| IDrive is iBackup's companion service that provides | | | | roughly every 10 minutes or so. They maintain up to |
| automatic data online backup solutions for individuals | | | | 30 of the latest versions of a file, but you can also |
| and small businesses. The free plan (IDrive Basic) | | | | restore even older versions of any backed-up file. |
| includes 2 GB and the iDrive Pro includes 150 GB | | | | The service promotes that these historical versions |
| for$4.95 ($0.03/GB). IDrive Pro for Business starts at | | | | don't count towards your overall storage space; only |
| $9.95 for 50 GB and goes up to 500 GB for $49.95. | | | | the most recent version is calculated as part of your |
| Features include security and encryption measures | | | | storage quota. |
| and desktop clients for Windows and Mac systems. | | | | IDrive's web access lets you add and delete |
| The IDrive client in fact consists of two parts, IDrive | | | | documents from a backup set, schedule a backup |
| Classic and IDrive Explorer. The Classic interface is | | | | and view logs of previous backup sessions. So if |
| where you back your documents up, though many | | | | you're away from your home computer and want to |
| reviewers seem to experience some uneasiness with | | | | back up a file you've been working on, this is |
| it. The Explorer portion of the software is much like | | | | straightforwardly done through IDrive's website. |
| Windows Explorer with folder trees and only allows | | | | Unlike the client software, reviewers feel IDrive's |
| file restoration functions. Although you can restore | | | | web interface is nicely intuitive. IDrive has also now |
| files from the Classic interface, only IDrive Explorer | | | | recently released a Mac-compatible version of its |
| allows you to restore files through a drag-and-drop | | | | client. IDrive's interface gets a mixed response. As |
| process. | | | | Michael Muchmore of PC Magazine puts it: "The |
| Most of the other reviewers seem impressed with | | | | powerful capabilities of this online backup service |
| IDrive's array of features that are not found on | | | | almost made me forget that I tore my hair out |
| other popular Signup for iDrivebackup services like | | | | unearthing them. Almost." However, we felt that |
| Mozy and Carbonite. Besides drag-and-drop support | | | | IDrive's pricing structure and expanded features |
| for restoring files, the IDrive software allows you to | | | | make it a particularly good value as long as you're |
| search for particular files within any backup set, which | | | | willing to take the time to learn the program. We find |
| is extremely useful when you can't remember | | | | iDrive, with the various interfaces that internet |
| exactly where the file resides within the folder trees. | | | | backup and restoration can be accomplished with, to |
| For files under 50 MB, IDrive's uninterrupted data | | | | be very flexible and is one of our data online backup |
| protection feature executes incremental backups | | | | top picks. |