The Frugal Mac
Free, inexpensive and best-value resources for Mac OS X users
Free
Free must-have
Mac OS X software
Keep software up to date with AppFresh
Flip4Mac™ WMV
plays Windows Media video/audio via QuickTime
A Google maps plugin for Address Book
Get system and email alerts with Growl
VoodooPad Lite
is the free version of a desktop wiki (text editor with links)
Free online/offsite backup
(Some with synchronization)
Do this today and never worry about losing
information.
It's good to backup up regularly onto hard drives. It is inexcusable when
it is now so inexpensive.
It's better to also backup online, thereby offsite, especially
when it is free
or inexpensive.
And retrieve or share them from anywhere.
50Gb free with ADrive (Mac/Win)
10Gb free Humyo (Mac
in 2009/Win)
5Gb free with eSnips (Win)
5Gb free with SkyDrive
(Mac/Win)
2Gb free Dropbox (Mac/Win/Linux)
2Gb free with iDrive (with
free automatic Mac/Win backup software)
2Gb free with Mozy (with
free automatic Mac/Win backup software)
2Gb free with Storegate (Win)
1Gb free with Box (Web)
1Gb free with ElephantDrive (Mac/Win)
1Gb free with Openomy (Web)
1Gb free with Upline (Win)
25Mb free with FlipDrive (Mac/Win)
FolderShare (to
become Live Sync in December 2008) (Mac/Win)
Potentially unlimited + free BuddyBackup (Win)
Not an online storage service, but a utility for
backing up onto remote computers
Not free, but online
for when you need more services or to backup lots of data:
(Personal rates shown only. Business rates, which vary widely, are not
shown.
Most offer free trials. Services/features and OS support may vary.)
AllMyData $120/year unlimited storage/bandwidth
(Mac soon/Win)
Carbonite $50/year unlimited storage
ElephantDrive $50/year unlimited storage (Mac/Win)
Humyo $70/year
for 100Gb (Mac in 2009/Win)
iDrive $50/year for 150Gb
(Mac/Win)
Mozy $55/year
unlimited storage (Mac/Win)
Upline $59/yr
unlimited storage (Win)
Then, there is this:
MobileMe (formerly
dotMac and iTools) $99/year for 20Gb
For Mac, PC, iPhone and iPod. Includes services in addition to online
backup.
Save $30–40/year by ordering through Amazon.
And these:
ADrive $70/year
for 50Gb + additional services (Mac/Win)
Box $240/year for 15Gb (Web)
Dropbox $99/year 50Gb
(Mac/Win/Linux)
FlipDrive $199/year
100Gb (Mac soon/Win)
iBackup $3,000/year
for 300Gb (Mac/Win)
iStorage $540/year
for 15Gb (Win)
GoDaddy Online
File Folder $14/year for 10 Gb
LiveDrive in development
(launch pending)
SOS Online Backup $50/year
for 15 Gb
Storegate $384/year
40Gb (Win)
A couple of reviews:
The
Best Online Backup Services, PC Magazine
Online
Storage Services Review,
TopTen Reviews
A word of caution:
Do not settle on just one online backup service.
Two things to know: Size and age don't matter. Redundancy
is good.
You never know how long any company
will be around. Remember MediaMax, OmniDrive, and Strongspace? And soon,
GlobalDrive and Xdrive?
Protect yourself. Sign up for more than one service. And be sure to read this:
10
Ways to Avoid Emergency When Your Web Services Disappear on You
Free tests
Web page visitor tracking with CazyEgg
Internet tools with DNS
Stuff
Check Internet connection speeds via Speakeasy
Free services
Basic State sends free
email and text message alerts when a Web site is down
Get a free imap/pop email account from Google and
AOL
Get a free local voicemail number via PrivatePhone
Get a free fax number via eFax, FaxDigits,
j2 (voicemail/fax),
and k7
Get free mobile phone messages by email, text message or online via CallWave
Free advice
Apple’s directory of open-source software
FreeSoftware Mac User Group
Free, Open-Source Software for Mac OS X
Macworld’s Mac
Gems directory of useful free and inexpensive software
MacFixit free (and paid) Macintosh
and iPod troubleshooting solutions
Mac news and views: AppleInsider,
Mac360, MacLife, MacMinute,
MacNN, The
Mac Observer,
Mac Rumors, MacUser, MacWorld, Think
Secret
Useful Web sites
Babel Fish language
translator
Flight status with FlightArrivals and
FlightStats
Comprehensive news with Google News and New York Times
OneLook single search/multiple
dictionary reference
Inexpensive
Inexpensive services
Inexpensive domain name registration ($6/year) with 1&1
(includes free private registration which eliminates one source of spam + free
1Gb email account)
Inexpensive Web hosting ($50/year for 400Mb + lots of features)
with A
Small Orange
Best value
Best-value Mac hardware and
software
Refurbished Macs,
iPods,
and iPhones + clearance sales
direct from Apple
Specials and best prices posted by DealMac
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