers give free online storage space from 1 GB to 10 GB; almost all of the listed cloud storage providers have the provision of sharing and collaboration; they have desktop applications as well to sync your computer folders and files quickly.

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Google Drive

  

Google Drive is a free cloud storage service by Google which helps you in storing photos, documents, sheets, presentations, mails and attachments. When you signup you get 15 GB of free storage space, this space is calculated on the basis of Gmail, Google Plus Photos and the documents in your Google Drive. The documents created by using Google Drive do not count to the storage data limit. The cloud storage in Google Drive is counted by the messages and attachments, photos in Google Plus Photos which have 2048x2048 pixels or more and the videos which are longer than 15 minutes. Files on your Google Drive can be easily downloaded. Google Drive also has a Windows application to make it easier for you to reach your files easily.

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Microsoft OneDrive

Microsoft OneDrive is an online backup service that supports free cloud storage offering 15 GB of free space. To earn yourself additional storage space backup your phone's camera roll to get extra 3 GB or refer OneDrive to friends and get 500MB as bonus storage. To access OneDrive you will have to sign up for hotmail or outlook account. Microsoft OneDrive has desktop application for Windows to access your free cloud storage on your computer. You can upload a file of up to 10 GB size.

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Dropbox

Dropbox is one of the best cloud storage service providers; you can backup your files to it easily from your desktop or by visiting the website and logging in. It supports a wide range of file formats for uploading and storing. These supported files include code format files like css, php, less, java, scss, sql, markdown, coffee, rb, py, etc.; image formats like jpg, png, psd, bmp, gif, etc.; video files like 3gp, mp4, m4v, avi, mov, flv, etc., and document files like doc, docx, ppt, etc. It helps in keeping an online backup of your important files. Dropbox is available as free software on Windows. The files uploaded to Dropbox through the desktop software or with mobile app do not have any file size limit but the files uploaded using the upload button of the website has a limit of 10 GB. Initially you get 2 GB of free space in your Dropbox account; you can increase it by either upgrading to PRO version or by referring it to your friends.

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SpiderOak

SpiderOak is one of the best cloud storage service providers. It gives 2 GB free cloud storage to its initial users, you can always sign up or upgrade to personal or business cloud storage accounts to get more free storage. There is no file size limit and it supports all file formats to upload. You can create password encrypted rooms, folders and files with Spideroak. There is desktop application for Spideroak for faster access to your cloud storage. To access SpiderOak web application using your web browser, you will have to sign up for Spideroak, verify email and download the desktop application, log in to it and set up a device for it then log in back to web application of SpiderOak cloud storage.

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Box

Box is a free online storage service to provide users with personal and business solutions of storing their files on the cloud. In personal account you get 10 GB storage with file upload limit of 250 MB. It is enabled for easy mobile access and desktop sync. Box enables cloud backup of your important files. It also gives you easy and free file sharing options, so you can share your content with people and get their comments right on the content shared. There are paid upgrades available for higher cloud storage and higher file size limit.

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MEGA

MEGA is one of the most powerful, best and free cloud storage providers giving its users to start their account at zero cost with 50 GB cloud storage. MEGA is cross platform, cross device and cross browser cloud storage provider. You have access to your files from all your devices or browsers. With free 50 GB cloud storage MEGA gives you freedom to seamlessly sync all your files. MEGA will be providing MEGA chat, email, calling and video conferencing. If you forget your password you lose access to your data, thus it is mandatory to remember your password and to keep a backup of master key provided by MEGA in your cloud storage account.

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Seacloud

Seacloud is another good cloud storage service provider which gives users free cloud storage of 1 GB. You can share uploaded files and folders with your friends or team members. Password encrypts file or folder on Seacloud cloud storage. It is multi-platform cloud storage web application; it has desktop clients, Smartphone apps and browser login. You can transfer full ownership of libraries on Seacloud drive. You can add contacts and manage them as well. You can even send personal messages to anyone in your contact.

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iCloud

iCloud is not only a cloud storage based on web but it is multi-platform data syncing service by Apple. SEamlessly work around on your documents, mails and photos. In iCloud Drive, you can upload your Pages, txt, word, csv, excel files, Numbers, Keynotes and powerpoint files. Compared to the web version of iCloud, the desktop application can help you with contacts, mail, calendars and documents. Each Apple id or iCloud account is given 5 GB of free cloud storage.

