Dropbox

What Is Dropbox?

Dropbox is a program that enables users to access the same files on multiple devices. When you download the program or start using it through the website, you create an account that will enable recognition on whatever devices you use. Dropbox is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, and it works on iPhones, iPads, Blackberry and Android devices. Dropbox now has its own web-based App Center, where you'll find other new integrations, including for Slack, Trello, Zoom, and Atlassian services.

You can download the Dropbox app on the go from the Apple App Store for iOS devices and Google Play Store for Android devices.

The documents and files you add to the program are accessed through a folder on computers and through an app on smartphones and other portable devices. These folders and any applications you have sync to ensure that whatever you add to the file shows up on your Dropbox account, anywhere you might try to access it. The Dropbox website also has your files on it, so even if you don't have the program installed on a particular device, you can still access items with Internet access.

In addition to serving as a catchall for your files, you can also use this program to share photos, videos, documents and other files with collaborators and friends. Your choice from the top image hosting sites also depends on how you want to share your images. You can email your entire Dropbox folder, or just parts of it, to others, and they can look through your files on their own devices. 

What Are Its Pros and Cons?

As a research or schoolwork tool, Dropbox is most useful for those who do their work on more than one computer or device. For example, it can really benefit a student who has a desktop computer at home and also uses a campus computer. If you find yourself emailing files to yourself so you can download them onto a different device, you might want to look into Dropbox.

If you have a laptop that you bring to school with you, I still think that Dropbox could be useful. One big plus in its column is the fact that free accounts are available, so trying to incorporate it into your work habits would only cost you a bit of time. One scenario in which I could see this program being a bit of a lifesaver is if, say, a student with a Dropbox app on a smartphone is away from the computer and realizes a paper he or she has written is quickly coming due. This student might access the document through the program and email it to a professor without getting to a computer.

Another potential plus for this program is the ability to use it as a sort of backup safeguard against losing important documents on a computer that could be lost or stolen. It can also be useful if you're forgetful and don't always remember to keep a USB drive handy for file transfer. However, if you don't really have issues keeping track of your files across multiple devices, and you already have a good backup system in place, Dropbox probably isn't essential. While a great program for some people, I don't see it as a universally useful tool.

Price, Storage Allotment, and Upload Limits

All the Dropbox apps are free to download, and there are plenty of them, but storage is limited if you don't pay. The free Basic account starts you out with a meagre 2GB—and you won't find it on Dropbox's site unless you get there via a specific web search or navigate directly to.

Dropbox has two account levels for individuals and two for businesses. The Plus account costs $11.99 per month or $119.88 per year, which gets you  2TB of storage. The price for Business Dropbox accounts varies based on the number of employees. Pricing starts at $15 per month per user, with a minimum of 3 users. 

How to Get Dropbox, and the Basics

Dropbox is available as a download for desktop installation from the company's website, and for mobile devices from their respective app stores. The site makes it easy for new users to install Dropbox, detecting their operating system and automatically suggesting the right program.

Dropbox Collaboration

Dropbox offers a few ways to share files with others and collaborate. The newest is a suite of collaboration tools collectively known as Dropbox Paper. Dropbox Paper is a modern take on office collaboration, but don't confuse it with a full-scale project management app like Asana.