Cubby introduces Locks, Cloud off switch
The file hosting and synchronization service Cubby recently entered open beta. It is a file synchronization and hosting service much like Dropbox, SkyDrive or Google Drive, but with a couple of extras that the majority of contenders do not offer. Among the features is the option to synchronize any folder regardless of location on the system.
Cubby yesterday evening announced the launch of a handful of new features that will make the service even more attractive than it already is.
The first feature, Cubby Locks, adds an extra encryption option to select files that you synchronize with the service. Files protected by the feature can only be used or shared if the account password is supplied. While that does not really help you if someone steals your account password, it can come in handy when someones gets access to your local PC or data on the Cubby website.
The second feature is Cloud On/Off Switching. You can turn off cloud synchronization using the feature to sync the files directly with another PC in a local area network. The cloud is bypassed and no data is stored in it at all. Why that's interesting? Because by doing so, you are no longer limited to the amount of space of your Cubby account. Want to always keep your 50 Gigabyte music library in sync on your LAN, or your movie collection? No problem with the feature.
Even better, you can switch the cloud on or off for select folders so that some data gets synchronized with the cloud, while other data does not.
Two additional updates have been launched today. The application features new application icons and one-click access to all folders directly from the application. A click either opens the folder locally if it is available on the system, or the Cubby website where it is displayed instead. Note that you will be asked to sign in if you are not, which is unlike Google handles that. So, better security in this regards as well.
If you have not already, I suggest you give Cubby a try. The only thing missing as far as I'm concerned is Linux support.
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Not only has “Cloud Switching” always been a part of Cubby, it used to be called P2P Sync and even works over the internet. It’s one of Cubby’s most distinctive features, and what has made it the sync program of choice for Live Mesh refugees. Remember that Cubby is a product of LogMeIn, whose bread and butter has been VPN over the internet and building services on top of that.
I’m waiting for a portable client that I can run from my USB