Drop Box, It's Bl**dy Marvellous

[PCUK]

Only just found Dropbox by accident. I'm using it as an Ftp server to send large photo folders to magazines that don't yet have Ftp. Saving time and effort posting out CDs. Also of course syncing to my Pad and phone at the same time.
If you haven't seen it, your missing out - and it's free!!!
No connection with them by the way other than an ecstatic user.
Cheers,
Peter

 

[arshield]

I am a very happy user of Dropbox. I have been using it for around a year now. I wish the ipad app was better. But other than that it is great. I pay for a 100 GB account and use it. Well worth it.

 

[BrennB]

Yep loving it!

 

[Prasius]

Yes. Yes it is!

 

[Rlarson_mn]

I am a very happy user of Dropbox. I have been using it for around a year now. I wish the ipad app was better. But other than that it is great. I pay for a 100 GB account and use it. Well worth it.

I agree with you. I have been using it since I got my iPad. It along with Documents To Go as well as WiFi from my cell phone are the reasons I have made the iPad a replacement for my HP2140 netbook.

 

[wrecklass]

Been using DropBox for years now. It is very handy for getting to data on any device I need when away from the home or office.

However, bear in mind that DropBox does nothing to encrypt your data, so unless you have a secure password that cannot be hacked your data could be easily seen by anyone. Also note that if you put things into Public folders for those companies to access, anyone else can access it as well.

 

[muyoso]

Sure wish it actually synced with the server instead of just showing me the documents that I have uploaded. I expected it to actually download the files to the iPad. I was disappointed.

 

[Prasius]

Sure wish it actually synced with the server instead of just showing me the documents that I have uploaded. I expected it to actually download the files to the iPad. I was disappointed.

That is not the "cloud" way though. If you transfer it to your dropbox, just go to the app, make the document a "favourite", and the you can access it without a net connection.

 

[PCUK]

Mine were downloaded - I think!

On the security point. I don't have anything that particularly needs to be secured. But as far as I have found from using it for a couple of days, if you put the files into a shared folder and then only share it with the person whose Email address you have inserted only that person will be able to access them.

 

[paulyeo11]

That is not the "cloud" way though. If you transfer it to your dropbox, just go to the app, make the document a "favourite", and the you can access it without a net connection.

I hv try to make my doc a favourate, but when I go offline , I still unable to access the file.. Can some one pls check and share with me are you able to access the file ?

 

[Prasius]

When I get back to mine in an hour or two i'll write up the process and post it up.

 

[Prasius]

Righties.. I wanted to make sure I got this right.

Okay- you're in your computer and you place a document into your drop box folder. Your computer will then sync your dropbox folder on the computer with your remote dropbox - how long this takes depends on the file size and your connection speed. Once it has synched, you will be able to see the document on your iPad. The document is not currently on your iPad at this stage. Tap on the document, and you will see the spinning wheel as your iPad fetches the remote document. Tap on the star at the top left. This will make the file a favourite and start the process of creating a local copy of the document on your iPad. At this point, tap on the double star icon (centre-ish on the screen). This lists all your favourite documents and their current status. Here you can see the file being downloaded to your iPad, you need to make sure this is complete before quitting or moving away from Dropbox (correct for iOS3.#, likely to change when iOS4.2 is released). You now have a copy on your iPad you can then open in an app of choice with the bendy arrow icon on the far left. (PDF's can be sent to iBooks for instance).

I'm guessing you just tapped the favourites icon and didn't give it enough time to download fully before going offline (no criticism - easy enough to do as dropbox isn't very explicit about when it actually has created a local copy). Watching the favourites list while it downloads should prevent you from doing that.

Hope that helps

 

[PCUK]

I just tap on each one in the main folder and they are then downloaded. I then click on the arrow at the top right and they are saved straight into my photo App. I then delete them from Dropbox

I just love it!

 

[Prasius]

I just tap on each one in the main folder and they are then downloaded. I then click on the arrow at the top right and they are saved straight into my photo App. I then delete them from Dropbox

I just love it!

Its quick with pictures as they are comparatively small files. If you're looking at 30mb+ PDF's its a little more clunky!

You can of course simply send them to an app (like photos as you've said) directly if that is the only place you'll want to use the file. I wanted to fully cover the local storing of files inside the Dropbox app though

 

[Luke]

Thanks for the dropbox tutorial.. I had assumed they'd sync automagically as well..