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Droplr's rapid file sharing service goes pay-only
Droplr makes it easy to share files with friends, but that simplicity doesn't come cheap, it seems. The company has revealed that it will discontinue its longstanding free tier next week; after that, customers will have 30 days before they must subscribe to a Lite or Pro plan. There are a couple of incentives for veterans to fork out some cash, though. Any existing Droplr members can get a 30 percent lifetime discount, and a referral program will let users earn free Pro access. The shift in strategy won't please those who've been thriving on free sharing for years, but there are plenty of alternatives for thrifty types.
Bump and Flock file sharing apps shut down this month as devs focus on Google projects
Google acquired Bump -- developer of an NFC-like file sharing app with the same name and a photo sharing service called Flock -- back in September, and both projects will shut down January 31st. CEO and cofounder David Lieb announced the discontinuation of both products on the Bump blog, saying his team is "deeply focused on our new projects within Google." That bodes well for their mission of enhancing sharing on mobile devices, but the bad news for Bump and Flock users is that this shut down means everything must go. After January ends the apps will no longer function, they'll disappear from the App Store and Google Play and all stored data will be deleted from servers (locally saved files or photos will remain in place). Any of those millions of users can still keep their data though, just open up the app anytime in the next month, and follow the instructions shown (tap the "i" menu on iOS or "More" on Android). Afterwards, Bump will send over an email with a link to let you download all of your stored data.
Google patents drag-and-drop content sharing with nearby groups
Proximity-based content sharing systems for mobile tend to focus on one-at-a-time transfers -- see Android Beam and Apple's upcoming AirDrop as examples. Google, however, has just patented an interface that would simplify sharing content with nearby groups. Users would only have to drag private items into a public space to share them with everyone inside of a certain range; the reverse would hide those items once again. The approach wouldn't be limited to files, either, as it could be used for invitations to chat sessions or events. Google won't necessarily take advantage of its sharing patent, but the concept is simple enough that we wouldn't be surprised to find it in future apps or Android revisions.
Comcast rumored to have new, less punitive anti-piracy measure in the works
The Copyright Alert System, more popularly known as the "six strikes" policy, hasn't exactly received a warm welcome thanks to the disciplinary measures it calls for (like throttled connection speeds). According to Variety, Comcast is currently developing a new way of dealing with piracy that's arguably less punitive than CAS. In the proposed system, users that have been flagged for illegal downloads via peer-to-peer file sharing services or using the BitTorrent protocol would be provided with links to legal means of accessing the same content through Comcast's own Xfinity service or third party providers like Amazon. Unlike CAS, this system doesn't seem to focus on penalties so much as it would gently nudge subscribers towards legal options. While it's not likely that the program is intended to replace CAS, it could potentially signal a shift away from an unpopular policy. Though little information is known about Comcast's plans at this time, we'll keep you posted as we learn more.
Pipe exits beta, lets Facebook friends share giant files
Cloud storage from the likes of Dropbox and Google is all well and good, but let's face it -- many of our friends won't venture far beyond Facebook. Thankfully, Pipe is about to publicly launch a file transfer service built with them in mind. The company's namesake Facebook tool lets socialites send files without dedicated apps, and automatically picks a method depending on whether or not both contacts are online. If they are, they can send files up to 1GB through a peer-to-peer link; a locker will also hold on to as much as 100MB if the recipient isn't ready and waiting. Pipe doesn't go live until mid-day on June 5th, but those who want to share more on Facebook than their memories can get a heads-up on availability at the source link.
Box acquires Folders, in what sounds like the least exciting acquisition deal ever
File-sharing service Box has acquired the technology behind a French app called Folders, which was never released, but is also centered on browsing and sharing files on the iPhone. Terms of the acquisition weren't revealed, but Box said that Folders would be a big influence on the next few iterations of the file-sharing software. The company also noted that its iPhone and iPad apps will be "cleaner, faster and more beautiful throughout 2013." Folders was originally designed as a viewer for Box with an impressive user interface and file-viewing features, but now will be "folded" into future versions of the app itself. Box boasts more than 15 million users at 150,000 businesses, and those numbers are growing all the time. If the folks at Box can find a way to team up with Staples and the Paper app, they could have a whole office!
