Carbonite Review: An Honest Look at the Carbonite Backup Service

Carbonite backup is one the many online backup storage services available in the market today which are designed to provide alternative backup protection in the event of computer failures or natural catastrophes.  This Carbonite review takes a closer look at the service and evaluates its features to see how it keeps up with the demands of the times.Carbonite Backup Basic FeaturesFor an annual subscription fee of $54.95, the service offers unlimited backup capacity, encryption technology for secure storage, a convenient backup process, and technical support through phone, live chat, or email. It is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac.Carbonite uses a single type of service which is applicable both for personal and business use. Currently, the service is free for a 15-day trial period with no credit card required.ProsCarbonite users are completely impressed and satisfied with many of this online backup service's features, among them: Ease of Use - It is easy to set-up and use. The installation is fast and simple and the backup process is easy to follow.Security – Files are encrypted before leaving your computer and are stored encrypted on Carbonite's secured servers, completely safeguarding them from unauthorized access. Background Worker – This online storage backup facility functions quietly in the background without slowing down your computer or causing any disruption to your work.  Automatic Backup – After the quick installation and initial backup, you can practically forget about it. Most file types are automatically backed up so you don't even have to think about doing the task yourself. Reliable Service at a Small Cost – Carbonite backup offers a very affordable way of keeping your files secure. At less than $5/month, that's a small price to pay for convenience and peace of mind. ConsDespite its strengths, however, the it is by no means perfect. In fact, there are a number of areas where users hope to see some enhancements on in the near future.For one, while Carbonite's customer support is better than most it still needs improvement according to some users. Some have complained that their queries aren't answered as quickly as they'd like and the information they get isn't as thorough as they had hoped. The fact they offer phone, chat, and email support is a good move, but they also have to pay more attention to the quality of help that they are giving, say some users.Restoring files in volume or doing so to another operating system (e.g. Windows XP to Vista) has proven to be a difficult experience for some. Since the main intention of having an online storage backup is to have access to your files anytime you may need them, a complicated retrieval process can discourage users from utilizing the service.It would also be good to remember that Carbonite's automatic backup function only works for documents, photos, music files, email, and settings. Videos, programs files, and large individual files need to be selected for backup manually. However, once you select those files, they are automatically backed up from that point forward. This is very important to point out because some users have complained that they lost their videos after their computer crashed because they assumed they were being backed up when they were not. Carbonite Review Summary    Carbonite is one of the more reliable online backup services available today. It places a lot of emphasis on ease of use and security, which are two of the main considerations that home users look for. However, it is not perfect but none of these services are. There has to be some comprimise when you're paying less than $5/month for unlimited online backup. The good news is, Carbonite and services similar to it continue to improve every year. Before you make your decision, be sure to read the detailed Carbonite backup review here. Then be sure to read the Carbonite vs Mozy analysis to see how it stacks up against the other popular online backup service for the home user.