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OpenPhoto is an open, cloud-based photo storage alternative for iPhone
If you're furious with Flickr and peeved at Picasa, there's a new kid in town -- OpenPhoto. OpenPhoto is an open source photo sharing service along the lines of those other services, but the images are stored on Dropbox, Amazon S3, or any other cloud-storage service. It's meant to give photograph owners more control over their online photo storage, and you can even install the code on your own server is you wish. OpenPhoto was initially funded by a Kickstarter project, and the development team has reached a new milestone with the release of an iPhone app (free). The app is a bit underwhelming at the moment, but remember that this is 1.0 version. Some other bloggers have tried to compare the app to Instagram, but point out that there's no social aspect to the app or service yet. At this time, OpenPhoto is good for one thing, and that's for storing your images in the cloud. The app provides a way to upload and view your images, and there are screens for entering titles and tags to each photo. There are even some editing tools in the app from Aviary, and images can also have filters applied. If you want to do sharing with others, simply turn on the Facebook or Twitter upload capability when you're getting ready to upload an image. One major complaint about the app has been about the use of Browser.ID for login, which means that the app jumps to mobile Safari to complete the login before moving bak to the app. It's a bit confusing at first, to put it lightly. If you happen to have a lot of photos on your Mac (or PC) it's easy to drag and drop them onto the OpenPhoto page for uploading. For Dropbox users, the uploaded files may take some initial digging to find. I was expecting to find a new folder called "OpenPhoto", and eventually did -- after I found that it was in another folder called "Apps". Developer and founder Jaisen Mathai, a former Yahoo! employee, talked with Robert Scoble about the project in a long interview that can be viewed below. [via The Verge]
LogMeIn enters cloud storage arena with Cubby
Remote access giant LogMeIn is taking on Apple iCloud and DropBox with its latest move into the cloud storage arena. Cubby is now a website, a Mac server, and an iOS application. (Android and Windows apps are also available.) Like LogMeIn's recent JoinMe site and app, Cubby's focus remains on remote collaboration and group work. The service differentiates itself by providing a folder-by-folder opt-in feature, so you can choose what items you need to share rather than having to set the focus around a specific DropBox-like central folder. And, of course, there's standard LogMeIn 256-bit SSL security to keep your data safe. You can apply for a beta account by submitting your email address at their website. Basic accounts include 5 GB of free cloud storage to share with the world, plus unlimited syncing across your own devices using your home computer as a server.
Ask Engadget: best heavy-duty cloud-storage solution?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from is from is from Joe, who needs to backup half a terabyte of data to the cloud, as you do. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I'm looking for an online backup solution for between 100GB, up to 500GB of data. New options are popping up everywhere recently, but what's the best cloud storage backup solution that'd allow for easy drag-and-drop backup, syncing across multiple computers both Mac and Windows, access from Android devices and at a reasonable price? Thanks!" Well, he doesn't want much, does he? Just world-class storage, universal device access and all for a rock-bottom price. There's plenty of contenders in this particular competition, from Dropbox all the way through to, erm, Box. It's kinda clear that Joe's not just backing up his holiday photos, so even enterprise-level offerings are worth suggesting. Still, the floor's now open to you, so fire away.