The New Yorker unveils Strongbox, a tool for sources to submit files and tips anonymously
As with most news organizations, a lot of the posts we publish start out as emailed tips from you, our dear readers. But some employees put their jobs on the line when they share info, which, as you might imagine, makes them reluctant to hit send. The New Yorker seems to have a solution that'll offer a much higher degree of anonymity, stripping IP addresses and other identifying data whenever you upload a file or submit a tip. You create an alias, and all correspondence takes place within a secure environment, called Strongbox. Best yet, the code for this tool, called DeadDrop, is completely open-source, so you can download the necessary software and implement it on your own site, free of charge. More info on both are available at the source links below.
SpiderOak unveils Hive, a streamlined file service with '100-percent' privacy
A new cloud-based file system from SpiderOak looks to challenge the likes of Dropbox with a bigger emphasis on privacy. Those familiar with SpiderOak know that the company has been offering a "100-percent private" file environment for some time; the company can't view any information about the files you upload, whereas other file-sharing sites can access users' data. The just-announced service, dubbed Hive, merges that encryption cred with a simplified interface. Hive utilizes one main folder for dragging and dropping files, and it automatically syncs data across your devices. Files, meanwhile, can be shared with friends or colleagues as links. The latest update to the SpiderOak mobile app integrates with Hive to let you manage and view data; the Android version will leave beta on May 13th. As Hive is connected to the company's broader file service, it follows the same pricing plan: 2GB free or 100GB for $10 a month. For a limited time, though, new users can get 5GB when they sign up and download the app. Click through to the source link for more info.
Google Drive desktop app adds in-app file sharing, catches up to 2010's Dropbox
Sure, you could see and manage your Google Drive files from within the comfort of your PC / Mac file management system, but you couldn't publicly share them with friends -- until now. Google Drive files are now sharable via right click directly on your desktop, meaning the Drive desktop app now has one more feature that Dropbox already had several years ago. We hope you'll forgive our lack of enthusiasm for Google's catchup effort, but it's hard to get all jazzed up about functionality that should've probably been there at launch. Anyway, if you're not seeing the new feature pop up on your dashboard yet, Google says it's "rolling out over the next few days." Hold tight!
Pirate Bay goes on the lam from Sweden, heads for safe harbor in Spain, Norway
Despite a recent effort to move its servers to the cloud, Pirate Bay will be moving its base out of Sweden thanks to recent legal pressure. The Swedish Pirate Party that hosted the torrent site has been feeling heat from the film and music industry-backed Swedish Rights Alliance, which gave it until today to cut ties in order to avoid a lawsuit. As a result, the site has moved its operations to servers in Spain and Norway hosted by Pirate Parties there, saying it's had a contingency plan in place for awhile to do so. Anway, if the embattled site has to keep criss-crossing the seas while fighting legal battles to stay afloat, it might make for another good documentary.
Copyright Alert System gets started, ISPs ready to lay the smack down on P2P piracy (update)
The fight against online piracy just gained a new weapon in the form of the Copyright Alert System (CAS) aka the "six strikes" policy. Starting today, participating ISPs like Verizon, Time Warner Cable, AT&T and Comcast will begin issuing warnings to customers suspected of using illegal peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing services that violate copyright laws. Initial notifications will be used to educate and direct customers to legal alternative content sources. If the first set of notifications go avoided, the ISP may take further action, which includes: throttling internet connection speeds and redirecting users to websites requiring acknowledgment of CAS alerts. If a person wishes to contest their ISP's findings, they will have 14 calendar days to request an independent review by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) for a fee of $35. If the investigation finds that no copyright violations have taken place, the alerts will be removed from the customer's account and they will receive a refund for the filing fee. However, should the organization's research rule otherwise, the internet service provider may proceed with taking action against its account holder. To get a closer look at the CAS and its inner workings, "redirect" your browser to the source links below. Update: AT&T has reached out with an official statement on this matter. Read on past the break.
Dropbox for iOS update adds a PDF viewer and file share notifications
Earlier today, Dropbox rolled out version 2.1 of its iOS app with a trio of enhancements in tow. The update, which requires iOS 5.0 or higher introduces a new PDF viewer, file sorting by date modified, and push notifications for when someone shares a folder with you (which were also recently added to the Android client). Whether you're a Dropbox power user or the casual type, this new software bump should definitely come in handy. If you're a stickler for keeping your apps current and you've got 13.8MB to spare, the update's waiting for you at the source link below.
