BP9 Dropbox

Screenshot of Dropbox logo

About a year ago, I was working on a major proposal for work and I lost at least 2 days worth of data. Since our environment is Windows based, there was no easy backup solution like Apple’s Time Machine or any other auto backup software. Improper or outdated file storage and management can easily halt a workflow, especially if you are trying to meet deadlines. This is where Dropbox comes in. Dropbox is an easy solution for backing up, sharing, and collaborating on files. Connecting to Dropbox is extremely fast and you can access your files anywhere you have an Internet connection. And yes this includes mobile devices too. Sharing is simple and whoever has Dropbox installed will have access to shared folders right from their desktop. Those that do not have Dropbox installed can still access files from their online account.

One of the great things about Dropbox is the free account. You start off with a minimum 2 GB of free space and can reach a maximum of 8 GB, depending on how many invites to Dropbox you send out. As an added bonus, anyone who actually signs up from an invite also gets an extra 250 MB of free space. Now that’s incentive.

If you are unsatisfied with the amount of free space you get, you can always upgrade with these options:

50 GB - $10 a month or $100 a year (Mobile Me is 20 GB for $100 a year).

100 GB - $20 a month or $200 a year.

Screenshot of Files window

Apart from the space, Dropbox integrates an auto sync feature when files are updated and you can also choose previous versions of those files. Besides being able to pick a previous version, you can also restore files that were previously deleted. This is the kind of thing that will be perfect for work especially when I take my work home. This way, I can work on the same file in both locations without having to upload, download, or burn to disc.

Screenshot of Sharing window

Sharing with Dropbox, as mentioned above, is real simple and you can control who has access to folders and individual files. Every Dropbox user can also act as moderators of their own personal file structure. If there is inappropriate activity within a Dropbox, the owner of that account can remove any shares as well as any computers connected to that account.

Screenshot of Events window

Besides sharing, there is also an RSS feed of your recent history within your account. If a file is changed, uploaded, or even removed, a notification will be sent out via an RSS feed or you can just view the changes from the account online in the Events section. The recent activity doesn’t necessarily go as far back as Time Machine, but as a free online storage solution for important files, it goes back just enough.

For work, I plan on using Dropbox as the one stop shop for syncing files across my Mac at home and my Windows machine at work.  Next time I have to develop interface graphics for computer based trainers, I can design without having to worry if the file I'm using is the latest. 

If you want to join Dropbox, you can click on my referral here and get an extra 250 MB free when you install and create a free account.