iPad workspace app CloudOn goes 2.0, adds Adobe Reader, Box storage support
There are several perspectives on the iPad as a productivity tool. Some knowledge workers thrive on a suite of native apps; others can't really get comfortable within a text or code-based workflow without a legitimate keyboard and mouse. The "third way" of iPad productivity provides a hybrid environment: familiar Office apps or remote access to existing computers, with varying degrees of customization to incorporate the touch UI atop the traditional desktop. We've previously talked about Onlive Desktop, one of the major players in the remote gaming and desktop SaaS space (which seems to have struck a conciliatory tone on Windows licensing by moving from Win7 to Windows Server for the underlying tech). Today, the first major version update of CloudOn, one of the primary alternatives to Onlive and other "full Windows" tools, is hitting the App Store. The original free iPad app from CloudOn provided users in the US, UK and Canada with a straightforward way to create and edit Microsoft Office documents without Office, and without their own PC. The back end CloudOn servers plug into your Dropbox account to give you near-immediate access to your files for touchups or extended editing sessions. What you see on the screen is a remote session, optimized for quick transmission across the Internet to you. It works great on WiFi, acceptably on 3G and shows snappy response on a new 4G iPad as well. In the new 2.0 version of the app, the cloud storage options have been extended to include Box.com for personal or enterprise users. CloudOn 2.0 also adds Adobe Reader to the app suite, permitting iPad users to view 3D content or fill-in PDF forms on the fly. A universal image viewer and full outbound email support round out the new feature list. Instead of making the iPad into a virtual Windows desktop, CloudOn masks the filesystem and other apps to deliver an Office-only experience. You want Word, you get Word -- and nothing else. This no-distractions, one app at a time model can track closer to the native iPad experience of "app immersion." While the lack of native copy/paste and autocorrect does slow things down a bit, I found that I could be pretty effective while typing into CloudOn's apps, especially with a Bluetooth external keyboard. Since you're using "real" Office, albeit remotely, some of the key features normally absent from iPad productivity apps are there for you. Ryan Faas keyed in on one of those features: Track Changes and comment support in Word, which has made CloudOn very popular with members of the legal profession. Last week I met with Milind Gadekar, the CEO and founder of CloudOn, and got to hear a bit of his company's vision for the future of distributed work. He told me that his team forsees a continuing fragmentation of the computing landscape, with multiple OS platforms and devices talking to multiple storage providers. The way to enable productivity, he suggested, is to provide a functional nexus of three key components: your files, your apps and your collaborators. While some successful companies are building the infrastructure for files and collaborators and then laying the applications over that with third party integrations (like Box.com), Gadekar and his team decided to go at the problem from the applications vertex first. Given that there are a lot of very capable and popular storage solutions in the market, this seems like a good play. In developing CloudOn, Gadekar and his programmers are keenly aware that the iPad is being positioned as a productivity tool even though it doesn't have the major productivity app suite that most people use everyday: Microsoft Office. While native app vendors have the freedom to create novel interfaces that leverage iOS's touchscreen UI directly, CloudOn's emphasis is on making the subtle adjustments and accommodations that let Office apps (and eventually more mouse-based apps) work smoothly without a mouse and keyboard. Hiding the Windows desktop from the user was the first step in drastically simplifying that legacy UI. As CloudOn expands its suite of available applications (and perhaps makes a move to other access approaches from its current iPad-only incarnation), we can expect to see some revenue models evolve. For now, though, it's a free service and a great way to get your feet wet with remote productivity apps on the iPad.
Facebook, Dropbox iOS apps contain security hole that could allow identity theft (Updated)
Updated with comment from Dropbox, note regarding LinkedIn and clarifications throughout. Let's clear this up quickly: Yes, there's a security hole in the Facebook app. The Next Web also confirmed the same issue in the Dropbox app, and a commenter below suggests that Vimeo and Tumblr official apps have the same core vulnerability. LinkedIn's app also apparently works the same way. The good news is this: It's very unlikely anyone would get access to your Facebook account this way. To do so, the hypothetical hacker would have to have physical access to your iPhone, and once someone has physical control of your device you've got plenty of bigger problems. Even if someone tried to trick you into falling for this exploit without stealing your phone, you'd have to allow them to plug your device into their computer or a rigged dock/charging station, then allow them to do a bunch of business on your phone to grab a plain text file stored by these, then they'd have to take that file to a different iOS device in order to go and do something malicious on your Facebook or Dropbox accounts. [In theory, if you plugged your non-passcode-locked phone into an untrusted computer or peripheral to charge it, a piece of software on that computer could surreptitiously grab the key files without your knowledge. No such malicious app is currently known to exist in the wild, but it's not outside the realm of possibility researcher Gareth Wright was able to "knock together" several proofs of concept, including a modified speaker dock and a credit-card sized hardware capture tool. –Ed.] Although other sites have reported that a jailbroken device is required to access this exploit, that is simply not true. A desktop app like iExplorer or PhoneView, which allow you to access application-stored files on an iOS device, will allow you to exploit the security hole. It works like this: some iOS apps use little text files (.plist aka property list files) to store all sorts of little things about an app. In this case, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Facebook and others are using an unencrypted property list to apparently store both the OAuth key and its secret counterpart. That's...astonishingly naive. (I wonder how many other apps don't do the same thing.) Apple provides a secure mechanism (the system keychain) which is meant for exactly this purpose: providing a non-visible storage system for sensitive data. Once a malicious person has used iExplorer to find the right plist, that file can be copied and dropped onto another device. That second device would then be able to access your account as though you had already logged in. Using a property list in this way leaves us scratching our heads. Facebook has issued a comment saying it will patch this soon. I haven't seen any statement from Dropbox yet. That being said, this was a dumb mistake on Facebook's and Dropbox's parts -- they should have known better. Update: Dropbox issued a statement as well, noting the Android version doesn't suffer from this vulnerability. Also, the company is working on a fix now. The statement is pasted below. The Next Web did a little more testing and points out that the exploit can't be leveraged if you have set a passcode on your device -- an unfamiliar computer can't pull files from your phone if it's passcode-locked. From Dropbox: We are currently updating our iOS app to do the same. We note that the attack in question requires a malicious actor to have physical access to a user's device. In a situation like that, a user is susceptible to all sorts of threats, so we strongly advise safeguarding devices.
