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DLS Review: Dropbox for Android, now you have access to your cloud storage wherever you go
Using Dropbox on a mobile device is an odd amalgam of emerging technologies. On the one hand you have the cloud --and everyone loves the flexibility that the cloud brings -- but on the other, when you're on the move, head hunkered over your smartphone, do you really need access to anything other than documents?
Having said that, there are certainly unconventional uses for Dropbox on your smartphone. You can stream music and video straight from your Dropbox, for example -- but why not just load up your phone before you leave? Streaming high-quality content over public Wi-Fi or costly 3G isn't the best idea in the world.
Still, despite an inherent lack of real-world usefulness, Dropbox for Android definitely works, and it works well. You can upload photos, videos, music and text files directly from your phone, and immediately share them with the db.tt URL shortener.
Dropbox for Android is so tidy and full-featured, that it's best if I start with a big over-arching statement that sets the tone: Dropbox for Android does everything a Dropbox user could want. Now I will work backwards and explain the few things that are missing, or that don't quite work as they should.
First of all, you can't move files from your main folder into the Public folder. You'd think that it would just be a matter of selecting 'Move to...' from the context menu, but no cigar.
Then, for some odd reason, you can't view the basic 'Getting Started' or 'How to use the Public folder' RTF files. It says the 'ROM file type not supported' -- why...?
Uploading files direct from your phone seems to work for new text files, and videos shot with your camera -- but not photos. Instead, you get a rather unhelpful '0 of 1 files uploaded successfully' error message.
Uploading files direct from your phone seems to work for new text files, and videos shot with your camera -- but not photos. Instead, you get a rather unhelpful '0 of 1 files uploaded successfully' error message.
Other than that, the app works fantastically. You can share short URLs to files in your Dropbox, and you can also upload files to Dropbox using Android's contextual 'Share' option. You can upload music straight from your media player, for example. You can't upload Gmail email attachments directly, however -- you have to save them first.
All in all, if you have a valid reason for accessing your Dropbox on the move, this Android app (and its BlackBerry and iOS brethren) could be very handy indeed.
Dropbox for Android Tech Specs
- Installed Size -- 2.12MB, but it caches some files (images? text files?)
- Speed/Responsiveness -- Excellent, no slow-down registered (Android 1.6 @ 600MHz, LG GT540 Swift)
- User Interface -- Very minimal, but full-featured (except for not being able to move files!) Also has a 'search' function; neat
- Configurability & Extensibility -- Very few settings can be changed, but then again, Dropbox isn't a very configurable service...
- License -- Free, closed-source
Comments
9
Subscribe to commentsSebastian AnthonySep 23rd 2010 5:58AM
Good capitalizing, well done :P
WedgeSep 22nd 2010 10:35PM
Great review thanks. One question, how do you get the toggles in your status bar?
blasztaSep 23rd 2010 3:39AM
+ 1 for that. Just for the sake of curiosity.
I'm using QuickSettings with more toggles than that app.
Sebastian AnthonySep 23rd 2010 5:57AM
Heya!
The toggles? You mean the 'GPS', 'Wi-Fi', 'Bluetooth' and 'Sound' buttons?
scottSep 23rd 2010 3:30AM
http://www.sugarsync.com/ does the same as DropBox, but has many more geeky options for sharing files. DropBox is for your Mom. SugarSync is for the control freak geek.
blasztaSep 23rd 2010 3:38AM
The problem is: sugarsync not free.
Sebastian AnthonySep 23rd 2010 5:57AM
I'll be looking at SugarSync later today -- but if it isn't free, then that's certainly a problem :)
Android Gold - Android TabletsSep 23rd 2010 3:37AM
Seems this will be a cool app for Android Tablet PCs and other larger "form factor" devices that can fill the gap between phone and laptop. Of course, it also sounds like you better check your data plan before you go streaming all your music and video files to yourself rather than just load them onto your Android device.
And this will certainly be of no use for cheap android tablets from China such as those sold at http://www.androidgold.com - which are actually quite a lot of fun and very practical, but without wireless carrier service, you're limited to WiFi usage (of course, no monthly service contract either so you'll certainly save a lot of money not to mention the low-cost of the items).
GrimesSep 27th 2010 10:27AM
On the "costly 3g" point - for those with unlimited data plans, which can be found at rates well below the AT&T gouge-level if you don't mind switching carriers to Sprint, to name one, this becomes that much more useful. I wouldn't bother streaming media through Dropbox unless I really wanted to show someone something right this minute, but it's nice to know that's an option.
It's also worth noting that, unlike your desktop Dropbox folder, the one on you phone does -not- automatically sync. It syncs the list of what files are in your dropbox, but none of them actually come down to your phone until you direct them to do so, one by one.
Which is to say, you're not signing over 2gb of your phone's SD to this by installing the app.
Final note - I'd love to see this get more robust download manager-style functionality, specifically the ability to resume partial or interrupted downloads. I'm only using this for smallish files now, after a 230mb video file lost connection at about 95%, and I had to start all over.
Also, to jump on the gimme train, I'd sure be grateful if you use my link (after the gentlemen above get a few pops, as they're first in line :) to sign up, as you'll get and extra 250mb and I will too :)
http://db.tt/NzSLeCB
Enjoy! This really is a fantastic service.
-GG