Backblaze loves the Mac, and even tried to bring back Steve Jobs, so we’re very excited today to make our unlimited online backup service available to all Mac users. With half the founding team originally from Apple, we couldn’t wait to support the Mac platform. We’re thrilled to do so and to see some of… Continue reading Backblaze Launches Mac Version
It Can Sometimes Be a Problem
Cara is a good friend of ours and a we had a great time trying to shoot something for the Backblaze homepage. As a bonus, Cara does all of her own stunts so we were able to use real fire with real gasoline instead of CGI fire.
Have You Been a Data Crisis Counselor?
Dan Tynan’s article “The 7 dirtiest jobs in IT” hit a nerve with many an IT worker, and Tynan followed it up with “Even dirtier IT jobs.” Number six on the list of the dirtiest jobs? Data crisis counselor. This is a person on the other end of the phone from “sobbing adults who’ve lost… Continue reading Have You Been a Data Crisis Counselor?
Backblaze Doubles Unlimited Storage
Since the company started, Backblaze has offered unlimited storage for its online backup customers. However, as users have taken more photos, downloaded more music, smashed VHS tapes into their DVD readers, and generally created more data, their needs have grown. As Nat Tumatch of Morespace, Wyoming says, Unlimited is too limiting. Do I look like… Continue reading Backblaze Doubles Unlimited Storage
Gartner Forecasts Cloud Service Sales Up 21%
Cloud services are forecast to be a bright spot amidst dire economic times. Reaching $56.3 billion by the end of 2009, cloud services are expected to generate two times the revenue of Google (which is partially included) and a growth rate that exceeds the company’s 18% year-over-year rate. By 2013, Gartner expects cloud services to… Continue reading Gartner Forecasts Cloud Service Sales Up 21%
Are Your Photos Safe at Kodak Gallery?
Kodak Gallery, formerly known as “Ofoto,” claims to be the leading online digital photo developing service. Customers upload photos to the site, use it as a way to store and share photos online, and count on it as a photo backup. However, today Kodak updated its storage policy to say that it will delete your… Continue reading Are Your Photos Safe at Kodak Gallery?
Carbonite Data Loss Reports Miss the Point
Online backup service provider Carbonite was all over the news this week for suing two of its suppliers, claiming the vendors set up the systems that were responsible for losing 7,500 customers’ data. First published in The Boston Globe, the story was picked up by TechCrunch, Computerworld, CNET, and at least 20 other media outlets.… Continue reading Carbonite Data Loss Reports Miss the Point
U.S. Masters Swimming Data Drowns
Nearly 50,000 swimmers nationwide rely on the U.S. Masters Swimming organization for training, competitions, and various local programs. Started in 1970, the organization has grown to support 500 local clubs and its website, www.usms.org, is the hub that helps manage this large, distributed nonprofit. Yesterday, during a routine import, the database containing all the member… Continue reading U.S. Masters Swimming Data Drowns
Friday the 13th: How Lucky Are You?
It’s 6:30 p.m. on Friday the 13th, so if you’re reading this, it probably wasn’t a completely unlucky day. Did you avoid walking under a ladder today? Stood a bit further back from large windows? Drove a little slower? According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute, about one in 15 people in the… Continue reading Friday the 13th: How Lucky Are You?
Ma.gnolia Wilts with No Backup
Ma.gnolia.com was a bookmark storing and sharing service (similar to Delicious.com) that has shut down due to data loss. The company started several years ago and built a small, but adoring user community that liked Ma.gnolia’s easy-to-use API and caching of linked pages. The service was the work of Larry Halff who nearly single-handedly built… Continue reading Ma.gnolia Wilts with No Backup
Backblaze Welcomes HP Upline Customers
HP is shutting down its Upline online backup service. No official announcement has been made, but HP has sent its users a notice (shown below) saying it will shut down the service on March 31st. TechCrunch has reported about previous trouble the service had and the current shutdown. Backblaze is offering HP Upline users a… Continue reading Backblaze Welcomes HP Upline Customers
Backblaze Attending TechCrunch Cloud Computing Roundtable
TechCrunch is holding its next roundtable on Feb 27th asking the question, “Whose Cloud Is It Anyway?” Assembling 275 people together, TechCrunch intends to discuss whether clouds will be closed, warring platforms or open, interconnected systems. Other questions I believe should be discussed include: What is the appropriate level for a cloud to exist at?… Continue reading Backblaze Attending TechCrunch Cloud Computing Roundtable
Faster Broadband Coming Soon?
Broadband connections in the United States are 10 times slower than those in South Korea. In fact, we are #15 based on average connection speed, behind not only Japan, Finland, France, and Sweden (which are all at least three times faster) but also countries including Iceland, Poland, and Portugal that are blessed with significantly faster… Continue reading Faster Broadband Coming Soon?
Bring Back Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was sorely missed yesterday at Macworld. Loved for his hyperbole, showmanship, and black turtleneck, Jobs bowed out of Apple’s last Macworld. Rumors circled that he was ill, Apple had nothing to announce, he was stepping down, etc. In the end, Jobs issued a statement. Macworld would not be the same without Jobs’ keynote.… Continue reading Bring Back Steve Jobs
JournalSpace Shuts Down Due to No Backups
JournalSpace, a six-year-old blog hosting service, closed shop on Tuesday after losing all of its users’ data. Details are sketchy, but the company claims the cause was either an OS failure or a disgruntled employee that deleted the data. Regardless of the cause, since JournalSpace had no backups, in addition to the death of the… Continue reading JournalSpace Shuts Down Due to No Backups
Listen to Backblaze on the Radio
Backblaze’s first and only radio ad.
Goodbye 2008. Hello 2009.
At the beginning of 2007, we set off on a mission to make sure no one ever lost data again. 2008 saw numerous milestones along this path, so I wanted to take a quick look back and a glance forward into 2009. Realizing that the #1 reason users did not back up was the difficulty… Continue reading Goodbye 2008. Hello 2009.
Storage Is Recession-Proof
While the economic crisis continues to be at the forefront of our minds, business at Backblaze is booming. I would like to attribute that explicitly to our execution, but there is another factor at play: storage needs are skyrocketing. Every day, consumers and businesses are generating more digital data both in unit volume (# of… Continue reading Storage Is Recession-Proof