Cloud storage may be yet another buzzword overhyped by the relentless marketing machine, but it's still a pretty nifty technology anyway.

While I have no intention of forgoing a hard drive anytime soon, it's great to know that I can store my data online for back-up purposes.

 

Microsoft Skydrive

Originally known as Windows Live Folders, Microsoft's Skydrive service has grown to become a neat service for both Windows Phone 7 and rival platforms.

Skydrive grants users 25GBs of space, although individual files are limited to 100MBs each. The service comes into its own on Windows Phone 7 however, letting users seamlessly save their Office files and photos.

 

Apple iCloud

Arguably the most high-profile cloud storage solution, Apple's much-hyped iCloud replaces the tech giant's MobileMe service.

iCloud grants users 5GBs of free storage (not counting content acquired from Apple, such as music, games and movies), with additional storage available at a premium.

But one of the more innovative features is the ability to back-up and restore your iOS device without needing to connect to a computer.

 

Dropbox

The choice of millions of people around the world, Dropbox is used mostly as a file-synchronisation tool rather than a backup service.

Dropbox lets users upload up to 2GBs of data, but in a great twist, more space can be acquired by referring your friends to the service. Multi-platform support is another one of Dropbox's fortes, with apps available for the iPhone, iPad, Blackberries and Android handsets.

 

SugarSync

Offering five gigabytes of storage for free, SugarSync is a great alternative to our previous entry (Dropbox). In fact, Gizmodo awarded it the best cloud storage solution of 2011.

SugarSync has all your usual features, such as mobile apps (a WP7 version is still in the works, though) and business solutions. But one difference between it and many other offerings is the ability to sync any folder.

 

iDriveSync

Another service that offers five gigabytes free of charge, iDriveSync also offers unlimited storage for roughly $50 (R400) a year.

The only downside to iDriveSync is that the user interface isn't as clean as the likes of Dropbox. Still, the storage space and encryption more than makes up for it.