10 Handy Services for Sharing Large Files Online

By James Adams

When you need to email a large file, the best place to go is a file sharing service. A file sharing service will temporarily host your file until your recipient downloads it. Most companies have services starting at around $9.95 a month and have limited free trials available so you can try out their services. Here’s a look at the free services of ten file sharing companies.

1. Box.net (File Upload Size Limit: 25MB)

This company’s primary focus is on businesses, but their solutions work for individuals. Premium service is $9.95 a month, giving you a 1GB file upload limit and 10GB of online storage.

2. Drop.io (File Upload Size Limit: 100MB)

Upload your file to Drop.io and it will email your recipient a link to pick it up. That way, your clients can download the file at their leisure. With their $9.95 a month premium service, you can send up to 10GB and have up to 20 drops.

3. File Factory (File Upload Size Limit: 1GB)

File Factory can store your files in separate folders, allowing you to pick and choose which files you wish to send. The $10 per month premium service eliminates ads, increases your storage limit to 1,000GB and removes your wait time.

4. Files Direct (File Upload Size Limit: 250MB)

This company focuses on collaboration of multiple people in multiple locations using the same files. When a transfer is completed, both the user and the sender receive an email in confirmation. Their paid services start at $18 per month, increasing your storage limit to 10GB.

5. Media Light Box (File Upload Size Limit: 100MB)

This company aims to be the total solution for all of your file transfer needs. There are $10 plans for individuals, ranging up to $250 per month plans for large companies. The $10 per month plan increases your upload to 1GB and storage to 5GB.

6. MegaShares (File Upload Size Limit: 10GB w/ Custom Java Uploader, 1.5GB w/ website)

Services with this company are free, with the bulk of their money made through advertisements and affiliates. They do have a paid service which increases your download speed for files shared publicly on their system. When you complete your upload, you are sent a link to share your file with your friends or the rest of the world.

7. MegaUpload (File Upload Size Limit: 500MB)

Megaupload has two free programs available. The first doesn’t require any login or registration. The second increases your maximum file upload size to 2GB and gives you 200GB of storage. Their premium service offers unlimited uploads and downloads with very little advertising. It is priced at $10 per month.

8. RapidShare (File Upload Size Limit: 200MB)

When you upload a file using Rapidshare, you receive a link that you can email others to retrieve the files. If you decide to make those files public, downloads get you closer to a free premium account. The 1 month premium account starts at around $10, and increases your upload limit to 2GB.

9. Uploading (File Upload Size Limit: 1GB)

Premium membership removes the advertisements, increases the per file upload limit to 2GB and gives you the highest download speed priority. The service starts at $4.95 for three days, or $9.95 for a month.

10. YouSendIt (File Upload Size Limit: 100MB)

When you send your file to Yousendit, a download link is sent to your recipients. The pro account is available for $9.99 per month and increases your file upload limit to 2GB. With the pro membership, YouSendit will also store up to 2GB.

Each of these file sharing and sending services are easy to use. The next time that you have a large file, an online file sharing service might be right for you.

Author Information

James Adams is a tech analyst and in-house writer based at a specialist in HP cartridges where he analyses newly released hardware such as the HP 351XL.

Top 7 Timesaving Tips For Entrepreneurs

By James Adams

Successful entrepreneurs are busy. That is just a fact. For most of us success is forged with hard work and long hours that are very full of activity. Finding ways to make the most of each moment and save time where we can is an essential part of maximizing our efforts each and every work day. As hard as you’re working, it is likely that taking the time to evaluate your modus operandi will reveal some time drains that you can eliminate, thus saving valuable minutes or hours. The result will be more efficient use of the clock, which might lead to a bit more free time. Fat chance, huh? You never know. But let’s not waste any time getting to the top 7 timesaving tips for entrepreneurs.

1. Know your goals and your game plan: If you don’t know where you’re going, then any path will do. But if your destination, your goals are defined, you will have clear direction about how to spend your time. You’ll find it much easier to rule out certain actions, freeing valuable time for those things in your game plan which must be done. If you haven’t written down your goals, do so today. It will sharpen your focus tomorrow and every day beyond.

2. Schedule everything: Time has a way of leaking. A short break to check email turns into 30 minutes away from important tasks. Ditto for phone chats, sports news, a look at this weekend’s weather, etc. Schedule a short discretionary session online a few times a day and stick to it. You’ll pocket a surprising amount of time to spend in better ways.

3. Learn the power of saying no: This flows from our first point. When you have clear goals and a plan for getting there it is easy to see which work related “opportunities” simply don’t fit those goals. This makes it so much easier to rule out a half day seminar that sounds great but isn’t consistent with your current direction, for example. Four hours saved is precious!

4. Focus on the top of your priority list: The old saying is, “make the main thing the main thing.” That never hurts. While an entrepreneur must wear at least a few hats, know which one is most important and which are secondary. Wear that primary hat 80% of the time, whether it is the product development hat, the network building hat or the sales hat.

5. Outsource wherever possible: In the early days entrepreneurs may not have the money to outsource anything! When you grow beyond that phase determine what is worth paying someone else to do, especially if it saves time that can be spent in greater productivity. Determine the monetary value of your time and you’ll have a guide for deciding where outsourcing will save you money. If you have employees then outsourcing becomes delegating.

6. Document your time saving practices and make them part of your routine: It might have been Zig Ziglar who first said, “Work every day like it’s the day before vacation.” When a holiday is just a few days off we go into productivity overdrive. If we can harness that attitude it will energize us. Even if we can’t function at that level indefinitely, it will help us get a great deal of work done in short bursts. With dedication those bursts will become longer, more sustainable. That attitude also gives us razor sharp focus in determining our tasks for the day.

7. Schedule time off to refuel and achieve balance: The counterpart to the previous principle is that maintaining high productivity requires down time to regroup and restore our energy. Schedule “axe sharpening” as Stephen Covey would say. You will return to work swinging a sharper axe with more energy. A sharper focus, a keener attitude and a renewed vision will translate knowing what things you need to do and getting more of them done. You won’t feel guilty about time away if you know it will improve your performance when you are back in work mode.

Entrepreneurs who succeed point to their time saving/time usage skills as a major contributor to achieving their goals. Start today by recapturing your vision and then using that to sharpen your goals and your game plan. You’ll be refreshed and energized. You will enjoy your work more. You will be doing the right things for the right reasons and the next rung of your success will be closer than ever.

Author Information

James Adams works at an online ink supplies store where he covers the latest tech releases, reviewing products such as the T0715 and posting on his favoured topics of art and design on their blog.