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sync files
DropBox for iPhone – Your Files Truly are Everywhere Now
Awesome Desktop Application Moves to your Phone
One of my favorite desktop applications of all time is Dropbox. Dropbox allows you to sync important files between multiple computers. You just install the software on your computers and set up a dropbox (folder) and place files in it. The files will instantly appear on all of your other computers.
While this is amazingly convenient if you are at one of your computers, what happens when you are at someone else’s house or out on the town? Well, the contents of your dropbox are not only on your computers, a copy is also available on the dropbox website. (They are securely protected by your ID and password.)
Well, they just released an iPhone application that will let you view and open the entire contents of your dropbox in the palm of your hand from anywhere. Once you install and log in to the iPhone application, you can see all of the files and folders just like they appear on your computer.
Just touch one of the files and view it on your phone. (View only, no editing.) You can view any file that the iPhone can handle:
- Office files like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PDFs
- Audio files like MP3s, WAVs, AACs
- Video files like MP4s and M4Vs
- HTML files
Cool Features
Using the iPhone has its own set of constraints and capabilities that make it a unique user experience compared to your desktop computer. There are a few really cool features that make this a great iPhone application.
Alphabetical File Browsing – You can quickly scan through your files by name using the alphabetical browser bar running down the right side of the screen that works just like like the Contacts application. If you have a lot of files, this really helps speed things up.
Favorites – You can mark important files as "Favorites" and they will be saved locally on your iPhone. Now, the file can be opened locally without having to wait for it to download over AT&T’s amazingly slow 3G network. If the file is edited on one of your computers, it will be updated to your phone.
Photos – You can add photos taken on your iPhone directly to your dropbox. This doesn’t sound like much, but previously I had to sync my phone and pour through my pictures to move the right one into my dropbox. This is so much more convenient, especially if you are out and about and see something that you want to remember.
Wish List
While Dropbox is 98% awesome, there are always a few things that could be improved. Since the iPhone does not support many common media formats (Quicktime, AVI, WMV, WMA, MPEG, etc.) it would be cool if they could build in a simple media player that would allow me to view these files. Yeah, I know that this is an iPhone problem, it’s just that I’ll take help from anywhere I can find it.
Why you should use Dropbox
If you’re still not sold on Dropbox, watch this video and you just might be.
See this complete tutorial on using Dropbox to sync files across multiple computers.
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Sync Files on Multiple Computers Using DropBox
Always Have Your Important Files
Do you work on multiple computers during the day? Perhaps one at work and one at home? Maybe one is a Mac and another is a PC? Well there are a lot of files that you may create or update on one machine that you suddenly need on the other. Sure, you could use a USB drive, but that is very manual and error prone.
If you need to have a common collection of files that are synchronized and instantly available everywhere, you should use DropBox. DropBox is a service that allows you to sync files between multiple computers via their servers.
I have a few computers in my house: A windows desktop in my Office, Windows laptop downstairs, a Linux Laptop in our Bedroom (My Wife’s) and a new MacBook Pro where I do most of my writing now. I have some files on my old Windows desktop and laptop that I need on my MacBook and newly created files that I want back on my PCs. The other problem is that I need to work with certain Windows or Mac only apps at different times. This allows me to move all of the files that I need back and forth to the machine where I need to work in “real-time”.
If I do a Screencast on my PC, I just put it into my DropBox and upload it from my Mac when I’m ready. If I make something in iMovie on my Mac, I just drop it in and open it on my PC later.
What exactly is Dropbox?
This is how DropBox describes their service:
Dropbox is the easiest way to share and store your files online.
Works like you do
No complicated interface to learn. Dropbox runs in the background on your desktop.
Worry-free syncing
Sync your files automatically to your computers and the web.
It’s everywhere you are
Sign in and access your files from any browser or mobile device.
Easy sharing
Sharing files with your friends and family is just two clicks away.
Photos
View your photos in a gallery and share them easily with anyone.
How to Use DropBox
- The entire process is incredibly quick and simple.
- Create an Account on GetDropBox.com.
- Download and Install the DropBox software on your computer.
- Select a location for your DropBox folder. (I use the Desktop)
- Move the desired files/folders into your DropBox.
- Wait for blue arrow icons to stop spinning and turn into a green check icon.
- Move any desired files/folders from your other computer(s) into your DropBox.
- Repeat steps 3 through 5 on all of your computers.
There is a free account which limits your DropBox capacity to 2 gigs. You can add more capacity incrementally with a paid account.
Sharing Files via DropBox:
You can share your DropBox with other DropBox users via your “shared” folder.
- Log in to your DropBox account on their site
- Click on the Share tab at the top of the page
- Give the share a name
- Enter the email addres(es) of the people you are sharing with
- Go back to your File Manager and drag files into the “share” folder
- The recipients will receive an email allowing them to access the the shared files
- You can delete the “share” when you want to stop sharing
This is very convenient if you’re working with a client or coordinating on a project with a colleague, client, or friend.
See How to Use DropBox in this Video
Download the How to Sync Files on Multiple Computers Using DropBox podcast video.
Other Information about DropBox
Here are some other interesting articles on DropBox:
- x
- x
- x
Conlclusion:
I use DropBox every day on both of my computers at home. This is about the simplest way to synchronize files between your computers, no matter which Operating System(s) you use.
Note: May not work behind some firewalls.
The past few articles have covered using some web/computer based productivity tools. Stay tuned for the next article where I show you how to extend these systems by using your phone and Dial2Do to get things done.