So, cloud storage now seems to be taking off since the take up of mobile devices such as the iPhone, iPad, android phones and tablets.  Where once upon a time we may have used an ‘online disk drive’ to store things online and retrieve them from another PC, now we need more, the ability to sync changes to those files across the devices rather than just pull them down for reference for out and about.  And so cloud storage arrives.

There are a few excellent free cloud storage providers out there which will sync a directories on your PC or Mac to your portable devices.  With Apple Store and Google Play apps to download to access your account you are set for always having access to your home PC files.

Here are three that I would recommend which offer a good amount of storage and more importantly the synchronisation ability across the devices.

Sugarsync

5Gb Free Space.  Free sign up.

Offers you the ability to share your files between PC, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

Sugarsync

Dropbox

2Gb free space and free sign up.

Always have your stuff when you need it with @Dropbox.

Again synchronise your files across all your PCs, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

Dropbox

CX.com

Get a whopping 10Gb of free space to start, and begin synchronising across all your devices.

CX.com

All three of these services work in a similar way, and used at the same time can give you a hugh 17Gb of synchronised file space across your devices or for those essential backups.

A late night shot of the brand new concourse at London Kings Cross station.

Hopefully no more overcrowding whilst waiting for a train on Friday nights.

On 7th September I decided to celebrate my 38th birthday with another run on The Glue Pot’s single malt shelf.  18 single malts in one session, last attempted (and passed) back before Christmas 2010.

Could it be done for a second time or was it a one off?

The Glue Pot, Swindon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A quick survey of the single malt shelf was needed before starting.

 

A quick video of Piston Groovy back in March 2011 at The Rose in Biggleswade.
These guys know how to rock out a pub!

Today’s beer of the day is Gales HSB at 4.8% ABV. my new lunchtime pint.

Chalk Stream by the Ramsbury Brewery. This is 5% but a very rounded premium ale which is very smooth and very morish.
Well worth an afternoon session on.
Not a good lunchtime drink unless you have an understanding boss.

As found in the bath earlier at a B&B.
The tail was wiggling!! I half expected Sigorney Weaver to pop in for a look.

I have a citicard credit card. At the moment Citibank have decided to dispose of this portfolio and retain egg credit cards which they purchased a while back. My card is being sold/transferred to Opus cards managed by HBOS arm of Lloyds Banking Group. The transfer happens on the 21st November.

Me, Mr X is the account holder and Mrs X used to be an additional card holder but no longer. So Imagine my surprise when Opus send Mrs X a letter containing two cards, one for her as the main account holder (she’s not!) and one for me as an additional card holder (I’m not!).

So several issues here. As citi are still the card provider I ring them the see what has gone on. Not our fault contact Opus. I pointed out to them that they released information about an obsolete card holder. The Indian call centre had no escalation procedure, line management to raise my concern. I managed to get the telephone number of Citicard/Egg data protection officer but as I am an outgoing customer the cock has not replied to my voicemail.

— update —
Citibank DPO had been trying to call me back but my phone had been the issue. He was very helpful but all focus is now on Opus as to why they transposed the data they received!

Opus call centre does not open until 21st November, leaving me no method to raise concerns of potential fraud, credit file misuse and data protection violations with them. I tried a different tack of contacting BoS credit card call centre but they have no information until 21st and advised me to contact Citi with regards to why HBOS had sent incorrect cards?? What the f…?

In summary, Citibank you are US cocks of the highest order with no regard for UK or EU data privacy law or any sense of customer service. The US moans about BP oil spill but wraps Britain into it. But when you send out fucking google cars harvesting private data in every country that’s ok is it??

Opus/Lloyds Banking Group you are total cocks for engaging with future customers but not providing feedback channels to your communications!

This has been compelling viewing, and a truly remarkable feat of human endurance.  Add to that during the rescue itself the sense of family and national pride it really does make you think.  Sky News coverage has been very good but I wished they hadn’t used the Lemmings On Screen Graphic, a bit too much.

 

I was lucky enough to win tickets for a Barenaked Ladies gig at the O2 Academy in Leeds last Friday.
As I glanced around I noticed the amount of people taking photos and video with their mobile phones and it suddenly occurred to me just how much my iPhone and satnav had been used in the entire process of getting and being there.

First, was winning the tickets themselves.  I was using the twitter client for the iPhone when Absolute Radio tweeted the competition question to win a pair of tickets.  I tweeted back the correct answer in under a couple of minutes and I was a winner.

Then there was the SatNav with it managing to get us around the traffic on the A1 as we headed North and also directing us to the nearest car park to the venue.  The result was we could leave home with very little continguency time as we did not need to use the paper map, drive blindly into traffic jams and get lost in central Leeds.  Then I used Google Maps on my iPhone to get a walking route from the car park to the venue.

Once inside I was taking photos, HD video on the phone and posting some of the photos straight to Facebook.

It is only just over ten years ago, when I would be at home beating my computer keyboard around the walls because my 28k dial up modem had failed for the umpteenth time to connect to Compuserve or Daemon.  Now we have broadband speed and processor power in our pockets, an always on community.  They say the next billion of the world’s population to be connected to the internet will be via mobile devices first.

I wonder where we will be in another ten years?