Digital cameras, especially today’s camera phones, are convenient for snapping lots of pics. The only downside to using digital cameras is that it’s all too easy to let those photos pile up inside your phone without ever seeing the light of day. When that phone eventually goes missing, you can say goodbye to all those memorable moments.
Finally, there is a way to automatically back up all camera photos. You don’t even need cords or access to your computer to back up your camera photos online and on your computer. There are two mobile storage apps available now that provide instant, automatic backups every time you snap a picture.
1. Dropbox Mobile
The Dropbox mobile app can use your phone’s WiFi or data plan to store all camera shots online. No cords, no lost photos. The cool thing about this solution is that Dropbox gives all new users 2 GB of free storage space for as long as they want it. You can sign up for an account at Dropbox today and never have to pay a thing unless you choose to upgrade.
Best of all, Dropbox is currently giving away extra free space to people that try the mobile phone app for uploading photos. The first photo that you upload with the automatic upload feature will get you an extra 500 MB of storage space. Upload more photos after that and you can get up to 3 GB of extra space.
Note: Dropbox also has a new feature that works with regular digital cameras. If you have the latest version of the Dropbox desktop app, you can set it up to automatically back up photos from your digital camera. All you have to do is plug your camera into your computer and Dropbox will automatically retrieve all photos and store them in your sync folder for online and offline storage.
Here’s how you can get started:
1. Get a free Dropbox account
Visit www.Dropbox.com and sign up for a free account. You will not be asked to supply your payment information.
2. Download the Dropbox mobile app
Dropbox has mobile apps for the iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Visit your phone’s app store and search for “Dropbox.” The official download will be the first result and it is free to install. Click the download/install button and follow the instructions on the screen to get Dropbox on your mobile device.
3. Turn on the “Camera Upload” feature
Run the Dropbox app on your phone and sign in to your existing account.
Press the menu button and then choose “settings.” In the settings area, there is an option to turn on the Camera Upload feature. When you click that button, you will be taken to a secondary options menu in which you can turn on automatic camera uploads.
4. Take pictures
Every picture that you take will now be automatically uploaded to your personal Dropbox account. If you have the Dropbox software installed on your desktop, those photos will also be transferred to your local Dropbox folder.
2. SugarSync Mobile
SugarSync also has a mobile app that can be used for automatic camera backups. This mobile app is even more impressive than the Dropbox app thanks to its long list of features and supported devices. Just like the Dropbox mobile app, SugarSync will automatically back up all photos and store them online. From there, those photos will also be synced to your home computer.
SugarSync has a free account that you can use to try both the desktop and mobile versions. New users get 5 GB of storage space and no payment information is necessary.
Here’s how you can get started with SugarSync:
1. Get a free SugarSync account
Visit www.SugarSync.com and click on the big “download now” button. After the download is complete, run the installation program and follow the instruction on the screen to get started with your free account. You can also sign up for a paid account if you wish.
2. Download SugarSync onto your mobile device
Android and iPhone users can visit their app stores and search for “SugarSync” to get the appropriate app. Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Symbian users can visit the SugarSync website to download the apps manually.
3. Turn on automatic camera uploads
Now that you have the app installed, run it and press the menu button, then click on “actions.” Go to “settings” then “AutoSync Photos” then choose the “On” option. Every photo you take from now on will be automatically uploaded to your SugarSync account.
Author Bio: Sara Richardson is a tech blogger and contributes to a variety of tech related websites. She is currently working with a file storage site that provides storage reviews, news and tips.