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Amazon Cloud Drive

Amazon Cloud Drive is less known yet best cloud storage web application developed by Amazon Inc. On sign up you get free storage of 5 GB for documents, photos, videos, music and much more. It uploads files quickly and easily. There is a separate tab for photos and videos in Amazon Cloud Drive. You can also access your uploaded files and folders without any problem from your desktop using the Amazon Cloud Drive desktop application. Everything saved on your online drive storage will be synced to the Amazon Cloud Drive application automatically.

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FilesAnywhere

FilesAnywhere is an online backup and online storage free web application that enables its users to not only just backup their files from their device but also share them and collaborate with friends or teammates to work on them together. FilesAnywhere has an additional feature of creating eforms, these forms can be anything and people can be invited to complete them. There are many other features included in Filesanywhere which include sending fax, esend, create FileReceive link, etc. It only gives you 1 GB free cloud storage space.

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The Most Beautiful Libraries Around the World

The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library is among one of the most beautiful libraries in the world (admitsee)

In today’s world, we can choose a book with the touch of a button on our iPads, download the newest release in less than a minute to our Kindles, or turn to Amazon for our next must-read. But often lost in the ease, convenience, and speed of reading a book nowadays is the reading ritual itself - the true pleasure of making your way down a library's long aisles, skimming rows upon rows of books, picking up a potential read, flipping through its pages. So let’s shine a little light on these houses of knowledge and celebrate the ubiquitous symbol of information with this collection of beautiful libraries across the world.

1. THE 'CLASSIC'

WHAT: Trinity College Library
WHERE: Dublin, Ireland
WOW FACTOR: This library boasts a 200-foot long room with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. Known as the Long Room, this striking room is lined with marble busts of famous writers, like Jonathan Swift.

(Bored Panda)

2. THE RULER OF THE RARE

WHAT: The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript LibraryWHERE: New Haven, Connecticut
WOW FACTOR: This library is one of the world's largest libraries devoted entirely to rare books and manuscripts. They even have an original Gutenberg Bible!

(Flickr user Lauren Manning)

3. THE MEGALIBRARY

WHAT: Biblioteca Vasconcelos
WHERE: Mexico City, Mexico
WOW FACTOR: Known as the “megalibrary,” this giant library takes up a whopping 409,000 square feet. Inside, over 500,000 books are displayed on glass shelves hanging from the building’s five stories.

(Flickr user CIINKer)

4. THE COLOSSEUM

WHAT: The Vancouver Public LibraryWHERE: Vancouver, Canada
WOW FACTOR: This library was designed to resemble a modern-day Colosseum. The entrance is through a huge skylit concourse and bridges inside the library connect to reading and study areas in the outer walls.

(greenroofs.com)

5. THE CUBE

WHAT: Stadtbibliothek StuttgartWHERE: Stuttgart, Germany
WOW FACTOR: From the outside, the nine-story building looks like a monolithic cube. But inside, the dramatic all-white interior has a five-story reading room shaped as an upside-down pyramid, plus meeting rooms, a café, and a rooftop terrace.

(Flickr user O Palsson)

6. THE MIDDLE EASTERN MAMMOTH

WHAT: Bibliotheca AlexandrinaWHERE: Alexandria, Egypt
WOW FACTOR: Opened in 2002, the massive disc-shaped building has a huge reading room that tilts toward the sea with a facade that’s covered in letters and characters from more than a hundred different languages. The building also contains a planetarium, four museums, and academic research centers.

(The Culture Trip)

7. THE GREEN MACHINE

WHAT: Beitou LibraryWHERE: Taipei, Taiwan
WOW FACTOR: This eco-friendly library has a slanted roof that collects moisture from humidity and rain, and then recycles it for the restrooms and gardens. The Beitou Library has also been fitted with solar panels, as well as deep-set and latticed windows to reduce energy use.

(broketourist.net)

8. THE SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD

WHAT: Villanueva Public LibraryWHERE: Casanare, Colombia
WOW FACTOR: Villanueva Public Library was constructed using only locally-sourced materials, and was solely by the people of the village who were trained to help construct the building. The design, created by four college students, focuses on natural ventilation and plenty of shade to keep the interior nice and cool.

