[dcscott]

If you go to Pogoplug, Your Personal Cloud: Free Software and Award-Winning Devices and register for a free account you can download software that will allow you to set up your own cloud storage on your computer.

You can then access that storage from any computer that has an internet connection, including your Playbook. There are some limitations on what you can do with the free software but the $30 version is pretty much unlimited.

The other option is to purchase a PogoPlug device which is a self contained little box that attaches to your router and you plug an external hard drive into it. Viola you have your own cloud server without tying up a computer.

I have the Pogoplug and a 1T drive attached that contains all of my photos, music, numerous spreadsheets, documents and presentations.

I can access these files from my Playbook, readily upload files, view pictures on the server, play music from the server, and download files to my PB. I have my desktop computer at home, my work computer and my laptop set up so that the server appears to be a mapped drive. Thus it is very easy for me to move files in and out of the server from any of my computers. Today I shot some video with my PB, uploaded it to my Pogoplug and it is now accessible from any of my computers.

To access the files from my PB I simply go to www.mypogoplug.com and sign in. Seconds later my entire cloud file structure is displayed on my PB. Also, you can create a unique URL that you can give to someone if wish to share one of your folders with them

[NinjaBread]

Thanks dcscott, I've been very interested to see if the PogoPlug works with the PB since I first saw it mentioned in a thread months ago. I've got (or will have soon) the 16gb PB so this will give me all the storage I need!

A question for you: what are download/upload speeds like from the web interface?

Also, I know there is a Pogoplug app for BB phones, wonder if they'll put out a PB app?

[dcscott]

I'm finding the up/down load speeds via the web interface to be the same as if I transferred the files via any other browser. Totally usable. A PB app would be really wonderful but even with just the web interface it is the best off-PB storage solution I've found yet.

[egranlund]

How is this related to the playbook at all?

I don't mean to sound grumpy - but I came into this thread thinking that this would provide a better solution instead of using dropbox (which does not currently have a native app). But this just sounds like yet another thing that has a web interface that happens to work on the playbook...

[NinjaBread]

I think the difference is noticeable if you buy the PogoPlug device. The premium Dropbox service gives you 100gb of storage for $20 a month. I've seen the PogoPlug Pro online for around $90 that allows you to connect multiple hard drives giving you much more space to play with. Seems to me it would pay for itself pretty soon when compared to Dropbox.

The Pogoplug hardware also means you don't have to have your PC switched on all the time to access your files (as Orb does if I understand it properly) which is a plus for me.

I do agree that an app would be great, but given the option to pay $20 a month for only 100gb of space or a one off fee of $90-$100 to be able to connect four hard drives, its an easy choice for me. Either way it is still web-based so the more storage the better I say.

[kjm2010]

The other nice thing about Pogo with your own hard drive, is your backup files are in your possession or with someone you know/trust. Imagine another big .com bust and there will be allot of people who will have lost all their cloud stored files to a bankrupt provider. Not to mention all the big buys are targets for security breaches.

Just for additional piece of mine, you and a friend or family member can keep each other's Pogo enabled storage at eachother's houses, just in case you get robbed (yes thieves take the external hard drives with the computers), Or worse your house burns down.

[yzf.shaun]

Thanks for this. I am currently looking into home cloud solutions as I whilst I like Dropbox I don't like the idea of my files being in the hands of others outside of my control.

[yzf.shaun]

Well I tried this and found it to be hardly useable

[kameleon]

Thanks for this. I am currently looking into home cloud solutions as I whilst I like Dropbox I don't like the idea of my files being in the hands of others outside of my control.

You can always try Wuala. I use it extensively and find it far superior to dropbox. It encrypts all data before it leaves your machine so all is secure unless you specifically share it with others. Although there is not a client currently for the playbook. I have sent a feature request though.

[NinjaBread]

Well I tried this and found it to be hardly useable

What did you find to be unusable?

[bluenote]

Is there a pogoplug app for the Playbook and if so, can someone try it? Or can the android app be side loaded?

Thanks