BitTorrent's SoShare file-sharing service launches in beta, lets you send up to 1TB for free
BitTorrent announced last month that it was working on a file-syncing app dubbed Sync, and it's now debuted a public beta of a somewhat complimentary file-sharing service called SoShare (previously announced in an alpha state as simply Share). The hook with SoShare is that it will let you send huge files (up to 1TB) for free in a single data transfer, which is handled through the BitTorrent browser plug-in. What's more, while you'll of course have to sign up for an account to send the files, the recipients of the file don't necessarily need an account themselves; you can simply make a public link available or send an email notification (they will need the browser plug-in though). Those files will remain active for 30 days unless you choose to have them expire sooner. Hit the source link to sign up for the beta if you're interested in trying it yourself.
Bump app now allows transfers of any file between phone and computer
We've seen the Bump app evolve from just a way to transfer contacts to a version that allows for mobile payments and one that lets you share photos between your phone and your computer. Now the company has expanded its feature set to transferring files of all kinds, be they photos, videos or Word documents. Simply enable the location feature in your browser, tap the files you want to move over, slap that spacebar button with your phone and the files will be on their way. They'll actually head over to Bump's servers and not your desktop, but you can still easily download them if you so choose. The updated app is available on iOS and Android today, so you can start bumping your files over right now.
Box offering 25 GB for free in promotion
Filesharing service Box is offering up 25 GB of free cloud storage in a new promotion (supposedly for "Gameday," but it seems to still be in effect anyway). To qualify, you must be a new customer on a free plan, or just sign up for a new account with a new email address. The deal is also for non-commercial use only, and because it's free, there's a file-size cap of 250 MB that you'll have to duck in under. But even with those catches, who couldn't use some extra storage, right? Box's deal is as up for as long as they leave it up, so definitely jump on it soon if you're interested. [via Engadget]
Tonido can put you in touch with all your files from any iOS device
Tonido is a free iOS app that, when paired to your home computer, gives you access to all your files when you are away from home, and even allows playback of video and audio files. You run an app on your home PC or Mac, create a free account and a portal is created that can be reached through the Tonido iOS apps. Log in while on the road, and all your files and folders are there. You can download the files to your device, email the files to someone else or even get a direct download link. If you have media files, Tonido will optimize them for streaming, even if you are on a 3G network. (Watch those data caps!) The app has a built-in media player, and you can create playlists of audio files and even stream them out via Apple AirPlay. If there are files you use a lot, you can have them appear in a "favorites" menu, and downloaded documents can be viewed in the app or opened natively if you have a proper application for them. You can edit them, then send them back to your remote computer. I found the system worked as advertised. I had complete access to my files, over WiFi, 3G or LTE. I could view JPEG, GIF, PNG and RAW files. Video streaming was hit and miss, and I think it depended largely on my location on the cellular network. Sometimes it worked fine. At other locations it was either slow to start, or didn't start at all; or maybe I just wasn't waiting long enough. All the audio files I tried to play worked quite well. Video files that can be converted for streaming include AVI, MP4, MKV, VOB, WMV and XVID. I did have a problem getting everything started, as I had a very old version of Tonido I looked at last year. When I downloaded the new version, the old one was not deleted, and nothing worked because the apps were in conflict. Deleting the old app fixed the problem. Security is one issue people will worry about with an app like this. The company says "Tonido has been designed to be a secure system from the ground up with precautions including secure SSL-based connections, password always stored locally (unavailable in our servers) and even two-level login authentication (prevents phishing)." Tonido is free for end users, and that makes it an incredible bargain. The company has Enterprise packages for sale, and of course, at some point, Tonido could become a paid service. For now, I find it an incredibly useful app that solves a remote file access problem in an easy, intuitive and no-cost way. Tonido has the potential to be one of those life-changing applications. You're never going to be isolated from your remote files as long as you have some kind of internet access. Using the system couldn't be easier, and i think most people will find uses for Tonido they never expected. The app is universal, and requires iOS 5 or later. It is also optimized for the iPhone 5. %Gallery-176986%
Editorial: Kim Dotcom, noisy rogue with a commonplace startup idea
Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing has traditionally operated on a narrow ledge between perceptions of legality and illegality. The legitimacy of underlying file-transfer technology is never in dispute, though media companies might hate the unleashing of content that it represents. The narrow ledge is balanced between two activities: directly infringing copyright (what some users do), and indirectly facilitating infringement by providing a platform that makes it easy (what P2P platforms do). One purpose of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is to protect the technology of file sharing, and companies that use it, by inventing a theoretical "safe harbor" that shelters all sorts of user-powered platforms from the consequences of illegal actions by the users. If media companies hate digitization generally, they particularly loathe Kim Dotcom and his entrepreneurial file-transfer platforms. Their revulsion was fulfilled exactly a year ago when the US Justice Department shut down Megaupload.com, a network of shareable cloud lockers focused on music, movies and images. Like a recurring nightmare, and in apparent commemoration of the anniversary, Megaupload's bumptious founder is launching Mega, an evolved version of the same idea. Mega further narrows the P2P ledge and fleshes out its founder's complex ambition.