(archinect.com)

9. THE TIMELY MASTERPIECE

WHAT: Mortlock Wing State LibraryWHERE: Adelaide, Australia
WOW FACTOR: This two-story library, opened in 1884, features an extraordinary Dent and Sons clock on a wrought-iron and gold ornamented balcony at the end of the reading room. A staff member winds it once a week.

(travelandleisure.com)

10. THE NEW, OLD LIBRARY

WHAT: The National Library of ChinaWHERE: Beijing, China
WOW FACTOR: The National Library of China houses a vast array of historical and ancient books and manuscripts - even inscribed tortoise shells. Completed in 1987, the buildings that make up the library were all designed in a traditional Chinese style.

(National Geographic Travel)

11. THE MODERN PHENOMENON 

WHAT: Delft University of Technology LibraryWHERE: Delft, Netherlands
WOW FACTOR: With a massive skylight in the ceiling that looks like a steel cone from the outside, the Delft University of Technology Library is also has a grass-covered roof to add to its eco-friendly and modern design.

(Inhabitat)

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Easy Ways to control on Waste, Everyday life

Living greener doesn’t always require drastic change, like moving to a treehouse or foraging for herbs. All it takes is a few small tweaks in your daily living to cut down your waste count by a significant amount. With a little research and a lot of motivation, you can be become the Green Queen (or King) in no time - and might even be able to say goodbye to your garbage can. These nine tips and tricks for cutting down your waste will get you started on a greener living.

1. COMPOST

Yes, the big “C.” Composting may sound like a practice limited to only the truest of treehuggers, but, in fact, it’s actually quite easy and requires very little time, effort and space. The process involves upcycling leftover food and organic matter to make a dark, rich substance known as humus, often used as a conditioner for soil. Keep a small bin on your kitchen counter where you can easily dump food scraps (including fruit, vegetables, eggshells, and coffee grounds).

ECO-ADVICE: Different lifestyles call for different composting methods. If you’re an avid gardener with a backyard, you can use the compost for your personal garden. If you live in a city that doesn’t offer curbside pickup, you might be able to donate your compost to a community garden or nearby farm.

Keep a small compost bin on your kitchen counter to more easily dispose of food scraps (Shutterstock)

2. BUY IN BULK

Buying in bulk is a great way to reduce packaging waste, save money, and try new foods in small quantities. Bulk stores are usually made up of rows of bins with scoops for you to ladle out your desired amount. In many bulk stores, you can buy grains, cereals, dried fruit, herbs, toiletries, cleaning products and even oils and vinegars.

ECO-ADVICE: Only buy as much as you can use before it goes bad. As a precaution, see if you can sample an item before you fill up.

Remember to bring your own containers and bags when buying in bulk (Shutterstock)

3. CARRY YOUR OWN JARS AND RE-USABLE BAGS

Canvas bags are a treehugger’s staple. Avoid plastic altogether by always carrying a reusable bag or tote (many are built to be compact) in your purse or car. If you’re going bulk shopping, bring along jars with lids for any liquids.

ECO-ADVICE: Keep a stash of reusable bags in an easy-to-remember place so you can grab them any time you go shopping. Whether it’s your car, below the kitchen sink or next to the car keys - just designate a place and stick with it.

No trip to the supermarket is complete without a resuable tote bag (Shutterstock)

4. GET TO KNOW YOUR TRASH

Okay, it may seem a little gross, but it’s definitely worth taking a few minutes one day to rifle through your trash bin. See what types of packaging and products you seem to be throwing out most – this is where you should focus your waste reducing efforts.

ECO-ADVICE: While you’re down there ransacking your trash bin, double check to see if the items you’re throwing out are actually recyclable. Toilet paper rolls, non-aerosol deodorants, and cooking oil bottles are just some items people mistake for non-recyclable.

Separate your trash to see what makes up most of your waste (Shutterstock)

5. REPLACE PAPER WITH CLOTH  

Yes, the disposable quality of paper products is convenient, but you just end up with avoidable waste. Napkins, paper towels, cleaning wipes can all be replaced with microfiber cloths, old t-shirts, huck towels and cloth napkins.

ECO-ADVICE: Keep a bin under the kitchen sink where you can easily toss dirty, used cloths and then throw them in with the rest of the laundry.

