Run your own private cloud at home

I've been looking for an easy way to access some of my home files (music, pictures, some of my software, etc.) remotely, as well as share large files with other people.  I recently found a great, cost-effective way to do this:  The "Tonido Plug 2" personal cloud device.

The Tonido Plug 2 is a small device that you can plug into your broadband router to share data.  The data is shared from a local hard drive, which you can either attach via a USB on the Tonido Plug; or from an internal 2.5" hard drive which you can insert into the Tonido Plug 2's built-in hard drive bay.  I opted for the internal drive, as I had an extra 500Gb drive that I could use. I've been using this device for about a month, and really like it.

The device includes a straight-forward set of configuration instructions, in which you create a "Tonido ID" and establish an account which creates a front-end that enables you to access your files and configure sharing permissions & access controls.  The configuration process also handles making your device accessible outside your firewall so you can get to your data from any internet connection.

It's hard to tell how big this is from the picture in this post, but it is pretty small.  It comes with two power options: one is a cord, so you can lay it on a table or on the floor and plug it into your outlet; the second is a power plug that attaches directly to the Tonido Plug 2, so you can just plug it directly into the outlet and the device just hangs there.

Easy access to my stuff

To get to my files, I have quite a few options:

• Access my personal cloud "portal" from any web browser
• Access my files from my iPhone with a Tonido App (there are native apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry or Windows 7 mobile)
• Mount my cloud drive as a folder on my computer (I use a Mac so I open it via WebDAV, on Windows there is an app to mount it as a folder)
• Stream data to DLNA devices (I don't have one yet, but it supports XBox360, Sony PS3, etc.)

There are also a number of built-in "apps" that run on the Tonido Plug 2 itself (it has its own embedded OS).  For example, there is a file sync app you can use to keep files in sync between your personal cloud and one or more computers.  To find out more about the device or the apps, check out the Tonido site.

Share stuff

I can now use my personal cloud drive to share files with other computers in my house, access files from other computers, and to share files with other people without worrying about file size limitations of email.  For example, I just shared a PDF of one of my previous blog posts and you can download it by clicking on this link.

You can set security controls around your files or folders, which will enable you to restrict who can access specific items, as well as set up passwords for greater control.  It took less than an hour of experimentation to get the hang of the interface, and I really like this piece of gear.

Oh - and I got this for $119, not including the internal hard drive.  Not bad.  If you want your own cloud service, within your own control, I think you'll love the Tonido Plug 2.

I have a new favorite laptop bag

My old laptop bag was beginning to fall apart, so I got The North Face Off-Site Laptop Bag the other day.  I absolutely love it.  You see, I have this "thing" about laptop bags - I'm very picky and usually dissatisfied.  I get a lot of flak from my wife for the number of bags I discard (give away, sell, etc.) because they frustrate me.

But this bag?  Awesome.  The North Face ranks as my #1 favorite bag (I'll share my #2, etc. at the end of this post, along with my favorite laptop backpacks).

Here is why I love this bag:

• This bag is extremely light, but has a ton of space (over 1800 cubic inches)
• There are "cinch straps" on the sides so you can compress it to a smaller size when it is fairly empty, or expand it when you are carrying a bunch of stuff
• Waterproof zippers keep your stuff dry in the rain
• The North Face makes extremely durable products, so this should last a long time (and it has a lifetime warranty against defects)
• There are a lot of pockets with a good range of sizes, which makes it easy to tuck away cables, power supplies, etc. for easy organization and access
• The laptop compartment is roomy for up to 17" laptops (my MacBook Pro 15" fits beautifully) - and the padding along the bottom of the bag is excellent
• There is an expandable front pocket that can expand enough to hold a bike helmet if you are into that sort of thing
• It comes in brown or black (I chose the brown) and looks casual, yet business-like
• The strap and carry handle are very comfortable

So, if you tend to carry a lot of stuff with you when you travel, I think you'll love The North Face Off-Site Laptop Bag.

The rest of the story - other strong choices:

I mentioned I had a few other favorites - here are my top choices:

Shoulder-carry laptop bags:

1. The North Face Off-Site Laptop Bag - see above.
2. Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 - This one isn't quite large enough for me, but it's a terrific bag. If you like messenger-style bags, check this one out.  Good use of space, very tough, very water-resistant, and checkpoint friendly.
3. Briggs & Riley @Work Computer Case - Spacious, versatile with lots of pockets.  A bit on the heavy side, and pricey though.
4. Tumi Alpha Large Expandable Organizer Computer Briefcase - big, lots of pockets and tough. Very expensive and the computer compartment has a very rigid reinforcement panel that can make it tough to get under some airline seats.

Laptop backpacks - note, I don't use backpacks much in business, since they look too casual for some of the meetings I attend. On vacation, backpacks are my favorite.

1. Brenthaven Trek Expandable Backpack - This is a very durable, fantastic laptop bag with great use of space. Comfortable, with nice straps.
2. Briggs & Riley @Work Computer Backpack - Great bag, lots of padding, but a bit short on pockets for me and it's pretty tight (not expandable) so it doesn't always cooperate when I overstuff it. Comfortable and durable.
3. SwissGear Carbon Backpack - Spacious, lots of pockets.  Shoulder straps are too short for someone tall like me, and it doesn't have compression straps so it feel big even when it's empty.

I've used more than my fair share of laptop bags in the last 20 years - I feel like you can't go wrong with any of the bags on this list.  Let me know what you think, if you get one of them.

Longer battery life for your iPhone

Even though my iPhone 4's battery life is much better than my old iPhone 3Gs's battery life, I still need extra juice.  I notice it most when I'm traveling, such as when I attend a trade show or similar event.

