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Box for Android updated to 1.5: adds widgets, uploading from any app, magic

Box.net, an online cloud storage service, has made a few facelifts to the latest version of its Android app to help you get the most out of that 50GB storage limit it offered last month. The newest update offers a front page widget that shows you the progress of any files currently undergoing modifications or uploads; it also includes the ability to upload email attachments or other downloaded files directly from whatever app you're in. Lastly, version 1.5 also gives you the option of creating documents in the office app of your choice and saving it in Box, rather than the doc editor. The service now boasts 1.9 million mobile users, so it's nice to see the company get serious about making some crucial improvements to its user experience.

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Stay in the Know with Box for Android

In version 1.5 of Box for Android, we've added 3 main features that will help those actively sharing and editing files on Box with others. You can now keep an eye on updates to your files right from a home screen widget, send files to Box from anywhere you can open files (like email attachments), and create new Office® documents with compatible apps like QuickOffice Pro.

Update me!

When you're working with a lot of people on a number of files simultaneously, it's hard to keep track of what version of which file is updated, and when. When accessing Box in your browser or on your iPhone or iPad, you see these details in an Updates feed. Now Box for Android goes one step further and puts updates right on your home screen with the Box widget!

To add the widget, just long-press on an empty space on a home screen, choose to add a Widget, then choose "Box". Position the widget wherever you'd like by long-pressing on it and dragging it around.

In addition to showing updates, the widget also provides useful shortcuts to create or upload new files without needing to open the Box app.

Upload files from any app

Wherever you have the option to view a file, you now also have the option to upload it to Box - which is really useful when you get email attachments or download files via the browser. Put them on Box and start sending links instead of attaching files in emails!

Create Office documents

If you have an app capable of editing these file types, you will see new options to add documents, spreadsheets, presentations and plain text files on the Create menu. Choosing these file types will open the editor of your choice and save the file you create back to Box when you're done.

You'll need an app capable of editing these files (not just viewing them) in order to see this feature – we recommend QuickOffice Pro, DocumentsToGo or Kingsoft Office.