Replacing disposable floor wipes with a towel or rag is an easy way to cut down on waste (Shutterstock)

6. RETHINK YOUR TOILETRIES  

Going green doesn’t mean sacrificing personal hygiene. Try a bamboo compostable toothbrush as a substitute for a plastic one, and organic, vegan makeup in place of drugstore brands.ECO-ADVICE: Also make sure the packaging is recyclable when purchasing eco-friendly toiletry products.

Bamboo toothbrushes provide a eco-friendly alternative to the plastic variety (Shutterstock)

7. GET YOUR BILLS ONLINE

These days, most companies offer the option to receive bills via email or through an online account. Checking this box means cutting out a lot of unwanted mail and paper waste - much of which you probably throw out without opening anyway.

ECO-ADVICE: To avoid receiving paper-heavy pamphlets and promotional materials as well, pop a 'No Circulars' sign on your mailbox.

Switch your payment method via your online banking account (Shutterstock)

8. BUY A REUSABLE WATER  BOTTLE

Reusable water bottles are probably the easy step to sustainability. Purchasing a reusable water bottle you can fill up anytime, anywhere will definitely save you money and reduce your carbon footprint.

ECO-ADVICE: If you’re feeling guilty about the plastic water bottles you’ve accumulated over time, don’t fear. There are plenty of DIY projects that transform your plastic bottles to something new and useful.

Aluminum reusable water bottles keep your drinks cold and are also good for the environment (Shutterstock)

9. MAKE YOUR OWN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

If you’re feeling especially ambitious, try making your own hygiene products at home. Soaps, toothpastes and even deodorants can be made using only a few natural ingredients, like coconut oil and baking soda. This goes for spa treatments, as well.

ECO-ADVICE: If you’d like a nice scent or taste to compliment your DIY creation, try a few drops of aromatic essential oils, like peppermint, sandalwood or lavender.

Coconut oil is a key ingredient in many homemade personal care products (Shutterstock)

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Rooting your Android Phone

 “What is rooting? Why should I root my Android device?” These are common questions that I get asked quite often. Today’s lesson is to talk to you about both the advantages and disadvantages of rooting your Android devices. But before we get started, a word of caution: rooting or modifying your phone in any way will void your manufacturer’s warranty and possibly “brick” it. What does “bricking” your device mean you ask? Exactly what you think… It means screwing up your phone software so badly that your phone can no longer function properly and is pretty much as useless as a brick. I do not in any way recommend anyone to root their Android device. This article is simply to introduce you to the subject of rooting and present you with both the pro’s and con’s so that you can make an educated decision on your own.


What is Rooting?

“Rooting” your device means obtaining “superuser” rights and permissions to your Android’s software. With these elevated user privileges, you gain the ability to load custom software (ROM’s), install custom themes, increase performance, increase battery life, and the ability to install software that would otherwise cost extra money (ex: WiFi tethering). Rooting is essentially “hacking” your Android device. In the iPhone world, this would be the equivalent to “Jailbreaking” your phone.

Why is it called Rooting?

The term “root” comes from the Unix/Linux world and is used to describe a user who has “superuser” rights or permissions to all the files and programs in the software OS (Operating System). The root user, because they have “superuser” privileges, can essentially change or modify any of the software code on the device. You see, your phone manufacturer/carrier only gives you “guest” privileges when you purchase your device. They do this for good reason… they don’t want you getting into certain parts of the software on your phone and screwing it up beyond repair. It makes it much easier for them to manage and update the devices if they lock it all down. This way, all the users are running the same unmodified version of the phone’s software. This makes it much easier for them to support the devices. But, for the tech-savvy crowd, only having “guest” privileges on your device is pretty lame and it locks down a lot of potentially useful features.


Android is known for offering users a greater degree of customizability and control than any other mobile operating system, but there are still limitations to what you can do with an Android phone right out of the box. To push beyond those limits, you need to root your device, which means you gain admin rights to it. This somewhat complicated process could void your warranty or, if something goes wrong, break your handset. Are the benefits of having administrative control of your phone worth the risks? Android enthusiasts would give you an unequivocal "yes," but we've gathered a list of pros and cons to help you decide for yourself.