Dropbox enables drag-and-drop uploads on web browsers
Finished convincing friends, family and perfect strangers alike to sign up to Dropbox -- and selfishly upping your own storage in the process. The cloud storage service has just made changes to its web-baser interface, adding drag-and-drop functionality from your folders and desktop. The feature works across Chrome, Firefox and Safari browsers and once the site detects the movement, it'll start uploading to that ethereal data cloud in the sky. You can start dragging those files around at the source now.
Dropbox doubles referral rewards, offers up to 32GB for those dripping in charisma
That whole 'refer a friend' thing must be working. Or maybe it isn't. Either way, Dropbox has felt the need to double the extra capacity you get as a reward for persuading your buddies that cloud storage really is 153x better than a USB stick. For each successful referral, you'll now get 500MB up to a maximum of 16GB. Pro users will get 1GB per referral up to a limit of 32GB. Get in there quick before someone else in your gang starts promoting Google Drive and its rumored document editing capabilities.[Thanks, Ninad]
Sync iCloud to Dropbox
Mac and iOS users are going to be increasingly pushed to choose between storing their documents in iCloud or Dropbox. I expect that Apple will continue to push more and more features to iCloud that will make people want to use it, and I expect that Apple will continue to make iCloud easier and easier for iOS and Mac developers to use, so developers will want to support it. I like the idea behind iCloud, but I don't really trust iCloud yet. Apple's previous attempts at online services have left me suspicious about iCloud's performance, reliability, and long-term future. I hope I'm wrong and that iCloud turns out to be great, but in the meantime, I know Dropbox, and I trust Dropbox. One of my favorite features of Dropbox is the ability to go back and see revisions from the previous 30 days. It's my safety net. The good news is that you can sync iCloud to Dropbox. The bad news is that it's a one-way sync from iCloud to Dropbox. But if all you want to do is backup iCloud files and be able to retrieve previous versions from Dropbox, it's pretty simple to do. I'm going to use Byword as an example because it's fairly straight-forward, but the process should work roughly the same for any iCloud enabled Mac app. Step One: Make sure iCloud is enabled. Go to System Preferences » iCloud and make sure that you have "Documents & Data" set to sync. Step Two: Create an iCloud-based file. The exact process for this differs from app to app. Byword has a File » Move to iCloud menu item. Step Three: Find the local iCloud folder. Here's where things get a little bit tricky. You have to get into the "Library" folder in your Home directory, but that folder has been hidden in Lion. Fortunately for you there are at least 18 ways to view that folder. My recommendation is to go to the Finder, select the "Go" menu, and press the Option/Alt key. When you do that, you'll see the Library folder appear. Or use ⌘ + Shift + G and type in "~/Library/" if you prefer keyboard shortcuts. Once you are in, look for a folder called Mobile Documents You'll find something like the list of directories shown here. Inside each one is a "Documents" sub-directory. I bet you can guess what is stored in there. Step Four: Sync changes via Hazel. Hazel was recently updated to version 3, and one of the new features is a 'sync' option. For those who don't know Hazel, you should, it's one of my irreplaceable apps. It allows you to create rules for all sorts of actions to happen in specific folders if different criteria are met. For example, Hazel can tell if a file has been modified since the last time Hazel checked a specific