Fujitsu transfers files from PCs to phones through hidden network info (video)
Most attempts to simplify device-to-device file transfers through a phone camera aren't very subtle or elaborate: Scalado's Photobeamer and Sony's vscreens rely on conspicuous QR codes, and aren't useful for much more than sharing images. Fujitsu's labs want something a tad more sophisticated. Their new technique hides network details in light patterns on a PC's screen that are invisible to our eyes, but tell a smartphone capturing video to send or receive files, no matter the format. The trick not only keeps codes out of the picture, but makes it easier to share files with whole groups -- think of passing along notes to everyone at a board meeting and you've got the idea. It's more than just a concept, as well. Fujitsu hopes to see real-world use during its 2014 fiscal year, which could take much of the song-and-dance out of file sharing in short order.
Missing your iDisk? OpenDrive is an easy-to-use substitute
When Apple killed MobileMe and iDisk I was pretty unhappy. It was great for quick small backups, and an easy way to share files with friends by giving them access to a public or password-protected folder. There are plenty of sync/backup solutions out there, like MediaFire, Dropbox, SugarSync and others, but I really liked the desktop mounted iDisk, that looked and acted like an external drive. Other similar options include Google Drive, SkyDrive and, of course, Apple's iCloud, but none functioned quite the way iDisk worked. This weekend, I took a look at OpenDrive, which does a fine job of doing what iDisk used to do. You get a desktop mounted virtual drive, complete with public and private folders. You can drag anything in, or set it up to sync with any files on your computer. The system encourages collaboration, and it is easy to give someone a URL so they can download a single file, several files or a folder. Files are encrypted (AES 256) and on the Mac you get a menu bar control that opens the virtual drive. You can also mange everything from a web browser that lets you set up folders, security and get direct links to files. OpenDrive has a free subscription option that gives you 5 GB of space. There are various plans starting at US $5.00 a month for 100 GB storage, and 25 GB/Day bandwidth. With increasing costs you get more storage, up to 1 TB, custom branding and more daily bandwidth. I tried the free solution and it worked well. In fact, it was very much like my old iDisk. I dragged in some files, and easily shared them with friends through a browser GUI that allows them to view a file if it's a video or photo, or download it. Documentation is a little thin and I'd like to see built-in help. For backup or syncing OpeDrive has plenty of competition, but for pretty much capturing the spirit of the iDisk, OpenDrive is fairly unique. Pricing is reasonable, and even the free 5 GB plan will probably be very useful for people doing casual file exchanges. There are some file size limits. The $5 home plan limits file sizes to 1 GB, the $15 Office plan ups that to 3 GB, and the $25 Pro plan allows 5 GB files. OpenDrive works as advertised. The company offers free iOS and Android apps for sharing between portable devices, and Macs and Windows computers are supported with feature-complete applications. You can also use the service with a browser. OpenDrive is just one way to handle backup, sync and file sharing, but it closely replicates what iDisk provided and adds even more features. If you miss the ease of use of iDisk, OpenDrive is worth a try, especially since you can see if it meets your needs at no cost. %Gallery-167825%
BitTorrent Torque alpha puts file seeds on the web, makes desktop apps look stale
Almost without fail, BitTorrent downloads have had to spread through a dedicated client, whether it's on the desktop or a router. Thankfully, BitTorrent Torque has just come in alpha form to liberate the peer download service from its software chains. All that's needed now is a web browser that can parse a JavaScript app. Going the new route gives some freedom to enable sharing that hasn't always been practical: among the tricks in the company's Torque Labs are drag-and-drop sharing, conversion of torrents into traditional downloads and easing the burden on a server for video streaming. The alpha stage leaves Torque with awhile to go before it's ready for the limelight, but experimenters can hit the source link to start tinkering with distributed file sharing today.