I have written a number of times about Dropbox, a free program I think every Windows, Macintosh, and Linux user should use. You can see my earlier articles at http://goo.gl/T4nOL. One drawback to the program is that it has always been in beta test as the company continued to develop new features and to squash occasional bugs. Now the company must have confidence in the latest version. The beta is over. Today, Dropbox version 1.0 became available for all.
Dropbox is a combination online backup program as well as a file replication program. If you own two or more computers, you can use Dropbox to automatically keep files synchronized on all computers, iPhones, Android phones, as well as on Dropbox's servers. If you only own one computer, Dropbox functions as an excellent backup system, storing your files on Dropbox's safe and secure servers. Create a new word processing file or an update to your genealogy program's database? Dropbox will automatically copy the file(s) to your other computer(s). You can later access the file(s) from the other computer or cell phone or from a web browser. The program also features industrial-grade encryption. Even the Dropbox employees are unable to read your files.
Dropbox continues to use the "freemium" business model. That is, the program is free and even includes up to 2 gigabytes of storage space on Dropbox's servers, all at no charge. For a modest fee, users can also obtain 50 or 100 gigabytes of space.
New features added to version 1.0 include:
- Very high performance – Increased speed and a reduction in memory usage by 50%.
- Better user experience – Made more intuitive and their Mac version was completely rewritten to use only Cocoa so Dropbox looks and feels much more native on the Mac.
- Selective Sync – A new feature that will come handy for users of netbooks and Macbook Air where they may have a smaller hard disk. Users can now elect to synchronize only selected folders on the system with a smaller disk drive, instead of being forced to synchronize everything.
- Extended Attribute Sync – Syncs file attributes stored, such as resource forks in the Macintosh where files contain a secret area where apps store important data.
I love this program!
You can learn more at http://www.dropbox.com