folder. If it has been modified, you can tell Hazel to do specific things, including "sync" from that folder, so another one. Click on image for a larger size I created a 'Byword' folder in my ~/Dropbox/ and then created a Hazel rule which says "If any files have been modified since we last checked (matched) this folder, then sync the 'Documents' folder (located inside ~/Library/Mobile Documents/) with the Byword folder in Dropbox. Step Five: (Optional) While I was checking around inside ~/Library/Mobile Documents/ I used Default Folder X to set the Byword iCloud folder to be the default folder for all new Byword documents. Now whenever I create new document on my Mac using Byword, I know that it will automatically be saved to iCloud and Dropbox. This isn't something that I will do for all of my iCloud-enabled apps, but I've been using Byword more and more lately for all sorts of writing projects, and I want to do everything I can to make sure that I am "covered" when it comes to saving my files. Two local copies (one in Mobile Documents, one in Dropbox folder) and two copies in the "cloud" (iCloud and Dropbox sync), plus 30 days worth of "undo"? (Not to mention that each of my Macs will have local copies as well, as iCloud and Dropbox sync across my network.) That's a system I can create and then forget about.
Box OneCloud learns from Dropbox and iCloud, allows simpler document editing on-the-go (video)
If you're an avid Box user, what we're about to say is apt to have a great, positive impact on your life. For everyone else -- well, chances are you aren't about to swap out of whatever cloud ecosystem you're already entrenched in. In an effort to create a somewhat unique take on iCloud and Dropbox, Box has introduced OneCloud for iOS, a self-proclaimed "enterprise mobile framework to bring together your mobile content and the mission-critical apps designed to work with it." For now, it'll support over 30 iOS programs, four of which add "round-trip" integration; in other words, OneCloud will enable you to open a document in QuickOffice, edit it, and save it back without ever having to manually switch programs. To its credit, this is about as close as one could come to being genuinely productive on a device that tends to have productivity a bit lower on the priority rungs, but the video after the break still shows just how clunky the whole operation is. For our money, an ultralight laptop still makes more sense for business professionals on the go, but it's certainly not a bad backup to have around for making tweaks in a pinch.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me transfer documents
Dear Aunt TUAW, I am a college professor who has all my class prep work stored on USB drives. How may I transfer all these Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents to my iPad? I have the new updates for Numbers, Pages, and Keynote on my iPad 2. Please help an overworked teacher do a better job! Thank you! Your loving nephew, Larry Dear Larry, Larry, meet Dropbox. Dropbox, meet Larry. You're going to love each other. As far as moving documents from Office to the iPad apps, you're not going to do much better. Yes, there's iCloud, but Dropbox works on more platforms and with greater flexibility right now. You get 2GB by default, and can increase that by 250MB if an existing Dropbox user invites you with a referral They get an additional 250MB, too). The free plan goes up to 8GB after maxing out referral bonuses. The Dropbox app on iPad has an "open in" option, and you can just save stuff into your Dropbox folder on your home computer, editing as needed. What's more, by saving to Dropbox, you get automatic backup and access to your stuff from anywhere, plus the simplicity of opening files using built-in iOS features. Hugs, Auntie T.
