Files on Ovi: Brilliant, lots of potential, but not for everyone?
Today’s Report of the Week for the Files on Ovi Campaign comes from ernamahyuni based out of Malaysia:
In my quest to build awareness for Files, I broached the subject to my friends via another Gmail conversation thread. These friends already know I’m a S60 ambassador. “What does that mean?” “That I’m attempting to save the world from Windows Mobile.” “Ohhhh…” Of course I was kidding, and I did explain to them that it means I will talk about the Symbian OS or lot, and they’ll just have to put up with it.
I asked them what they thought about remote file sharing services that could be accessed via mobile phone and about its applications.
My Mac buddy who’s dreaming of an iPhone had this to say:
“I don’t see much of a point. Because phones now come with at least a few GB of storage, and the files you receive are small.”
But that was before he actually made a point to visit Files and then slightly adjusted his viewpoint:
“Now it makes sense. So yeah, it is good service but I don’t know if I would use it.”
Another friend sent me a link to another service somewhat similar to Ovi’s at heart-drive, which offers free services and a paid version.
Said friend had an account there, but hadn’t logged on for a long time.
We pretty much agreed the service had the potential, but they just couldn’t see when they’d use it. Perhaps in a business setting or enterprise maybe, but is it too high-tech for the ordinary man?
The next challenge - trying to see if Files would work as a means to show cool video at my next NaNoWriMo writein this weekend…
This report speaks out to a lot of the questions I asked myself initially when Dan proposed our team run this campaign. I have a 16 GB SanDisk microSDHC card inside my Nokia E71, I have 2 seperate 2 GB USB keys in my wallet and before Files on Ovi I used to use one of our competitors products: box.net
Ernamahyuni asks if “Files would work as a means to show cool video”? To which I have to reply: why not use Share on Ovi or one of many of the other video hosting sites out there?
Her friend says that Files on Ovi belongs in “a business setting or enterprise maybe, but is it too high-tech for the ordinary man.” To which I have to say 10 years ago the ordinary man didn’t have a need or want for the internet and email.
Files on Ovi may have a niche use case, but for the people who want access to their data, regardless of where they are, then cloud storage is the solution going forward. Microsoft is pushing the concept with Mesh, Amazon is pushing the concept with S3, so while Ernamahyuni’s buddy asks a valid question about having so much storage on his person at any given time, what about having all of the storage you want (assuming you pay for the storage fees wink wink) regardless of what device you’re using, always backed up, waiting for you?
It’s difficult to market, but the solution is technically sexy.
How would you market cloud based storage?
I use ORB (http://www.orb.com/) for this. I can push and pull files directly to my home PC via my Symbian / S60 phone without the need of a 3rd party server.
Actually I don’t see any difference between Share on Ovi and Files on Ovi.. I have already uploaded several kind of files, since pictures/ videos/mp3/Office Word, Power Point, etc on Share on Ovi and it worked perfectly! And the best of all, you may keep private whatever you want. So why would I pay for a service, when you can get it for free? Does it worth paying? Are there too many more advantages which make it worth paying for it?
I don’t think so…..
Hi everyone, I’d like to chime in here. I have been saved by Files On Ovi on a few occasions.
1. Needed to send a list i had stored in an excel file to boss by certain time. I was on the run, nowhere near my home computer. Logged into Files On Ovi, retrieved my file and sent it off. Similar scenarios have happened a few times.
2. Girlfriend forgot to print her essay for school. She got to school empty handed and asked the teacher if she can login to Files On Ovi from his computer and printed it. He said sure. Using my account info she managed to login to our computer and retrieve her word document and print it. Her teacher was astonished.
3. Visiting with my sister, we both love music. We always talk about new bands and artists we like. There was one in particular that I wanted to show her. I had the entire album on my computer. Logged into Files and downloaded the entire album for her. More amazement.
Overall I probably find a use for Files On Ovi about once or twice a week. It’s nice to have. Is it worth the $$$? Well that’s up to the user.
@ David… Orb is great too. It works very similar to FIles On Ovi, and I actually like how you can stream media files with it. But I don’t think you can get it to work if your computer is off or doesn’t have internet (unless I’m wrong). This is the benefit of Files on Ovi.
Just my 2cents!
Palm seems to market Cloud Based Storage rather nicely with Synergy on their new Palm Pre:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20090111-of-clouds-palms-webos-and-cutting-the-cord.html