All articles tagged with #cloud storage
The author faced a chaotic mix of photos and videos spread across Google, Apple, Flickr, Dropbox, OneDrive, and physical drives. After gathering everything, they decluttered by removing blurry/low-quality shots and duplicates, then consolidated into Google Photos using the 3-2-1 backup rule (local, external, and cloud) to cut costs from about $300/year to under $60 while keeping access and ongoing maintenance.
A security flaw in Google Cloud Vertex AI's Python SDK allowed an attacker with their own Google Cloud project to hijack a victim's model upload by pre-creating a predictable staging bucket and swapping the uploaded model before Vertex AI reads it, enabling code execution when models saved with pickle/joblib are loaded. Google patched the issue in v1.144.0 (randomized bucket names) and v1.148.0 (ownership verification); upgrade to 1.148.0+ and explicitly set staging_bucket, plus audit all google-cloud-aiplatform usage across notebooks, CI jobs, and pipelines. No CVE has been assigned as of publication, and no exploitation in the wild was observed.
Google AI Plus pricing drops to $5/month (local equivalents) and storage increases from 200GB to 400GB, covering Gmail, Drive and Photos. The update also brings Gemini features like Gmail integration, Daily Brief and Gemini Omni, and is presented as a move to capture more AI subscribers by consolidating Google One services.
Google AI Plus on Google One drops its monthly price from $7.99 to $4.99 and doubles storage to 400GB, usable across Gmail, Drive, and Photos, while other features (Gemini usage limits, Omni in Gemini, Daily Brief, and Gmail AI Inbox) remain the same for now.
ZDNET tester assesses Google's Organize My Files, powered by Gemini AI, which suggests moves and new folders to tidy Drive. It can surface useful reorganizations (like resumes and a new Family/Real Estate folder), but the tool feels unfinished: suggestions can repeat, it misses deeper cleanup, and it requires Google Workspace and AI access. As a result, the reviewer still faces a messy Drive and ongoing subscription costs, though the feature shows potential for future improvements.
Google is reportedly piloting a 5GB free storage cap for new Gmail accounts in select regions, down from the standard 15GB; users can unlock more space by linking a verified phone number, a move that could steer users toward paid Google One plans and bolster account security.
Which? is pursuing a £3 billion damages claim against Apple in a UK tribunal, alleging iCloud lock-in harms both paying and non-paying users and that Apple favors its own cloud storage. The tribunal denied Apple's bid to exclude non-paying users, and the case will go to trial to determine whether Apple abused its position on iOS. Eligible consumers include those who used iCloud services since November 8, 2018, with Which? estimating an average payout of about £70 per consumer; it also proposes settling by refunds and allowing iOS to support third-party cloud providers.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Library, a feature that automatically saves uploaded and created files to a dedicated, secure cloud location for easy access in future chats. Available to Plus, Pro, and Business users worldwide except the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, Library holds files until you delete them, with OpenAI purging deleted items within 30 days. Images generated stay in the Images tab.
Mashable Deals reports a limited-time sale offering 100TB of Internxt Cloud Storage for life for $849.97 (down from $9,900). The plan is available to new users only and codes aren’t stackable. It features end-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge storage, open-source software, GDPR compliance, and post-quantum security, usable across Windows/macOS/Linux, iOS/Android with unlimited devices and ongoing app updates. The sale runs through Feb. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT and prices may change.
A worldwide phishing campaign floods recipients with urgent emails claiming cloud-storage renewals failed, pushing them to a fake Google Cloud Storage link that redirects to scam pages impersonating cloud portals. The pages upsell a deceptive “loyalty” upgrade and collect credit card info, with the aim of affiliate revenue. Legitimate providers do not notify via such scans or require third-party security products, and users should delete the messages and verify billing directly on official sites.
Microsoft released a second out-of-band emergency patch (KB5078127) to fix cloud-storage access issues introduced by the January Patch Tuesday, including Outlook not opening files from OneDrive/Dropbox; however, a separate boot bug on some Windows 11 25H2/24H2 machines can cause a black screen with an UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME error, with no fix yet and recovery steps likely required.
The article explains how to manage files on iOS and Android devices using their built-in apps, highlighting features like browsing, organizing, sharing, and freeing up space, as well as accessing cloud storage and managing local files.
USB drives, once essential for data transfer, are being replaced by more efficient and versatile options like portable SSDs, SD cards, and cloud storage, due to their higher speeds, larger capacities, durability, and convenience.
The article discusses a DIY method for storing photos and videos using external hard drives instead of paying for cloud storage, emphasizing cost savings, long-term ownership, and increased control over personal memories.
Google is offering a limited-time 50% discount on its Google One annual plans, including storage options like 100GB and 2TB, as well as the AI Pro plan, making it more affordable for users to access cloud storage and AI features, with the deal primarily available to new users through a workaround.