Calibur117
Lurker
Dropbox is a fantastic cloud based service for your files. For those unfamiliar with the cloud it's like an online space(servers) you can store your digital files so you can access them for anywhere. Dropbox allows you to manage your files on your desktop, through a web browser, and in great apps like the Dropbox App.
Say you are working on your computer and you need to head out, but you don?t have time to tether it or start some applications to do it wirelessly. No problem! Simply drag the file(s) to your desktop folder and it will sync while you take care of more important things. Being on the cloud is also ultra important for backing up your information. No matter what happens to your hardware it will be sitting safely on servers to be accessed and restored. You are given 2gb of space to start for free with no credit card or commitment. Also it keeps a history of what you do to the files as you upload and delete them. So an oops situation is no problem! For a quick video explanation check out their site at www.dropbox.com
What you see here is your main screen when you launch the app. It will contain all your data that you have uploaded. You can browse and view most files. This brings me to my point about most files. Where you can expect downloading files on the go to be an obvious feature it also has a further trick up its sleeve. You can stream music! Say you want to listen to your new favorite album and you just ripped it from the CD. Unfortunately you don?t want to wait for it to transfer. No problem. Put it in your dropbox folder and providing your upload speed is strong it will be shortly available from the cloud. Then if you decide you like it or part of it you can download whatever songs you want to your microSD card.
You can see here from the first image that when you select (long press) your file these are your options. The app does not appear to limit any functionality. Once you select to open the file it will begin to connect to the server and buffer the file. Once it has buffered the file the music begins to play.
You can also open image documents and word documents with ease. They open with the apps already on your phone. No locking you into the app itself.
Video I believe may be able to stream, but the file type might be the trick. I used handbrake to get it to type and size with no luck. So if someone succeeds feel free to update.
*note* streaming seems to buffer most of the files at certain speeds as wi-fi got it going real fast while 3g took a few.*note*
When using the application these are your options when clicking the menu button.
The great part is that you can upload items from your phone. So this process of accessing the cloud is both ways. You have the ability to take pictures or get files on the go and then throw them up to the cloud for access later when you get home. The fact that they have a ?any file? option is awesome as you know how picky gmail and other Google apps can be about certain file types and/or sizes. If using ?any file? have a file browser installed to make life easier.
As you can see above the settings selection doesn?t have a ton of options, but it gives you access to send feedback, watch a video about drop box or tell friends about it (see image for a few more minor details.)
They don?t leave you hanging in the app either when you need help or send you to their website and use an FAQ within the browser. They have a built in section for help from the menu. It allows for some quick information from troubleshooting to how-to topics. Great for the new user getting use to this service.
http://jarredsuttonphotography.smugmug.com/photos/896710118_GxiNz-S.png
Lastly from the menu you have the option of searching your Dropbox account. Incredibly useful if you are storing a ton of documents or any such files. Even more important if you upgrade to larger storage and have more files in the cloud.
On top of the great features and stability of the app there are a ton of neat tricks to do with the account. A quick Google search will yield great tools and tricks you can do with Dropbox. This app and service is something that grows in importance as you use it. Give it a try and I?m sure you won?t be disappointed.
The Quick Good and Bad:
Good:
+ Access to files on the go
+ Seamless integration
+ Stable application
+ Easy access to help and troubleshooting
+ Streaming ability
+ Built in search
+ Uploading, editing, and adding folders in addition to downloading
+ Moving any type of file
+ Fast Notifications of actions and refresh button to check again.
Bad:
- No long press functionality on folders
If you interested in signing up for an account and take advantage of the referral sign up here https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTc2MTkwMDU5