A closer look at SafeCopy Backup

SafeCopy Backup is an online backup service that allows you to backup files from an unlimited number of Windows and Mac computers and mobile devices, to access them from anywhere, and to share them with anyone.

SafeCopy offers a 3GB free account, so you can test their offering.

Download the application and install it. I installed it on my Mac first. During the installation/configuration, select the Free Trial option and enter your e-mail address and your chosen password, and an account will be opened for you.

The SafeCopy Control Panel is pretty simplistic. You have the My Account tab where you can change your password or buy a bigger account and the Settings tab where you choose what things you want to backup:

Press the “Next” button to start backing up the chosen files:

You can pause the process, as well as see its details. A click on the Search button in the lower half of the window will automatically open your browser and take you to your account:

When you search for a file, and it’s found, and you want to share it with a colleague, simply press the Share link beside the file (alternatively, you could have pressed the Share button on the Control Panel).

The following form will then open:

Insert the e-mail address to which you want to send the notification – the subject and body of the message are automatically filled out with a template – choose if you want to protect access to the file with a password and for how long it will be available.

The recipient will receive a similar e-mail:

Following the link in the e-mail and using the given password will take the recipient to a page from which he can download the file:

To browse the contents of your account, simply click on the Browse button on the Control Panel or on the Browse link in the Web console:

You can also bypass the Control Panel and upload files through the Web console.

So, let’s see now how it works with another computer. I installed SafeCopy on a PC I have laying around. During the installation process, you must remember to choose the Existing User option when registering:

The Control Panel looks pretty much the same:

Let’s see if the account correctly saves files from different computers:

To restore/download a file, do to the Web console, search for the file and click on it to save it on the computer (you can do this also on a computer that hasn’t got SafeCopt installed). To restore/download a folder, click on the small blue box with the downward facing arrow located on the right top cornet od the folder in question and choose the download option.

Well, I must say that everything worked flawlessly and that this online backup service is extremely simple to use.

The only thing that I’m not satisfied with is their Terms of Service. Sentences like “We have the utmost commitment to not lose even one file, but do not give any guarantee or indemnification” and “SafeCopy Backup can store Customer data on its server without obligation or responsibility to the Customer” do not inspire much confidence.

If you want the test the Service yourself, go here.