Box.net

Traditional backup companies such as MozyHome (Free for 2 GB) don't offer file sharing, so reviewers recommend Box.net for this. You only get 1 GB of free space, less than MozyHome Free, but Box.net offers special features Mozy doesn't offer. These include Web 2.0 capabilities such as online file editing and compatibility with mobile devices, including the Apple iPhone. Reviewers say Box.net is easy to use, partly because there's no separate software to learn. It's not a good solution for serious backups, however, because you have to manually back up your files. The free version has a maximum file size of 25 MB, but a variety of personal (*Est. $10 per month for 5 GB) and business subscriptions have larger file limits of 1 GB. If you don't need file sharing, Carbonite (*Est. $55 a year for unlimited storage) will give you unlimited storage at a cheaper price.

Only a few reviewers cover Box.net. Danish magazine Komputer for Alle does the best job, and the review raises some important points. Macworld's review isn't nearly as detailed, but it is among the most recent reports. Despite the age of the review at TomsHardware.com, Sean Kerner's insights are still relevant. This isn't the case with Web User (U.K.) magazine, whose cursory review is outdated.