Advantages

• Android Updates on Demand: Want to have the latest Lollipop when your phone is stuck on Jelly Bean? You can wait and hope that your carrier sends you an operating system update some day, but by the time you get it (if you get it at all), Google will probably have come out with a new version. Fortunately, for users of rooted devices, the vast hordes of ROM developers are there to deliver updates nearly as fast as Google. These ROMs can offer a very plain stock Android experience like a Nexus device or near limitless levels of customization —it's entirely up to you.
•  
• Install Power-User Apps: While Android apps have greater access to the operating system than apps on other platforms, root-access apps can be given permission to go even further. These apps can carry out automated tasks for you, create new multitouch gestures, enable a PlayStation SixAxis controller to play games on your Android device and more. Check out our list of the 30 Best Apps for Rooted Android Phones for even more ideas.
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• Just Say No to Bloatware: Bloatware is the bane of many Android users' existence, with carriers and manufacturers heaping dozens of apps onto the device right out of the box, additions that the owner will never touch and yet can't be removed from the device. These apps are taking up precious space on your device and in some cases may be slowing it down. Root users can start with a bloat-free build of Android and are able to delete to their hearts' content, keeping their devices running lean and mean.
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• Back up Anything and Everything on Your Device: While it is relatively simple to back up the vast majority of the data on your smartphone these days, there are some limits. With a rooted Android phone, you can use an app like Titanium Backup to literally capture everything on your device, including data, apps and settings, and save them to an SD card or the cloud. Should anything happen to your device, you will at least be comforted by the knowledge that you can have a replacement device up and running like nothing happened in minutes.
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• Supercharged Battery Life: We've never heard anyone complain about too much battery life on their smartphones, And while there are numerous options for nonroot users to boost endurance, you probably won't be surprised at this point to hear that root users have a more expansive array of options at their disposal. Some apps even allow rooted users to slow the CPU at the right times to save power, without the user ever noticing a difference in performance.
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• Turbocharged Performance: Want your aging phone to feel faster? A new, lighter ROM might be the best solution to keep things running smoothly, but if you like everything the way you have it, save for a need for speed, then rooting and overclocking the CPU is the way to go. Free apps such as SetCPU allow you to change your processor frequency with a few taps.

Disadvantages

• Your Phone Could Get Bricked: "Bricking" is the ultimate concern for anyone rooting his or her device. This means that your phone is completely beyond saving, as it will no longer turn on. The key thing to remember here is that it is incredibly difficult to actually brick your device, and unless the phone literally won't power on, there is almost always a way to save it.
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• Is This Line Secure?: Exposing yourself to security risks is one of the most common arguments against rooting. However, while rooting does make you more vulnerable, security risks still aren't as widespread an issue as some would have you believe. According to a security report put out by Google last year analyzing more than a billion devices, less than 1 percent of all Android devices had a potentially harmful app installed. When looking at devices that only installed apps from the Play Store, that percentage dropped below 0.15 percent, the report showed.
  
  Now, harmful apps aren't the only security risk, but if you are careful about the sites you visit and the apps you install, it's not difficult to keep your device safe, whether it's rooted or not.
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• Over-the-Air Updates Go Out the WindowOnce you have rooted your device, it's likely that you'll no longer receive carrier updates for your phone. And if you do see a notification for one, it should be avoided as it will most likely remove your root access.
  
  If you rooted your Android in order to install a new ROM, this isn't going to be a worry for you anyway, because the regular OTA update is likely behind the times for you. If you rooted for any of the other advantages, the OTA update may still be something you want. In that case, you should wait until a root option is available for the new update, and then install it and re-root your device.
• Avoid Warranty: Rooting your device is perfectly legal, but in most cases it is going to mean that your phone is no longer covered by its warranty. In most cases, if you need to get service, you can un-root your device and return to the good graces of your warranty should anything happen. But you would be wise to check on this before embarking on your journey.

Final

Rooting will open up a number of new possibilities for your phone, but it is important to consider the potential ramifications before you get started. Even the savviest Android user can have something go wrong while rooting, and while there is almost always a way back, the method can be time-consuming.
If you decide that rooting is for you, you'll need to look up a method that works for your specific phone model and carrier. The rooting procedure for a Galaxy S5 on Sprint could be different than that for the S5 on T-Mobile. We have a number of rooting tutorials for popular phones here on Tom's Guide, but you can also try our friends at theunlockr.com, a site with literally hundreds of rooting methods, or forum.xda-developers.com, which is the place where most rooters post the latest exploits.

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