Is there anyone who, like me, does not like using cloud services? I’ll have to admit I’ve never been a fan of cloud storage. I have always made sure to buy my phones with an SD card slot and enough storage for the foreseeable future. Even back when Google Drive was free, I still preferred real hardware to store my data, especially important files and other data related to my work – and of course years of pictures from my personal life. Part of me was and still is concerned about storing data at any tech giant, especially considering all the security scandals in recent years, not to mention their ever-changing terms.
Speaking of cloud services, what keeps you from using them? Are you worried about your personal data being hacked and stolen? Do you not want to bother with syncing the data? If there’s a device that gives you full control over your data without giving up the convenience of cloud services, would that make you interested?
Let me introduce you to Box, a plug-and-play blockchain device that offers its users a range of online subscription services; including data backup, file syncing and sharing, as well as secure password backups. It was developed by Web3 startup Functionland, who actually invented Blockchain-Attached Storage (BAS).
For starters, Box does not require you to set up an account or go through any activation process as other services do. Once purchased, there are no additional fees or charges and you can use the apps and services for free for life. Sounds great already, right? There are even more offers that will make you fall in love with Box.
Once Box is set up, your data is always within your reach as long as you have access to the Internet. All your data is stored on the Fula Network, which is based on open-source peer-to-peer protocols and forms an encrypted network. Box’s BAS storage technology is based on Proof-of-Resource, which consumes very little energy. The company estimates that Box costs just about $15 a year to operate! It also ensures that only the person who originally uploaded the files can access them, that communications or file transfers are never tracked by anyone, and that you and other users have full control over everything.
You can already download Functionland’s photo and video storage app from Github and soon will be available on Google and Apple App Stores, more apps are slated for release or in development. You can choose the apps you want to install for free since Box’s software is completely open source.
The company gives us two models to choose from: Box Lite is for regular home users who only need basic services and storage, while Box XL offers more computing resources for businesses and professionals to maximize workflow.
If you are worried about running out of storage in the future because demand increases or files pile up, do not worry. You can add more storage because Box’s modular design (which is genius) allows you to choose the model and storage that fits your needs.
I was most hesitant about the last point when writing this article. Normally I do not want to mention or over-promise something that does not even exist yet, but the idea behind it is workable and I want to give you some ideas on how you can benefit from Box in the future.
Box is not only a storage medium, but it is also beneficial for those who trade cryptocurrencies. You can rent out your excess storage and earn $FULA tokens through mining. Developers of apps for the system can also receive $FULA tokens in return. According to the company, users can break even with a Box Lite in about a year.
To sum it up in the words of Ehsan Shariati, CTO and co-founder of Functionland, “Box works exactly the way existing storage and share services work, minus the monthly fees, it provides complete, fully encrypted privacy for anything you store on it – photos, personal files, cell phone backups and more.” I think Box can meet most cloud service needs for just about anyone. Judging by the number of backers on their ongoing Indiegogo crowdfunding page, I am not the only one looking forward to Box.
