True 'anywhere' access of data, when you don't have your own device

mc_ringbearer
mc_ringbearer
Community Member

I purchased 1P version 3 for Mac several years ago and I believed I tried seriously to make it fit my needs but could not. My scenario was I wanted anywhere access in situations where I did NOT have access to my own devices, and where installing any local code or plug in was not an option. I typically did not have a choice of browsers to use (these weren't my devices) or options to install one, or physically access to insert a USB key. Any by no means did I want to leave any trace behind, or install anything locally, as I likely would NEVER use that device again.

I travel a lot, so a typical use scenario for me would be using the 'business center' computer at a hotel, or a local Windows / Mac machine at a clients work site that I'm visiting and have been given temporary access to for the day. A PC at an Internet cafe, an Internet kiosk at an airport, the PC at the local library, my friend's house, and so on. This access was usually ONE TIME only, I just want to retrieve a password, use it, and I will likely never use that device ever again. again, these are NOT my devices, I can't / don't want to install anything.

I tried the various suggestions with v3 to keep a local copy of the keychain file on a USB key and carry around. I was never able to make that work, the browser would not load the keychain file, or some other thing, or in the case of using like a hotel PC, inserting a USB key was either not allowed or from my perspective, not something I wanted to do either.

I 'guess' what I was really looking for was a cloud service that would STORE my info for me, not just transfer or act as conduit to sync it from one local device to another local device. where I could be anywhere, using any device, typically a device I did NOT own, log in from a browser to a database of my data that is stored in the cloud, get the info I want, access the site I wanted on the spot, log out, and leave no trace behind. There is no Dropbox access, and in most cases, plugging in a USB key is not an option, and even if it is, as I said earlier I could almost never successfully retrieve the keychain file off the USB key. Even if I could, the point was I didn't own the device, so installing a copy of 1P on a hotel PC in the business center, just to access a USB key was not optimal. Ideally this would all happen inside the browser, at worst, I suppose if I had to, I could 'cut and paste' the user/pw info after logging into my 'cloud' database, paste the info into the site I'm trying to access. In my mind though, how was that any more convenient, or faster than my carrying around a piece of paper in my pocket?

the idea is NOT have to lug around my laptop, tablet or phone and have it tied to me to be able to retrieve info. If I'm visiting someone, whether a friend's house, or at someone's business location, I will access the internet using their desktop. I don't want to / can't install anything on the local machine, no plugin etc. I don't want to leave a local copy of any keychain or file on the machine, I don't / can't install Dropbox. I must leave the friend's / business / hotel computer as I found it, with no trace behind me.

Because I have vision problems, accessing sites via a phone or even a tablet is not optimal, the screen is too small, so I prefer desktop browsers. Due to other physical limitations, I wanted to avoid having to lug my laptop (with my locally installed copy of 1P) on my back every where I go, even for leisure.

ONe friend told me that I was simply looking at the situation incorrectly, I shouldn't have purchased the desktop version of 1P, but that I needed to purchase 1P for the iPhone at a minimum, then where ever I was, retrieve the info I wanted on my phone then turn around and re-enter the info manually into whatever browser/local machine I was using. I guess that would be okay, it still requires a manual process of retrieving the info on my phone and re-entering it into the desktop browser I'm using; it is still prone to human error, and basically I have replaced the 'piece of paper in my wallet' with a digital piece of paper on my phone. Also, it then requires that I purchase two licenses, one for my desktop for those times I am at home and using my own Mac, and one for my iPhone for when I'm away from my home.

For example, I go visit a relative or friend, strictly a social visit, we start talking about ordering something on NewEgg. I sit down at HIS computer in his house, and I want to log into my NewEgg account to buy something. IN the old days, I would 1) commit the login info to memory, 2) write it down on a piece of paper and keep it on me, 3) enter it as a digital note on my phone, unencrypted. All things that supposedly 1P should do away with? or am I trying to fit a square peg into a round hole?

Is my friend correct? I should use 1P for iPhone, which I normally would have with me, even on a social visit, call up the NewEgg login info and retype it into my friend's computer?

Then I started adding up the cost of two licenses, and frankly, after having already bought the desktop license thinking it could do what I needed (i.e. that 1P was a cloud service that stored my info me for anywhere retrieval), I wasn't inclined to buy another license, only to end up with, as I said, the digital version of a piece of paper in my wallet. I will have spent $49.99 on the v3 desktop license, $24.99 on the upgrade to v4 plus $9.99 for the iOS license, or basically $85, to end up with a digital version of 'the piece of paper in my wallet'.

I have not upgraded to version 4, it's not clear to me even after reading the docs, if this new 'icloud' feature is what I was initially looking for when I bought v3, basically an online stored copy of my info available from any device, including temporary access and devices that I DON'T own and can not install any other code/plug in to, or otherwise alter or leave any trace behind after I'm done using the device.

Yes, I realize the inherent risk of having my data stored for me in a cloud service, but to me that is no worse than moving the database around from device to device through the cloud, or carry a keychain file in my pocket on a USB key. It's still 'out there' whether in transit back and forth, or stored for me. It's a question of access and where it's stored, it's still encrypted.

WAs my friend correct, that the best I can hope for is the iphone route and essentially use my phone as my 'piece of paper in my wallet'?

one more thing, Agile offers a Mac / PC bundle...doesn't it make more sense from a user's perspective to offer a desktop / handheld bundle wherein the handheld license would include multiple installs on multiple or unlimited iOS devices? I tried to find info on the AGile site if the ios license allowed for multiple installs (e.g. my iphone, my ipad, my wife's iphone, all for the $9.99)? I assume it's tied to an Apple ID? So my wife, who would use the exact same password database as I, but has a different Apple ID tied to her phone, would have to buy a separate license? More important, would i have to RE-ENTER all the data to get onto her device, or can two iOS devices with different Apple IDs sync to the same Mac desktop 1P database?

Comments

  • Megan
    Megan
    1Password Alumni

    Hi @mc_ringbearer,

    Thanks so much for taking the time to write in to us! I'm happy to say that we do indeed have a solution for you, and it doesn't involve downloading software or carrying around a USB drive. While I think the 1Password iOS app is rather handy to have with me all the time, you certainly don't have to use it as the piece of paper in your wallet. :)

    Have you checked out 1Password Anywhere? Just sync your 1Password data with Dropbox. To access it anywhere you might find yourself, all you need is a web browser. Just log in to Dropbox.com and find the 1Password.html file, enter your Master Password and you're good to go!

    I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any further questions - we're here for you!

This discussion has been closed.