Backups of your computer’s files have to be trustworthy. If you can’t trust your backups, they’re not really backups.

The reason Stefan created Arq Backup for the Mac back in 2009 was because he couldn’t find an online solution that felt like real backup. Most online backup providers were and continue to be vague about where the data are stored, how durable the storage is, and how sustainable the business model is.

Arq does everything it can to provide a completely trustworthy backup solution.

Why should you trust Arq?

• Arq is open. It stores versioned, de-duplicated backup records in a format that’s documented.
• Arq is private. Backup records are encrypted with a password that only you know. The password never leaves your computer, and your data is encrypted before ever leaving your computer.
• Arq gives you control. Your backup data is stored in your own cloud account, SFTP server, or NAS.
• Arq verifies. Arq periodically makes sure the contents of the objects at the destination match the contents of your files on disk.
• Arq notifies. You’ll get a notification when there’s an error.

Do you like having total control over your data? Do you want to maintain your privacy? Then Arq is for you!

Download a free 30-day trial of Arq today and rest easy knowing that your files are backed up and secure.

Our thanks to Arq for sponsoring MacStories this week.

With Apollo: Immersive Illumination, you can unlock unlimited creativity over a single Portrait mode photo with the app’s powerful relighting tools. Apollo enables an infinite number of lighting variations that let you create a dull, dark, spooky, magical, or night club feel to your images. But Apollo isn’t only about theming your photos. You can also create more natural effects by removing lighting from areas of an image, highlighting faces with low emissive lights, or adding other subtle lighting effects.

Apollo sees photos as 3D scenes but hides the technical complexities of the process behind elegant single-finger interactions that allow users to focus on the adjustments to their pictures, which update in real-time. Up to 30 virtual light sources and adjustments to their position, brightness, color, and spread can be applied to a single photo. You can apply masks that alter emitted light and color and adjust parameters like shadow intensity, the range of lighting effects, progressive background removal, and fog effects. Apollo’s features are constantly refined and new ones are added all the time after thorough testing to ensure they work across a wide range of iPhone models and wow users.

To see exactly what Apollo can do for your Portrait mode photos, check out its Twitter and Instagram accounts which are full of stunning examples of the app in action.

Download the Apollo on the App Store today to open a new world of creative lighting for your Portrait photos. Apollo is a one time paid up-front app. There are no In-App Purchases or subscriptions.

Also, just for MacStories readers, Apollo is giving away 51 promo codes for the app that can be redeemed in the App Store. The codes are available on a first-come, first served basis, so don’t wait, visit this link for a chance to win a copy of Apollo.

Thanks to Apollo for supporting MacStories this week.