Most of us are familiar with shared network drives and e-mail attachments, but one free service for sharing files or syncing them between devices is worth noting: Dropbox. This site has several different options for users who want to share files across different systems. With the recent release of the iPad and other devices like it, users are finding that they need some way to store files created on their devices, phones, or laptops when away from the office so that they can later be reached on another device. With Dropbox you can store photos, documents, videos, and other files through their free service with up to 2GB of space for the free plan, and upgradeable pricing for those that need more storage, up to 100GB.
Dropbox offers a service that is nice when you simply need to sync files automatically between your devices; and it can also be used to allow collaboration for those same files. The service reflects the changes instantly and you have full control of who is able to connect to your folders. If you initiate the shared folder, you can always–at any time, remove someone from the shared list and the folder will be removed from their system immediately.
I have found this service to be especially useful when wanting to share photos that I have taken on my iPhone. Maybe you are tasked with taking photos of a client site and then you need to share those with multiple members of a group for an upcoming project. You can do that with Dropbox!
If you’re worried about your data being stored, Dropbox notes on their site that they use military grade encryption methods both when transferring and storing your data. They also promise to back up your files online without you having to do a thing. There are free applications available to the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, and Android that allow you to access and manage your folders when mobile. If you’re looking for a quick way to sync your files between these types of devices and your laptop, netbook, or PC’s, Dropbox might be your answer.
It’s great for personal use, but, if you find that you need further storage for a corporate scenario, I recommend you contact ManageWatch and find out more about the Cloud Computing solutions we offer our clients. They go above and beyond what Dropbox can do for you, and are used on a much larger scale.
Our Cloud Computing solutions include:
- Email, calendaring, word processing, spreadsheet, service, CRM applications and more
- All of the highly-available, secure storage space your organization will ever need
- Email security and archiving
- The world’s #1 sales automation software
- All upgrades and revisions
If you don’t find the information you need on our site, feel free to call 214-239-2620 and let one of our team of experts guide you to the best options for your business.