Files On Ovi Gets Priced Out
Thanks to reader Joni for pointing me to this post on Nokia Conversations pointing out that Nokia’s Files on Ovi have come out of the trial period and gotten official pricing details. Files on Ovi was launched earlier this year and is essentially the Avvenu product rebranded. Using an application that runs on your Windows-powered machine, 
Files on Ovi allows you to access your computer’s files from any web browser, including the one on your phone.
The application is free to download and use, but requires that your home computer be powered on and connected to the internet in order for you to have access to your files. There is a premium service, dubbed ‘Anytime Files’ that offers you a set amount of online storage that you can sync your files to, and those will be available even if your home computer is offline.
Pricing according to the Nokia Conversations site is 10GB for $80/year or 30GB for $150/year. That’s basically $7/month for the 10GB, or $12.50/month for the 30GB. Not bad for online storage that’s always there, and readily accessible from your mobile phone.
What do you think? Would you use the Anytime Files, or do you think Files on Ovi works fine without the convenience of always-available files? If you haven’t already, you can get Files on Ovi here.
I really have to wonder… why bother?
You can get a cheap domain + hosting for 10 dollars a month, and do whatever you want with it (including hosting your own files via FTP). Why would I trust someone else with my files, when (in theory) if I hosted myself only I can get to my documents.
And hell, if I really want to go all out, I could even install Joomla on that 10 dollar a month server, and have a superior offering to Ovi.
Now if Files on Ovi were free… or a lot (lot) cheaper, it might make sense. As it stands now… not so much.
Just saying. :)
@JC – that’s a valid point. However, the benefit (to me) is 1. I only have 1 copy of my documents, which is handy for office docs and the like and 2. setup is as simple as installing an app. There’s no muss and fuss.
Sure, there are cheaper ways to do it, but you pay a bit for convenience, too.
I agree. This will probably be integrated into the phone in the future. It’s convenient, and will probably get cheaper once it gains adoption. I may not trust my data to a host, but this feels more personal, for whatever false reason. Not to mention the integration with the free option for your PC. I’ve been using MOSH as an online vault recently, myself. Keep all my hacking tools and install files there, and when I format, I just access my collection and go! This is an improved version of what I’ve been doing, with a large file allocation. Not sure how much MOSH will allow, but the app being on the phone invites me to use it, as will this files on Ovi, and someone will buy it. Law of averages. I’ll keep using the free MOSH, though. :-)
[...] Nokia Conversations – Files on Ovi now live, pricing available, via AAS, ZOMGitsCJ, Symbian Guru [...]
Looks like I will be not be getting the premium service.
1. My home PC is switched on close to 24/7
2. There will always be someone at/near home, so a simple phone call would do the trick
QUICKACCESS by Quickoffice offers a similar solution, but it is a far cheaper package than FILES ON OVI:10 GB at EUR13 a year.
> 10GB for $80/year
Wow! and what for? Why should I trust someone to keep my files on their server? Also it doesn’t looks like this solution will works with MAC and Linux computers. Sorry, this solution isn’t for me.
You can get the latest SymSMB from http://www.telexy.com for half of that price (total price, no subscription) and use it to access not one but ANY computer from your phone, even few computers at the same time! Also you can access your phone files from any computers too. In both cases Wi-Fi, 3G and other wireless protocols could be used. What else anyone could need for the file management between computer and phone?
Ovi is offering only web-browser based access while SymSMB offering real file access.
Ovi is offering access to the copy of files on their server, while SymSMB offering access to the real file on the real computer.
Solutions like Ovi exist in many variations for quite a long time, while no one so far was able to do what SymSMB does – secure, natural, bi-directional wireless file sharing and access between S60 mobile phone and computer.