iDrive Online Backup Service - A Review

My iDrive Back Office Following Backup
(Click any image to see the full-sized copy)

I thought it would be worthwhile to take some time to set up my free 5GB iDrive account, so I could properly review the system I’ve been recommending for several months. I have beed looking for a cloud backup system ever since I made the mistake of signing up with JustCloud‘s horrid system.

I am an iDrive Affiliate and will benefit financially from sales generated through this site.

The signup process is straightforward, and simple – click on this link,  provide a bit of basic contact information, and enable an encryption key – you can use the iDrive key or provide your own. I selected iDrive’s key and then  found myself in the iDrive back office. I used the link provided to download the client software, which took all of 8 seconds, even though I was running through a VPN at the time (which can slow things down).

The client requested my iDrive login data, and then presented me with a backup option form. I elected to back up my images directory. I have over 300 gigs of images stored on my system, and I knew that it would not take long to reach the 5GB limit on the free account.

I want to point out that iDrive offers several ways you can score extra space by promoting the service. You can sign up friends and gain a gigabyte every time; you can “like” iDrive on Facebook, follow iDrive on Twitter, install the iDrive Client on your PC, and/or install the Client on your Android phone and gain another 1/2 GB with each action.

The best part of the bonuses is that iDrive works – and works well – which makes recommending it a no brainer.

iDrive Client

I really appreciated the fact that I could select the percentage of my bandwidth the client would use for the upload – I let it ride at 100%. In retrospect, that was a mistake, and my system was bogged down for a couple of days while the backup proceded.

iDrive Backup Progress Screen

On thing I noticed immediately was that the system estimated the time for an entire backup of all my images, even though my free account was limited to 5.5GB. This information was useful, though, because it underscored the value of the iDrive Express, the service which provides you with a 1TB external drive, free of charge, so you can back up your files quickly, saving oodles of time and bandwidth, and then return the drive to iDrive, where it will be used to create a fact local backup.

iDrive Express is a welcome and effective response to the time, system resources and bandwidth needed to backup modern computer systems. JustCloud’s abysmal default bandwidth and their ceaseless upsell attempts come to mind…after trying to backup and restore files on JustCloud, iDrive Express offers a welcome breath of fresh air.

I shut my system down nightly, so my 5.5 GB backup took longer than it needed to, but the job was done without the failures I experienced with JustCloud. The log recorded failure to back up a photograph when my 5.5 GB quota was reached, and the system sent me an warning email —  and, of course, the expected pitch to upgrade:

Dear IDriveUser,

Ref : Username - kmcvay@kenmcvay.com.

Computer Name : KENMCVAY-PC

Backup scheduled at time : 08/23/2013 05:04:03 PM could not 
be completed.
Reason : Operation canceled by user.

Backup Start Time : 8/26/2013 7:40:38 AM
Backup End Time : 8/26/2013 7:45:17 AM

One or more files could not be transferred. Reason: You have 
exceeded the allocated quota limit. For further backups you 
have to upgrade your account.

Regards,
IDrive Support.

[ERROR ][08/26/2013 07:45:15][Unable to backup file c:\
users\ken\pictures\2008_10_25-fallcolour\img_4739.jpg, 
reason: Quota exceeded: for further backups, upgrade your 
account.]

Restoring files was a nightmare with JustCloud (read my review); file corruption, lousy bandwidth and my inability to put the files where I wanted to put them drove me nuts.

Restoring my iDrive files was a piece of cake. Bandwidth was adequate, no corruption was evident, and I could restore the files to any directory I chose. What’s not to like?

Pick a Folder – ANY Folder

Conclusion? iDrive works seamlessly, right out of the box, and gets the job done. It warned me (see the Backup Progress screen above) that it would take more than a month just to backup all of my photographs – something which underscored the immense value of iDrive Express.

• iDrive provides adequate bandwith and iDrive Express, which allows you to backup your system locally to an iDrive-supplied 1 TB External Drive. Mail the external drive back to iDrive, and they will upload your files to their servers locally, saving an enormous amount of time and bandwidth.


