Ubuntu One: Best option for Cloud storage

Ubuntu One is a cloud service operated by Canonical Ltd. The service enables users to store files online and sync them between computers and mobile devices as well as stream audio and music from cloud to mobile devices.

 Fig1: Ubuntu one Window

Ubuntu One has a client application that runs on Ubuntu 9.04 and later on Windows XP or newer and Mac OS X 10.6 and higher. Other Linux distributions are supported through a console client. The source code is available through launch pad and can easily be compiled for other Unix-like operating systems such as FreeBSD. There is an Ubuntu One music app for iOS device. A free Ubuntu One account offers 5 GB of storage. The Ubuntu One service is similar to services such as iCloud, Dropbox, Google Play Music, Amazon Cloud Player. Its client code is written in Python. It uses Twisted for its low-level networking and Protocol Buffers for protocol description. Data is synced over a custom protocol called "u1storage", and stored on Amazon S3. It also has capabilities for purchasing DRM-free music while synchronizing them automatically with an Ubuntu One Account via the Ubuntu One Music Store (in partnership with 7digital). Ubuntu One publishes APIs for developers wishing to build applications with file and data synchronization or music streaming. While Ubuntu One might seem like an Ubuntu-only file synchronization service, it’s more than that – you can use Ubuntu One on Windows, Android, iOS, and from the web. Ubuntu One offers 5GB of free storage space to everyone. Following are few of those features which you might be unaware of. Lets discuss each in brief.

1) Sync Any Folder:

By default, Ubuntu only synchronizes files inside the Ubuntu One folder in your home directory. However, you can right-click any folder, point to the Ubuntu One menu and select Synchronize This Folder to start synchronizing it. You can manage your synchronized folders from the Ubuntu One application.

Fig2:  Home Screen in Ubuntu

2) Limit Bandwidth:

Ubuntu One uses all available bandwidth for file uploads and downloads by default, but you can restrict its upload and download speeds if you’re on a slower connection. The bandwidth settings are located on the Settings pane in the Ubuntu One window.

 Fig3: Ubuntu one Dialog Window

3) Use Ubuntu One on Windows:

Ubuntu One doesn’t just run on Linux – Ubuntu, it also offers a Windows client with full file synchronization support. Ubuntu One is a cross-platform file synchronization service – you can even use it if you’re a Windows user that has never used Ubuntu.

 Fig4: Ubuntu one License Agreement Window

4) Share Files:

Using the right-click menu in your file manager or the Ubuntu One website, you can share files and folders – publicly on the Internet or privately with other Ubuntu One users. We have covered using Ubuntu One to share files in the past.

 Fig5: Ubuntu one .com Website

 5) Synchronize Installed Software: 

Ubuntu One can sync the software you’ve installed from Ubuntu Software Centre between your computers, so it’s easy to keep track of which software you have installed. We’ve covered syncing software with the Ubuntu Software Centre in the past.

 Fig6: Ubuntu one Software Centre

6) Use Mobile Apps:

Ubuntu One offers apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. With the app, you can access your Ubuntu One files on the go from your mobile device.

 Fig7: Ubuntu one Mobile Apps

  

7) Automatically Upload Photos from Your Smartphone:

The mobile app also has the ability to automatically upload photos you take on your Smartphone to your personal Ubuntu One cloud, allowing easy access to your photos on all your devices.

8) Mobile Music Streaming:

Ubuntu One also offers an Ubuntu One Music app for Android and iOS. The app allows you to stream your music to your mobile device from wherever you are – you can also cache files on your device for offline listening. This feature costs $3.99 a month and includes 20GB of storage space – you can try it free for the first 30 days. It also works in concert with the Ubuntu One Music Store included with Ubuntu One’s Rhythm box music player – any music you purchase is instantly delivered to your Ubuntu One account and available in the Ubuntu One Music app.

 Fig8: Ubuntu one Music App

9) Sync Contacts:

Ubuntu One can synchronize your contacts and store them online. Currently, you can import contacts from Facebook on the Ubuntu One website or add them manually. Previous versions of Ubuntu supported contacts sync with the Evolution email client, but contact sync with Thunderbird appears to be absent in Ubuntu 12.10. 

 Fig9: Ubuntu one  Contacts Window

10) Manage Files in Your Browser:

If you don’t have Ubuntu One installed on your computer, you can access and manage your files from the Ubuntu One website. From your browser, you can download files, upload files, or manage your existing files.

 Fig10: Ubuntu one File Transfer Window

 

11) Manage Devices:

From the Devices tab in the Ubuntu One window or the Devices page on the Ubuntu One website, you can manage the computers and other devices that are linked to your account.

 Fig11: Ubuntu one User Account Window

Thus these were few of those features which Ubuntu one provides.