This post is part of a technology series called “What?! You’re not using…?” where I’m sharing ten technology sites/apps that I find to be very helpful – and you might too!
Dropbox is another one of those “What?! Really? You’re REALLY not using Dropbox” apps for me. I used to get so annoyed having to carry around USB sticks (jumpdrives, etc) with me all the time, or forgetting to bring one with me after just putting a bunch of files on it, etc. Dropbox removes the need for that, and makes file sharing really, really easy.
I started to really use Dropbox when I started at the church here in Livermore. I have a Macbook Pro that I use almost exclusively, but also have a PC at work. Dropbox works on both operating systems, so anything I put in Dropbox from my Mac, I could access almost immediately on the PC. Because of their iPhone & iPad apps, I can also get access to any files that I have in Dropbox on the go, which is awesome.
It’s also great for very quickly sharing files with friends. Dropbox has a PUBLIC folder, and when I want to send someone a file (regardless of the size), I simply drop the file into the PUBLIC folder, right click on the file and choose the “Dropbox -> Copy Public Link” option. Send that link to a friend and….there you go. Instant and extremely easy file-sharing.
They also have a great referral program. A free Dropbox account gets you 2 GB of storage, but they also give you an additional 250 MB for each person that signs up with your referral link. Doesn’t sound like much? Through my referrals, I’m currently at 10.8 GB of free storage. Free. Full Disclosure: if you click on a Dropbox link in this post, and sign up, I will get 250 MB of free space. Thanks.
So if you haven’t tried Dropbox, sign up today by clicking here and give it a whirl. I think you’ll find that it’s super handy and a great way to both backup your important files, make things accessible to you from any computer and share stuff with people at work, your friends and family.
Update: I see that 7 people have signed up for Dropbox after reading this post. Congratulations to you! And for all of you who read it and didn’t sign up…well, I just don’t know what to say. Have fun with those jump drives…