• iDrive lets you restore your files to any directory you designate.

iDrive Online Backup Service - A Review

SOPHOS Virus Removal Tool - A Review

SOPHOS Virus Removal Tool At Work

If you’ve read my BitDefender Total Security 2013 review, you know I rely on BitDefender for system security.

Although I didn’t mention it in my BitDefender piece, I also run SUPERAntiSpyware Pro, and HouseCall, a free tool from Trend Micro, which I use periodically. The bottom line is that I believe discretion is indeed the better part of valour, and never rely upon a single program when it comes to malwire and virus removal.

When I ran across the SOPHOS Virus Removal Tool, I decided to see what it was like, and downloaded it a few days back. The installation went smoothly; the software updated itself and then presented me with its SCAN function.

To my surprise, the scan revealed a nasty piece of malware that both BitDefender and SUPERAntiSpyware failed to discover, and my determination to employ multiple solutions was fully validated.

If you think your computer may be infected, and you’re searching for a free virus scan, this add this SOPHOS tool to your bag of tricks and give it a try. When it comes to malicious software removal, you need all the help you can get.

Thank you, Sophos!

SOPHOS Virus Removal Tool - A Review

Spamarrest - the perfect anti-spam solution

I reviewed Spamarrest a few years ago, using Squido; I invite you to click here and read it.

The review will open in a new browser…in the meantime, here are my current stats – click on the image to see the full-sized version:

My personal Spamarrest data (June 20, 2013)

Let’s review:

Messages Processed:	1431509
Messages Forwarded:	123432
Spam Percentage:	91.38%

I’ve been with Spamarrest for more than ten years, as you can deduce from the statistics, which speak eloquently to this system’s effectiveness.  If you’re plagued by unwanted email, it’s obvious Spamarrest will solve your problem – check it out:

As always, if you have any questions, just leave a comment and I’ll do my best to provide the answer.

Spamarrest - the perfect anti-spam solution

BitDefender Total Security 2013

MyBitDefender: As you can see from this screen shot of my Desktop, MyBitDefender provides centralized access to all of the system’s features. I have installed BitDefender on two computers, both of which are represented on the lower portion of the desktop. (BitDefender can be installed on up to three devices.)

Click on the Facebook icon and you are presented with BitDefender’s SafEgo module, which scans your Facebook account for security threats. As a serial victim of Facebook-based malware, I appreciate feeling that I am protected for a change.

Notice that the SafEgo menu also provides one-click access to BitDefender’s QuickScan, which, as the screen points out, provides a fast way to find out if your computer is infected.

SafeBox: SafeBox is BitDefender’s Cloud-based secure backup and storage system, which provides BitDefender clients with two gigs of free online cloud backup. I was delighted to discover this, because the first online backup system I tried (read about my horrid experience with JustCloud here) was abysmal.

SafeBox worked seamlessly the first time I used it, and also made it easy to synchronize both of my BitDefender-protected devices – all I had to do was flick a switch. After JustCloud, SafeBox is a true delight.

Safebox offers additional storage for a fee – click on the “Get more space” link and you’re offered two choices:

 Parental Control: The image below provides all you really need to know about how you can use it to protect your children while they’re online:

 

Safepay: BitDefender’s Safepay is one of my favorite features. It provides you with a secure browser you can use during financial transactions and online banking. Safepay’s browser even provides a virtual keyboard which you can use to prevent key loggers from discovering your confidential login information. It’s easy to use – just visit your online financial sites and tag them as favorites. They will be displayed on the browser’s home page for one-click access at any time.

 Support: You are encouraged to register with Avangate myAccount during the BitDefender purchase and installation process. Avangate processes BitDefender’s financial transactions and affiliates, and myAccount is the go-to place for support relating to purchases, payments, downloading insurance and retrieval of your license key. What Avangate does not do is support the software itself – that’s up to BitDefender, as you would expect.

BitDefender’s first line of support is its forum, which is available in several languages, including English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. If you’re interested in learning more about the best anti-virus program available, you owe it to yourself to check the forum out.

