A few months ago, I received a PogoPlug (free of charge) from the creators of the product so that I test it out. I gave it a whirl to see if I’d like it. I have to admit, I was a little unsure about it since I’m such a heavy Dropbox user. I just wasn’t sure that I needed a gadget to share files, even though it’s billed as “your own personal cloud.”

Anyway, here are my thoughts…

Pros

1. Shipping. I didn’t have to wait too long to get the product, just about 5 days or so.  It was well packaged and nothing was broken.

2. Unique Look. This is an odd looking bird! But that’s a good thing. =) It doesn’t look like a hard drive (because it’s not one) and you can get it in a few colors. I think it’s unique look gives it character and sets it apart a bit.

3. Function & Ease of Use. The power button was easy to find…right on the front of the unit. There’s also a nice receptacle (read: hole) in the back of the unit to keep the cables together and somewhat contained.

4.  Portability. It’s a small device that can sit nicely on your desk. It doesn’t have a very large footprint at all.

5. Customer Service. I had many conversations with the folks (thanks, Jeff!) at PogoPlug and they seemed genuinely interested in my questions. They were super friendly and made a point of not bad-mouthing their competitors. I liked that.

6. Overall Function. It worked! I was able to share a text file without any issues. It was pretty speedy…no glitches.

7. Costs. There are no subscription fees and you’re not limited to specific file sizes. Not bad, huh?

Cons

1. Overall Function. Ok, so this is where things got a little tricky. While I was able to share a text file, I wasn’t able to share a video. I was a bit bummed about this because the text file was really just a test. The video, on the other hand, was really needed by the person I wanted share it with. I never figured out how to get that to work and, in PogoPlug’s defense, I didn’t contact them about it. I just used Dropbox.

2. Ease of Use. This really isn’t PogoPlug’s fault, but I wasn’t able to keep it in my office. It has to be connected to my modem…which is in my living room. This meant that I would have to keep my hard drive (must be connected to that, too) in the living room. Again, not their fault, but this didn’t make it easy for me to use. Also, your device also has to be plugged in and connected for you to see/access your files.

The Final Word

This is a really great option for someone who’s testing the “cloud” waters for file sharing. It’s a cool gadget that can help you make the move from traditional file sharing (e.g., e-mail, thumb drives) to personal cloud. I’m not sure that it’s the right fit for me, but I can see how it can be helpful to others. There are many more features not explored in this post, so visit their website at http://pogoplug.com for more info.