This week I’ve been trying out a new tool called Dropbox. It is relatively new but it’s user base has grown rapidly in recent months, making quite a buzz around the net. It features file sharing, folder synchronization and backup.

The idea behind it is to be able to access your files from anywhere. You can start a project at work or school and continue working on it when you get home, without having to transfer it yourself with a USB stick or external hard drive.

The basic membership is free and comes with 2 GB of storage, with the possibility of increasing it by referring people to the site. Paid member subscriptions feature 50 and 100 GB of storage.

My first impression was that it’s so easy to use. Not only because it was ridiculously simple to install and to use but mainly because it gives me full support for every OS I have. Now, this might not usually be your average problem but since I run a multi-boot system on both my stationary and laptop computer it certainly is one for me. Far too many software developers are single minded and only develop for a specific OS. Luckily, Dropbox comes with full support for Windows, Mac and Linux. Which is totally awesome.

Using it

The installation is swift and easy and you end up with a Dropbox folder at your specificed location. To use it, simply drag a file into the Dropbox folder and it will automatically upload and synchronize it with the computers connected to your Dropbox.

Sharing a folder between users

Synchronizing and backing up your data is great but I’d say that the real kicker is Dropbox ability to share between users. It works the same way regular Dropbox folders do except for the creation bit. You’ll have to log on to your Dropbox account and create the folder from there. It’s damn fast too. I uploaded and synchronized a 250mb file in just a few minutes.

Storing images and creating galleries

One of the default folders included in Dropbox is Photos. Now, this is more than just an ordinary folder. All folders created within it will get its own online gallery at www.getdropbox.com. It can also be accessed publicly if you choose you spread the direct link to the gallery, as you can see in the image.

Other features

Dropbox serves as a backup storage place in more than one way. On the one hand, you can upload things you want to back up and on the other hand, Dropbox backs it up for you. If you browse to its web interface, you can see a list of deleted files and restore them if needed. It also saves different revisions.

Another plus for you safety minded people is that it utilizes SSL transfers with AES-256 encryption. Just a little something to make you sleep better at night.

What are you waiting for? Check it out at www.getdropbox.com