 

BitDefender Total Security 2013

VarPro: An Autoresponder System That Delivers.

I have been working on the net since 1998, when I started clicking banners for pennies. If nothing else, it’s been a roller coaster ride “earning while learning,” and one thing I’ve learned to count on is this: About the time that you master a hot marketing technique, it quits working effectively and something new comes along.

One thing that has never gone off the rails, however, is list-building. Once you build a good list, you can market to it, assuming that you have earned the trust and respect of your readers.

You cannot, however, build that list without the right tool to communicate with subscribers. Sure, you can do it with your email client, but if you are successful at attracting subscribers, you will rapidly reach the point where it is simply overwhelmed.

In addition, using your email account may subject you to termination by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if even one of your subscribers complains about unwanted commercial email.

Autoresponders

Autoresponders make it easy for you to create profitable customer relationships. Email marketing tools like professional subscription forms & autoresponder services make it easy for you to build an email list and stay in touch with your prospects without putting your ISP account and your reputation at risk.

There are lots of autoresponder subscription systems for those of you who don’t want to roll your own. For a small monthly fee, you can be up and running in minutes. Two of the best are AWeber and GetResponse. Both will get you started for less than twenty bucks a month.  I have used several autoresponder subscription systems in the past, and found them all to be easy to set up and use, and either of these two will satisfy your needs, although the more successful at list building you become, the more these subscription systems are going to cost you. (At the time of writing, for instance, GetResponse’s fee to manage a list of 10,000 or more is $65 a month.)

Critical Elements

When you’re considering subscribing to an autoresponder system, or purchasing your own software, there are a few things that are critical to success. Here are a few of them:

• Availability of both single and double opt-in responders


• Automatic removal of bouncing email addresses


• Ability to ban specific email addresses


• Ability to ban entire domains


• Ability to mail to specific demographics and/or custom data fields


• Ability to import leads


• Option of subscribing by email or RSS


• Link Tracking


• HTML “Mail opened” tracking


• Access to multiple accounts with unlimited autoresponders and messages using your own domain.


• Ability to publish professional and personalized opt-in email messages.

VarPro

Enter VarPro, which sells for $449. Let’s assume you have no technical skills at all, and have the author install VarPro for you…no problem – the price includes installation. Add the cost of registering your own domain – perhaps $15 a year – and it’s obvious that owning your own professional responder is the most responsible, economical and efficient way to go.

The VarPro System™ is a complete autoresponder hosting solution, an all in one server-side software application. With VarPro you can host Free and Fee Based Autoresponders on your web site.

I subscribed to various autoresponder services for years before switching to VarPro, and spent at least $900 on subscriptions before doing so. GetResponse and AWeber are great systems, and will certainly get the job done, but do you really want to make subscription payments indefinitely?

The VarPro Autoresponder System was developed from the ground up to meet the needs of internet marketers, but you won’t have to pay someone else every month to use it.

 The Meat & Potatos

I obtained the VarPro System seven or eight years ago and have enjoyed  it ever since. It does everything I need an autoresponder to do, and does it well. Support is outstanding, fast and reliable.

One feature which is important is the ability to automatically remove bouncing email addresses from your list without human intervention. This is critical, because folks change their email addresses all the time, and the changes will rapidly degrade the value of your list.

From 43,000 to Zero in 12 Months?

I once subscribed to a marketing system which included a “custom autoresponder,” and used it to build a list of over 43,000 subscribers. Unfortunately, the list became increasingly unresponsive, eventually reaching the point of being worthless.

The reason? The owner of the marketing system didn’t want to deal with the volume of  bouncing email error messages large lists generate, so he had them automatically deleted without notice to the list owners – he sent them to the proverbial “bit bucket.”

What this ill-conceived policy meant was steadily decreasing income, since I was not aware of the bad addresses on the list. I thought I was marketing to over 43,000 people, but the list was actually shrinking every month, and shrinking rapidly. Not only were my customers disappearing, but the responder was generating thousands of bouncing messages with every campaign mailing. What an enormous waste of bandwidth!