SugarSync for Android updated, adds enhanced sharing and on-the-go file management
Not long after handing its Android application a video-friendly refresh, SugarSync's back with more updated goodies. Now, the sweet Dropbox adversary is stuffing version 3.5.1 with some productivity and social-driven bits. The rejuvenated app, which won't ask anything of your wallet, is boosting its sharing features by allowing you to handout contacts, files and folders via Zuck's social network and that famed 140-character box. Facebook and Twitter's integration doesn't stop there, SugarSync's letting anyone grab 500MB of extra storage at no cost by referring other humans through the aforementioned sites. Another new feature is the on-the-fly file management, which essentially allows you to copy, move and delete any of your docs while you're on the go. Eager to give it a try? It's up for grabs at the source link below or you can get it directly from your Big G-approved device.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me manage my Dropbox
Dear Aunt TUAW, I really love my Dropbox account, but sometimes I get frustrated trying to manage my space. I'm at 3.75 GB max storage right now and I'm hovering near the top end of that. Can you suggest any OS X tools that can help me figure out which files to keep, and which to recycle out of the system? Your loving niece, Grace Dear Grace, Auntie is a huge fan of Grand Perspective. Just open it on the Dropbox folder in your home user directory (/Users/youraccountname) and it gives you a great visual overview of which files are taking up what space. That's a great way to track down Dropbox hogs that are consuming your file allocation. In this screen shot, you can see that numerous manuscript release candidates are taking up more space than they should. Those extra files are now happily backed to external storage and off the precious primary Dropbox folder. For dealing with multiple smaller files, look at your folders more holistically and target the ones that seem most ripe for a nice declutter. For example, check out the two folders at the top-left of the Grand Perspective screen shot. All together, they occupy some significant storage space, even though each file is quite small individually. Regularly targeting large, cluttered folders for scanning and weeding helps reduce Dropbox chaos over time. You might look at the last modified dates or try to toss items you've already processed. As for those three giant files at the right side and top-middle of the screen? Don't forget to remind people you share big data with to grab the items you're sending them, and then give you a ping back so you can clear them off your allocation. Hope this helps! Hugs, Auntie T.
HTC adds even more Dropbox support in Sense 4.0, storage upped to 25GB
More news coming out of HTC's camp in Barcelona. The firm shared promise rings with Dropbox a few months ago, offering 5GB total storage capacity on its Sense 3.5 devices, and now the two companies are ready to take the next step in their commitment with ICS-backed version 4.0. This time they're integrating the cloud service directly into its OS and are offering five times the storage (and arguably five times the fun) for free, up to a grand total of 25GB -- in addition to the amount you already have in your account -- for the course of two years. That's great, but we're rooting for the relationship to last longer than "til end of contract do us part."
Dropbox app drops the beta: automatic photo upload goes official on Android, coming soon to iOS
While those lucky beta testers managed to get a healthy lump of extra Dropbox storage for their efforts, the mobile app's new auto-upload feature has officially arrived. The update is now available on Android devices and we're promised that the Apple-flavored update will appear very soon. We've been playing with the beta for the last few weeks, and it's pretty simple stuff, maintaining the file size of your mobile shots and delivering them to Dropbox's storage in the sky. You can toggle the auto-upload feature, or assign it for use only when there's an available WiFi connection. For anyone that hasn't got into the free cloud storage race game just yet, you can hit up the Android Market link below.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me transfer music into iOS iTunes
Dear Aunt TUAW, In the "Post-PC" era, is there a way to get an audio file, such as one stored on Dropbox, onto an iPad? Is a tethered transfer of audio from iTunes the only solution? Your loving nephew, Chris R. Dear Chris, In a word, no. iTunes maintains its own asset library system that isn't generally accessible (except for reading) to developers. Third-party apps can browse the unit's iTunes music library and choose tracks and play them back (and, even access the data directly if they need to). But there's no way for them to modify the library itself by adding new tracks. Although apps like Dropbox can use the documents sharing API to open files in conforming apps, the onboard music app does not comply with this. It does not appear as a possibility in the "Open In" menus for m4a, mp3, and other audio data. Basically this all goes down to digital rights. There have been numerous projects over the years to reverse engineer the iTunes library format and modify it, especially on Mac and Windows, but these projects fall outside of the normal terms and use of iTunes and the onboard iOS app. You'd think that in the "Post-PC" era, Apple would know this and allow you to bring third party tracks like those from Amazon into the iTunes system sans computer -- but we're apparently not quite as "Post-PC" as one might imagine, yet. Hugs, Auntie T.
Dropbox offers up to 5GB of free space to anyone willing to go beta
Here's some good news for all you Dropboxers out there: the company is offering a bundle of free storage space to anyone who tries the beta version of its new Experimental software. It's really quite simple: just download the test program, upload a photo, and instantly get 500MB of free storage. Upload another photo or video, and an additional 500MB will magically appear at your doorstep. The idea is to test out the beta software's new photo and video uploader, which automatically pulls media from any camera, smartphone or SD card and drops it in the cloud. Free space is limited to 5GB per user, and there's an inherent risk to testing any unfinished product, but those willing to make the leap can find all the requisite materials and information at the source link, below.
