TonidoPlug2: A Personal Dropbox For Everything

If you’re a Dropbox fan but searching for something more — short of building your own home server — you may want to check out the TonidoPlug2. It’s designed to act as a super-power efficient file server, with a few extra features to boot. Read on for the quick look at what could be your new best friend, especially if you or your customers travel a lot…

Almost everyone is familiar with DropBox, the file service that syncs across all your devices and computers. But what if you or your customers want a little more control, with similar features? Tonido wants to give you that with the TonidoPlug2. Roughly the size of an over-sized deck of cards, the TonidoPlug2 has room for a 2.5 inch SATA drive and is outfitted with Ethernet port, a USB port and a built-in outlet plug. Plug it into your wall, and you’re ready to go, controlling your own personal syncing server. You can leave it on all the time, since Tonido has made the unit so power efficient it only costs 50 cents a month to run.

TonidoPlug2 also leverages software that allows the TonidoPlug to be accessed anywhere, on the go, without poking holes through routers or firewalls (thanks to WebDAV). Plus, the plug comes outfitted with server applications, thanks to a special version of Linux that allows for web sharing, searching tools and more. The platform also allows developers to build third party apps, essentially making this an inexpensive, easy and extensible NAS.

Tonido has Android, Blackberry and iOS apps to make accessing your files easy on the go, too. Added bonus? If you’re into streaming media, the TonidoPlug2 supports UPnP/DLNA, meaning most modern video game consoles and media hubs can access files and folders on the device. It’s the NAS for everyone else.

The price tag is nice at a cool $119, making this tiny device attractive and nearly an impulse buy. It could easily be useful for VARs or SMBs that need just a little something extra for their personal network. After reviewing the Netgear ReadyNAS Pro4, I’m seriously considering the TonidoPlug2 as my own personal server. As services like DropBox and iCloud continue to expand, and public understanding rises on how cloud-based services work, I think we’ll start to see a slight uptake in demand for NAS-styled devices that are easy to deploy and accessible everywhere.

Even as cloud-based storage prices become affordable, there’s nothing quite like having the control and upgradability that devices like the TonidoPlug2 can potentially offer.