Things eventually became so bad that I simply deleted the list. The loss of income was substantial – You can understand my reluctance to trust my financial success to someone else.

I acquired VarPro, which provided every feature and function I needed  - and then some. Now I enjoy complete control over my list marketing; and the opportunity to market my own autoresponder service to others.

The VarPro System can readily be turned into an income stream in its own right; it was designed that way. (How neat is that?)

Providing a description of the full scope of the VarPro administration functions would take more time than than either of us want to spend. Instead, I thought it would be useful to provide a series of screen shots, starting with this one. Click on the images for a full-sized picture.

Let’s start with a quick look at the business side of the system:

Administration

Here is the main administration menu – this is the first menu displayed when you login…

Administration: Creating An Account Type

Administration: Opt-In Email Setup

The Opt-In message is configurable with a full range of time-saving variables and HTML tools available, including Flash.

Administration: Banned Subscriber Management

The Administrator can review the entire system’s list of banned subscribers, and remove addresses from the list in the event of error. The actual addresses have been obscured to maintain privacy.

Virtually every client function has a corresponding Help file. I find them simple and easy to understand, without a lot of technical jargon. The entire Admin Manual has been integrated into the system – here are a few screens, beginning with the Main Menu, and followed by Billing and Account Setup screens:

If you still need detailed technical help, however, VarPro’s support system will provide it quickly and efficiently.

CLIENT: Main Menu

You could call this a biased affiliate review, I suppose, because it is. But this affiliate’s review is not based upon commissions, even though it is certainly a strong buy recommendation. Why?

After putting my VarPro responder through its paces for more than five years, I am glad to have it. The system has proven itself to be reliable and effective, and the support has been outstanding. During those five years, based upon Aweber’s lowest subscription rate, I have saved $900 in fees – my VarPro responder has twice paid for itself.

What’s not to like?

VarPro: An Autoresponder System That Delivers.

Blog: Media on trial, too, as Gosnell trial resumes

Blog: Media on trial, too, as Gosnell trial resumes

The most famous empty press section ever, symbolizing the media blackout of the sensational trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell, may have a few occupants today when the trial resumes. The past few days have seen active shaming of the mainstream media over its specious excuses for ignoring the testimony which -- let's face it - portrays an inhuman taking of innocent lives, babies born alive, in the name of abortion. The fact the President Obama voted to allow infants to die if they were born alive after a botched abortion adds a very strong news hook, as does the horrifying lack of inspection of the abortion clinic by Pennsylvania authorities.

VarPro: An Autoresponder System That Delivers.

I have been working on the net since 1998, when I started clicking banners for pennies. If nothing else, it’s been a roller coaster ride “earning while learning,” and one thing I’ve learned to count on is this: About the time that you master a hot marketing technique, it quits working effectively and something new comes along.

One thing that has never gone off the rails, however, is list-building. Once you build a good list, you can market to it, assuming that you have earned the trust and respect of your readers.

You cannot, however, build that list without the right tool to communicate with subscribers. Sure, you can do it with your email client, but if you are successful at attracting subscribers, you will rapidly reach the point where it is simply overwhelmed.

In addition, using your email account may subject you to termination by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if even one of your subscribers complains about unwanted commercial email.

Autoresponders

Autoresponders make it easy for you to create profitable customer relationships. Email marketing tools like professional subscription forms & autoresponder services make it easy for you to build an email list and stay in touch with your prospects without putting your ISP account and your reputation at risk.

There are lots of autoresponder subscription systems for those of you who don’t want to roll your own. For a small monthly fee, you can be up and running in minutes. Two of the best are AWeber and GetResponse. Both will get you started for less than twenty bucks a month.  I have used several autoresponder subscription systems in the past, and found them all to be easy to set up and use, and either of these two will satisfy your needs, although the more successful at list building you become, the more these subscription systems are going to cost you. (At the time of writing, for instance, GetResponse’s fee to manage a list of 10,000 or more is $65 a month.)

