June 21 - 11:55pm EDT   SpiderOak has announced that its new online backup service is now available. The system is claimed to utilize different technology than other common backup services, such as Dropbox, and provides a single tool that consolidates backup, synchronization, sharing, remote access and storage functions. Instead of requiring users to put files into a folder to be replicated on other devices, SpiderOak enables groups of folders to be uploaded from any networked computers or external drives without modifying the folder structure. The backup also boasts file protection for synced or non-synced content, eliminating unnecessary transfers by keeping backup and sync functions separate. [full story]

June 9 - 3:25pm EDT   iSkysoft has released the full version of DVD-Library software, used to backup movies to a Mac or portable hard disk as separate ISO images. Files retain a DVD's content protection and digital quality, but can be still be watched on a computer. The DVD Boxes feature adds a cover image, disc information and custom organization. [full story]

May 13 - 10:35am EDT   Smith Micro has announced CheckIt 2, a new program meant to optimize a Mac's performance. The title combines five utilities into a single package, including TechTool Platinum, Spring Cleaning, EMC Retrospect Express, Executive Sync and StuffIt Standard. Users can diagnose and fix hard drive issues, manage file clutter, backup content and compress files to save space. Functions unrelated to performance include file encryption and synchronization. [full story]

May 8 - 2:05pm EDT   ArchiveMac 1.2 ($25) allows users to backup large files to CD, DVD or Blu-Ray disks. If the contents of a backup are larger than what can be stored on one disk the software can split the data across multiple discs which are then patched together when restored. The archive discs are burned in a way that allows them to be restored on any Mac, Windows or Linux computer without the need for any additional software. Version 1.2 has improved the process of burning discs by allowing discs in a set to be skipped and adding support for burning multiple copies of a disc. [Download - 4.8MB] [full story]

May 4 - 11:30am EDT   app4mac has released a beta version of a new online backup application, Twin 1.0. The program is compatible with several formats, including FTP, Amazon S3, MobileMe and others. It also offers 256-bit AES encryption, and backup to external drives should a computer be offline. [full story]

April 14 - 10:00am EDT   Backblaze has opened its $5-per-month backup service to Macs, touting simplicity and automatic support for external hard drives. The service is said to use military-grade encryption, and offer emergency overnight back-ups on USB hard drives or DVDs. In a field crowded with competitors such as Mozy, Carbonite and iDrive, Backblaze is banking on its "effortless" client, which backs up critical files whenever it detects an active Internet connection. All files are selected automatically, except for the operating system, applications, temporary files and any over 4GB. [full story]

March 20 - 4:55pm EDT   WaterThumber 2.1 ($20) is a tool that allows users to resize images for online publication in one batch process. The software can create high-quality thumbnails and smaller versions of images or add custom watermarks. Brightness, contrast, saturation and sharpness adjustments can also be made to each image and all the EXIF data, including brand-specific camera information and GPS coordinates are preserved. Version 2.1 includes three new watermark placement options and a new bug reporting system. The update also includes a few graphical changes and fixes for several miscellaneous bugs. [Download - 3.3MB] [full story]

March 16 - 8:55pm EDT   Carbonite has expanded its online backup service to support Mac systems. Individual users or small businesses can automatically back up an unlimited amount of data. The software runs in the background, continually copying new or changed files to the company's servers. Data is encrypted when it leaves the local computer, where it is then transferred to the secure data centers using the SSL protocol. [full story]

March 12 - 3:45pm EDT   A combination online and offline backup utility, Persistence, has launched in commercial beta form, its developer says. While able to back up to iDisk, external hard drives or USB flash sticks, the app is designed primarily to handle large file transfers, ranging into hundreds of gigabytes. All metadata is retained, including Finder data and Unix permissions, and signatures are assigned to each file for later verification during the restore process. [full story]

March 4 - 10:50pm EST   In brief: A long-time Macintosh fan is currently looking to raise some money to pay for a surgery by selling off his collection of Mac memorabilia. Houdah Software and locr have come together to release a special version of Houdah Geo that integrates support with the locr community for sharing geotagged photos. Meanwhile, users who are looking for alternative backup options may find the MozyHome online backup service to be just what they need. MacNN has tested out this option and posted its thoughts in a review which rewarded the service with three stars out of five. [full story]

February 27 - 5:35pm EST   Hard Copy 2.5 (free) allows users to send digital faxes to other Hard Copy users. Users can enter a message or open a text document then send a document to a selected recipients printer. Version 2.5 includes new message templates and several ASCII art images that can be used in messages. [Download - 3.6MB] [full story]

February 27 - 11:25am EST   CrushSync has released v1.1 of its self-titled backup software. Data is copied to a secondary location, whether on local, network or remote storage; automatic schedules can be arranged to avoid manual effort. Distinguishing the app is support for two-way synchronization, which can be used to ensure that both sources and destinations have the most recent versions of any given file. [full story]

February 25 - 9:25pm EST   SmartBackup 2.3 ($22) is a tool for creating various types of backups, such as small daily data backups on network drives or full bootable clones of Mac OS X on a second hard drive. The update includes a new option that can automatically purge archived files after a defined time. It also includes several bugfixes and general improvements. [Download - 0.95MB] [full story]

February 11 - 4:05pm EST   Information Appliance Associates has announced PocketMac Backup for SalesForce, an application used to backup a user's SalesForce data. The program is able to automatically grab contacts from a SalesForce account, and save them to Address Book every 15 minutes. This ensures access to SalesForce information without an Internet connection. [full story]

February 9 - 4:15pm EST   Zevrix Solutions has released the latest version of its data backup software, Instant Backup 1.5. The update adds the ability to back up a selected file or folder directly from the system-wide Instant Backup menu. A number of bugs have also been fixed, including a problem that would cause a menu to disappear and another issue regarding duplicate default backups. [full story]