Sometimes the attachment you want to send by email is just too big. If you run into this problem, consider a cloud service as a workaround for getting the information to your acquaintances, says Manuel Masiero of German computer monthly PC Magazin.
The problem is that mail service providers usually have upper limits on how big a transmitted file may be. Often that limit is quite low, around 10 megabytes. Videos are often bigger than that.
The easiest workaround is to rely on a cloud storage service such as Microsoft's OneDrive or Google Drive which create a virtual drive for your laptop or tablet computer in a faraway server.
The trick is to make sure both you and the recipient have access to the virtual drive where the data is stored. That's usually done by sharing a link that leads to the file, says Masiero.
Even better, many of these services are partially, or even completely free.
Others that integrate an icon for their service directly into your computer's file directory include: MegaSync, SpiderOak, Copy.com and Dropbox. Storing the data in these clouds is as simple as dragging the file onto the folder, which uploads it for wider access.
Safebox takes a different approach, running in its own programme window.
"Nonetheless, synchronization works just as easily with drag and drop as with other services," says Masiero.
Other services, like WeTransfer, let each file be uploaded individually and then shared with a link.
Some privacy concerns have cropped up because so many of these services are based in the United States, which has come under fire after accusations of government snooping into internet systems.
Some, like MegaSync and Safebox, have gotten around this by moving their servers to Germany, where data security rules are tighter.
In the end, if security is a real concern for you, be sure to read the terms of agreement before signing up.
Other services advertise that they encrypt. But note that, in a lot of cases, the encryption only occurs when the data arrives in the cloud, meaning it is unprotected and theoretically breachable up to that point.
There's also a wide range in amount of storage available. Dropbox, Spideroak and Safebox only offer 2 gigabytes (GB) for free, whereas Microsoft OneDrive and Google Drive offer up to 15 GB. MegaSync is especially generous, allowing up to 50 GB for free.
Masiero says he recommends all the services, noting that the one that's right for each individual user will depend on the amount of space needed and personal preferences about data security.