Critical Elements

When you’re considering subscribing to an autoresponder system, or purchasing your own software, there are a few things that are critical to success. Here are a few of them:

• Availability of both single and double opt-in responders


• Automatic removal of bouncing email addresses


• Ability to ban specific email addresses


• Ability to ban entire domains


• Ability to mail to specific demographics and/or custom data fields


• Ability to import leads


• Option of subscribing by email or RSS


• Link Tracking


• HTML “Mail opened” tracking


• Access to multiple accounts with unlimited autoresponders and messages using your own domain.


• Ability to publish professional and personalized opt-in email messages.

VarPro

Enter VarPro, which sells for $449. Let’s assume you have no technical skills at all, and have the author install VarPro for you…no problem – the price includes installation. Add the cost of registering your own domain – perhaps $15 a year – and it’s obvious that owning your own professional responder is the most responsible, economical and efficient way to go.

The VarPro System™ is a complete autoresponder hosting solution, an all in one server-side software application. With VarPro you can host Free and Fee Based Autoresponders on your web site.

I subscribed to various autoresponder services for years before switching to VarPro, and spent at least $900 on subscriptions before doing so. GetResponse and AWeber are great systems, and will certainly get the job done, but do you really want to make subscription payments indefinitely?

The VarPro Autoresponder System was developed from the ground up to meet the needs of internet marketers, but you won’t have to pay someone else every month to use it.

 The Meat & Potatos

I obtained the VarPro System seven or eight years ago and have enjoyed  it ever since. It does everything I need an autoresponder to do, and does it well. Support is outstanding, fast and reliable.

One feature which is important is the ability to automatically remove bouncing email addresses from your list without human intervention. This is critical, because folks change their email addresses all the time, and the changes will rapidly degrade the value of your list.

From 43,000 to Zero in 12 Months?

I once subscribed to a marketing system which included a “custom autoresponder,” and used it to build a list of over 43,000 subscribers. Unfortunately, the list became increasingly unresponsive, eventually reaching the point of being worthless.

The reason? The owner of the marketing system didn’t want to deal with the volume of  bouncing email error messages large lists generate, so he had them automatically deleted without notice to the list owners – he sent them to the proverbial “bit bucket.”

What this ill-conceived policy meant was steadily decreasing income, since I was not aware of the bad addresses on the list. I thought I was marketing to over 43,000 people, but the list was actually shrinking every month, and shrinking rapidly. Not only were my customers disappearing, but the responder was generating thousands of bouncing messages with every campaign mailing. What an enormous waste of bandwidth!

Things eventually became so bad that I simply deleted the list. The loss of income was substantial – You can understand my reluctance to trust my financial success to someone else.

I acquired VarPro, which provided every feature and function I needed  - and then some. Now I enjoy complete control over my list marketing; and the opportunity to market my own autoresponder service to others.

The VarPro System can readily be turned into an income stream in its own right; it was designed that way. (How neat is that?)

Providing a description of the full scope of the VarPro administration functions would take more time than than either of us want to spend. Instead, I thought it would be useful to provide a series of screen shots, starting with this one. Click on the images for a full-sized picture.

Let’s start with a quick look at the business side of the system:

Administration

A screen shot of the VarPro Main Admin Menu

Administration: Setup Account Type

Top portion of the VarPro Account Type Setup Menu

Lower  portion of the VarPro Account Type Setup menu.

Administration: Opt-In Email Setup

VarPro Admin Opt-In email setup showing variables available.

Client: Main Menu

Here’s a shot of the client’s main menu for a new account:

VarPro Client’s Main Menu

Client: Link Tracking Setup

Client Side: Add Autoresponder Help

VarPro “Add Autoresponder” Help Screen

Client Side: Form Code Help

VarPro Form Code Help Screen (Partial)

Virtually every client function has a corresponding Help file. I find them simple and easy to understand, without a lot of technical jargon. If you need detailed technical help, however, VarPro author Jim Nelson’s email support system will quickly provide it.

VarPro: An Autoresponder System That Delivers.