In these situations, I am often on-the-go from early in the morning until well past midnight and tend to use my phone a lot more for social media, map searches, email, etc.  That means I often run my phone down by early evening.  Not good.

The solution? For the past couple of months, I've been using a Mophie Juice Pack Air battery pack / sleeve for my iPhone 4 and I love it (I have the black version - the red ones weren't available when I bought mine - bummer).

The Mophie Juice Pack air is a thin, light sleeve for the iPhone 4 that not only protects the phone, it has a built-in battery you can use to fully recharge your phone.

The Mophie has a switch on it that lets you decide when you want to tap into the reserve battery. I tend to wait until I'm at about 15-20% remaining battery, then flip the Mophie's switch and let it recharge my phone.  It has saved me on a number of occasions, I assure you.

The Mophie Juice Pack air includes the battery pack / sleeve itself, along with a cable you can use to charge and sync your phone to your computer (the only thing I don't like:  the Mophie uses a Micro-USB port instead of a larger, more robust port (I think all Micro-USB's are a bit too flimsy for my taste).

So, if you use your phone a lot and find yourself running out of juice during the day, you'll love the Mophie JuicePack Air (yes, it's still small enough to fit in your pocket with the Mophie on the phone).

By the way - if you have an iPhone 3Gs, you can still get a Mophie Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3Gs - my son is using my old phone and old Mophie, and it would be very difficult to get him to part with the JuicePack Air.

Pzizz Sleep Science - now there is an app for that!

A few years ago, I became an avid user of a product called "Pzizz".  In the words of their website, Pzizz is a "a unique audio system that helps you nap during the day or get to sleep at night, " as well as helping you "Solve sleep problems, boost energy and reduce stress."

The original version of Pzizz that I purchased is an application that runs on your computer, then generates a custom sound file you can play on your iPod or other music player.  Pzizz allows you to create "nap soundtracks" that use scientifically designed audio to help you sleep.  You can create two kinds of naps with Pzizz:

1. "Sleep naps" which help you get to sleep and influences your sleep in a way that helps you get a good, deep sleep and wake up refreshed.
2. "Energizer naps" which help you take a short nap and wake up feeling refreshed.

I am a huge fan of Pzizz - especially for jet lag and long, grueling trade shows.  I wrote about my experiences with it here in two posts: "Pzizz: State Of The Art Power Napping" and  my "Pzizz Field Update."

Recently, I discovered that there are two iPhone apps for Pzizz - one for Sleep naps and one for Energizer naps.  I bought them both a few weeks ago in the App Store - very reasonably priced, and they work like a charm.  Click the links below to see them in the App Store.  Enjoy!

Digging out from under stuff

I spent this week on the east coast of the US, where there's just been a huge snowstorm.  I ended up getting stranded for a couple of days, which disrupted quite a few aspects of my plans.  I thought this was a great metaphor for work, and came up with a few parallels.

Plan ahead

One thing I did right on this trip was check the weather report before flying from the west coast to the east coast.  I found out it was very cold, and that a snowstorm was very likely.

As a result, I was able to bring a heavy coat an gloves, plus some extra clothing in case I got stuck.  I also did some research on alternate flights and methods of transportation - just in case.

I was traveling with two colleagues, so I made sure they were aware of what was coming so they could plan, as well.

Look for options

When our flight got canceled on the first day of the snow storm, we explored our options:  wait for a flight the next day, or drive to our next city.  We asked for a lot of advice from others, looked at weather forecasts, etc. and eventually decided to stay put for the first night and wait it out.  Why?  See the next point.

We also explored options for places to stay for the next couple of nights (just in case) and booked a room at a local hotel - with free WiFi, even.

Figure out your priorities

On the first day, one of the options was to drive on to our next city (about a 4-hour drive in normal conditions).  We decided that:

• The weather was too nasty for us to safely drive - especially at night, which is what we'd have been doing;
• The meeting we were heading to was less important than our safety;
• We could still get a lot of work done from the hotel.

In other words, our meeting wasn't worth risking our necks for.

Know your limits

The next day, all flights out were cancelled again!  At this point, we got a little tired of waiting around so we ventured out in our rental car.  The roads seemed pretty good, even though the planes weren't flying.  We didn't make this decision without testing our limits to make sure we could handle the situation.

We decided to go for it, but wanted some insurance (so to speak).  Working with the most helpful Avis car rental employee I've ever met (Nancy in Clarksburg, West Virgina), we managed to swap our little car for a big 4-wheel drive SUV (the last one available because it wasn't officially available - thanks, Nancy!)

Comfortable that we could drive safely, we decided to brave the roads.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

All along the way, we asked for help from others - advice from the people at the hotel; assistance from the aforementioned Nancy at Avis; help and advice from the (also friendly) United Airlines people at the Clarsburg airport; and more.  We couldn't have been successful without their help.

And we weren't shy about asking (nicely, of course).

The payoff?

• We got to our next city in good time, safe the whole way.
• We only missed one of our meetings, and got to our destination at least a day earlier than if we'd waited for a flight.
• Nancy at Avis connected us with a couple of very nice folks who also wanted to go to our next city, and we decided to give them a ride (ironically, they didn't ask for help but they were lucky enough to have Nancy as a "matchmaker" to put us together so all 5 of us could be successful).
• We learned the value of "good people" and being open to help from other people.

To net this out, when you feel overwhelmed, stuck, and helpless, try this:

• Plan Ahead,
• Look For Options,
• Figure Out Your Priorities,
• Know Your Limits,
• Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help.