EasySignMobile enters the Facebook fray for iPhone and iPad
Need to sign a contract, like, now? There's an app for that. Several actually, but the folks who create EasySignMobile have gone and made their service a bit more accessible to the unwashed masses with an updated version that supports Facebook authentication. The new feature is currently available only for iOS, although we'd imagine Android users will find similar love in the near future, as the company released its first version for Google's platform last October. Also on deck for iPhone and iPad fans, the latest version of EasySignMobile offers integration with Dropbox and Box.net for easy file storage and retrieval. So next time you need to make your mark, perhaps you can reach into your pocket rather than rummage for a pen. Those interested will find the full PR after the break.
GoPano 360 degree camera with new app updates, case at CES
We originally took a look at the GoPano lens attachment from EyeSee360 last year when it was released -- the lens sits on the back of your iPhone, and allows you to take a full 360 degree picture with a free iPhone app. Since the project went live (it was funded by Kickstarter), EyeSee360 tells TUAW at CES that it's sold very well, and there are updates coming for both the product and the app. For the app, the company is planning an update soon that will add some social sharing options. Already, the app will upload 360 degree video to the main GoPano.com site, which it would like to be seen as "The YouTube of 360." These videos don't need an iPhone or any special software to be viewed, so while the original video may be warped (the lens basically shoots a circle of video on the iPhone's screen, and must be put through the company's software to be seen correctly) users can both save and share their videos online through the main site. The app will be updated in a few weeks, however, and that update will bring options to send the videos directly to Twitter, Facebook, or services like Dropbox, so we'll see more 360 videos than ever online. There will be a Facebook app for embedding the 360 videos, too. "The goal," according to the rep from EyeSee360, is to eventually "take it to broadcast" television, so the company was also showing off a prototype version of a full lens made for a high-end Red camera as well. The RED camera rig Finally, the company is also planning an update to the lens, though all they had to show us so far was a very early model, not anywhere near ready for release just yet. The new model follows what they said was a whole lot of customer feedback -- customers are worried that the lens (which currently is just inserted into the custom iPhone case) might fall out, so EyeSee360 is working on a version that instead slides and locks in to a slot over the iPhone's camera, meaning that even if the phone is moved around, the lens should stay securely fastened on there. Again, that model isn't set for release just yet. But it's clear EyeSee360 has plenty of ideas on how to improve its lens, and plenty of orders post-Kickstarter to fulfill. As more and more users upload and share 360 degree videos created with the GoPano, it'll be interesting to see where those videos end up and how they're used in the future.
BitTorrent harnesses technology for friendly filesharing service, Share
Want to send large files, without the whole world catching on? BitTorrent's going the DropBox route, with the launch of the simply -- and friendly -- named Share, a desktop app that allows you to transfer HD movies, photo collections, et al. by dragging and dropping files. The service, which is built on top of BitTorrent's much loved technology, doesn't impose any size limits and stores the content in the cloud, so you can share with offline users. Share also lets you set groups for transfers, so the rest of the world doesn't get a crack at your files. And, because you can't launch a service without some manner of social functionality these days, the aforementioned recipients can comment on the transferred files, Facebook-style. No word yet on any plans for boy band tie-ins.
CloudOn offers Microsoft Office functionality for iPad, your parents will love it
If you got your parents an iPad for Christmas, you were probably thanked with this: "Can it run Office?" CloudOn may be the answer, the cloud-based service letting you log in to create and edit Office documents on the aforesaid slate. Similar to a lot of remote services, CloudOn runs Office on its own end and allows you to pull in documents from Dropbox for editing and post them back when you're done. Strangely, CloudOn launched on the App Store as a freebie but was pulled due to heavy demand. The company has asked users to sign up to be notified when the app goes back in the App Store. In other news, Las Vegas oddsmakers are now taking bets as to which will occur first; the release of an iOS-native version of Microsoft Office or the Robot Apocalypse.
