One of the new features HP is offering with the HP Mini 210 and Mini 2102 netbooks is a cloud-based storage system that’s cleverly called “CloudDrive.” Basically, CloudDrive will let you store files on a remote server, but access them on your HP netbook as if they were stored on your local hard drive. The service will be powered by ZumoDrive, and the company will be using Amazon’s S3 servers to store the data.

Because the computer treats CloudDrive as if it were local storage, you’ll be able to do things like stream multimedia files in iTunes, Windows Media Player, and other applications whether they’re stored on your PC or in the cloud. You can link specific folders to CloudDrive to sync data. And you can create links to share remotely stored files, photo albums, or folders with other users. You can also sync playlists so that you can listen to your music on a smartphone or other device.

It’s not clear what kind of price tag will be associated with CloudDrive. I wouldn’t be surprised if you got a certain amount of storage for free and then had to pay for a monthly subscription in order to get additional storage. But it’s also possible that HP and ZumoDrive could have reached an arrangement to keep the price down, at least for new users.

You can read more about ZumoDrive at their web site.

via jkOnTheRun

The Wall Street Journal confirms that Dell is set to announce its entry into the netbook market “soon.” Not much news there. I’ve already heard from multiple sources that the announcement will come tomorrow or Friday. But there is one interesting tidbit in the WSJ article: Representatives from Dell and Box.net are saying that Box service will come “pre-installed” on the Inspiron Mini.

That’s a tiny bit baffling since Box.net offers a web-based file storage and sharing service. A while back I remember reading something about a desktop client for Box.net but I’m not sure that ever materialized. So perhaps by “pre-installed,” Box.net means “there’ll be a shortcut to our web site on the desktop.”

It’s also possible that Dell customers will be able to sign up for premium Box.net accounts for a reduced fee. The service normally provies free account holders with 1GB of free storage while you have to pay if you need additional storage space. Asus has begun offering up to 20GB of free online storage to Eee PC customers. Perhaps this is Dell’s answer.

Last week Asus launched an online storage service for Eee PC customers — but only Eee PC 901 and 1000 users can access the site at yostore.net. But Aldrin Cantos at Asus Eee HowTo says that could soon change.

Cantos says he’s received word from YoStore support saying that those who have purchased older Eee PC models like the Asus Eee PC 701 or Eee PC 900 will soon be able to access the web service. Users can store up to 20GB of data online, although it’s possible that you’ll get less storage space if you have an older unit. For example, if you have an Eee PC with a 4GB solid state disk, you may only get 4GB of storage. This is how I originally expeced the YoStore to work, but since Asus seems to be providing 20GB to Eee PC 1000 and 901 users who may have 40GB or more of storage on their computers, it looks like 20GB might just be the standard offering.

Users will also be able to find software and firmware updates for the Eee PC at the YoStore. Eventually Asus may sell third party software through the site as well.

Asus has announced that starting today, customers who purchase an Eee PC will get up to 20GB of online storage space for free. It sounds like the amount of storage space you get depends on the model you’ve purchased. If you have an Eee PC 2G Surf, for example, you get 2GB of online storage, while Eee PC 901 Linux customers will get 20GB. It sounds like 20GB is the max, so don’t expect to get 80GB when you go picking up an Eee PC 1000H.