Ever wonder why Box gives away so much storage?

[xchange]

Because it sucks. I've seen descriptions like this given to Dropbox: "Simple, accessible, secure"
I'm not sure about "secure" but I do know 2 things that Box.com are not, and those are simple and accessible. What I've recently discovered is that Box really sucks at sync.

Dropbox compared to Box:

Dropbox: Open the app, click on the file. Easy and simple. The dropbox app kindly automatically detects the format and opens the file in whatever app you have installed by its format.
Box: Click on a file that's not specifically supported by Box themselves and you get... nothing. They could care less what apps are on your device, sorry pal.

Dropbox: Finding the local folder that Dropbox stores your synced files is easily found in Android/data/com.dropbox.android/files. Hey, they even keep the original file name! How about that, what a concept!
Box: Hmmm I wonder which file it is? Let's try android/data/com.box.android/234726390/?/230942739847-f9786wdf90wd78awdf789asdf76sa0d9f760asOMGBBQ/wedon'tknowhowtousefileextensionshahahasuckergoodluckkthxbye

...Seriously Box!? What the frack...


Box should make an app for Windows Phone if they haven't already. They and Microsoft are meant to be together, like destined lovers.

 

[xchange]

I should also mention that even Google's own Drive app suffers the same malady, at least it did last I tried a few months ago. Skydrive I gave up on since MS still allows a bunch of 300 year old fossils being kept alive by science to run the company behind the scenes using technology from the Renaissance era.

 

[ljxdaly]

.
Box: Click on a file that's not specifically supported by Box themselves and you get... nothing. They could care less what apps are on your device, sorry pal.
.
.

i've never had this issue. box opens up my apps. i personally prefer box, but i use dropbox and drive as well. i find lately that i'm relying more and more on drive.

 

[xchange]

i've never had this issue. box opens up my apps. i personally prefer box, but i use dropbox and drive as well. i find lately that i'm relying more and more on drive.

If you're opening up a file with an extension that Box officially supports it will work for you. If not, it won't. Drop box will open any file type as long as you have an app installed on your device that uses it, no matter what. I realize now why of all the major cloud storage companies dropbox, even though they're smaller than Google or MS, offer the least storage for free. It's because they're better at it.

 

[ljxdaly]

you've piqued my interest....maybe you are dealing with obscure file extensions. give me one that i can test??? i admit i use the most common documents...epub, pdf....even have a cbr or two. can't remember about audio or video formats, but i prefer local storage for that stuff.

 

[RavenSword]

I keep box installed mainly due to the 50gbs free I got from a promotion they had. Haven't dived into it too much.

And one drive seems pretty good.

 

[dctokyo]

I prefer Box

 

[RavenSword]

I wish box had a auto upload feature for camera and other photos.

 

[SactoKingsFan]

I use Mega. 50 GB of free storage and it's encrypted.

Sent from my LG-G2 running CM 11

 

[xchange]

It's what's going on with Box's API that drives me nuts. Most file apps I've dealt with use the basic popup when you click a file that asks you what app you would like to open it with. Box has chosen to only support certain file types with no other option.

 

[abazigal]

Because cloud storage is actually dirt cheap? How many people actually fill up that 50 gb of free storage?

The only downside is that with all freemium business models, you have the few paying customers subsidizing the rest who are using the free storage (which while cheap, still costs the companies money every month to maintain).

 

[ljxdaly]

How many people actually fill up that 50 gb of free storage?
.

that is what i think. very few people actually use it. for every android/iphone enthusiast that is even aware that cloud services even exist, i bet there are 1000 users don't even know about it or care about it.

i've been using box and dropbox, and i never have exceeded 1 gb used. i will occasionally upload a movie to a public folder so someone else can view it, but after awhile i clean it out.

i have 100gb on drive. i think i am using .25%.:0

 

[abazigal]

I am using Dropbox because I was introduced to it via a referral link from a friend, and have managed to get 11gb of storage via referrals to other friends as well. It's served me well, all my friends and colleagues use it, and so I see little reason to change, even if better deals may exist elsewhere. I am using about 5 gb of files.

I do have a free 50 gb box account, but can't be bothered to port all my files over.

Inertia is a powerful force. In this aspect, I feel that Dropbox enjoys mindshare. It's name is just so synonymous with cloud storage.

 

[RavenSword]

Does anyone use one drive? I recently did a bing rewards thing and got 100 gigs free for a year, but don't even know if I'll use it.

 

[Ealevenish]

I've got a 61 GB Dropbox account. 5 GB free, 6 GB from referrals, and a couple months ago I suddenly got 50 GB extra. For some vague reason I couldn't make heads or tails of. I'm not complaining, obviously.

And yes, Dropbox is the most convenient and best polished of the personal clouds, imo. Works like a charm.

However, Dropbox – like Box – resides under US jurisdiction. This means that we have to assume that the contents of our Dropboxes are tightly monitored and stored by the NSA. (They even tap Congress' computers, for crying out loud!). This makes Dropbox unfit for storage of stuff that we don't want big brother to have access to or even know about. It's called privacy.

So apart from this Dropbox I also have 2 free accounts at MEGA. Not in US jurisdiction (New Zealand), 50 GB free each, with end-to-end encryption so that no big brother, and not even MEGA, has access to my stuff stored there. Only me! Accessible on all PCs and Macs using a normal web browser, no software installation required. And with excellent free apps for Android and [URL="https://itunes.apple.com/app/mega/id706857885?at=10l3Vy]iOS[/URL].

 

[RavenSword]

I've got a 61 GB Dropbox account. 5 GB free, 6 GB from referrals, and a couple months ago I suddenly got 50 GB extra. For some vague reason I couldn't make heads or tails of. I'm not complaining, obviously.

And yes, Dropbox is the most convenient and best polished of the personal clouds, imo. Works like a charm.

However, Dropbox ? like Box ? resides under US jurisdiction. This means that we have to assume that the contents of our Dropboxes are tightly monitored and stored by the NSA. (They even tap Congress' computers, for crying out loud!). This makes Dropbox unfit for storage of stuff that we don't want big brother to have access to or even know about. It's called privacy.

So apart from this Dropbox I also have 2 free accounts at MEGA. Not in US jurisdiction (New Zealand), 50 GB free each, with end-to-end encryption so that no big brother, and not even MEGA, has access to my stuff stored there. Only me! Accessible on all PCs and Macs using a normal web browser, no software installation required. And with excellent free apps for Android and [URL="https://itunes.apple.com/app/mega/id706857885?at=10l3Vy]iOS[/URL].

Bit paranoid, aren't we? Even if they were, why do you care that the government can see your cat pictures or your school project ?

I mean , why not quit android and google while we are at it? Googles a American company, the NSA could be using them to spy on us! :0 lets all just go back to flip phones. Really, it's just paranoid thinking.

And who's to say those other, none US services aren't spying on you as well ? I don't know how much I trust the New Zealand government (or really any government) more than the other. Except canada. I dunno .

 

[JeffDenver]

Because it sucks. I've seen descriptions like this given to Dropbox: "Simple, accessible, secure"
I'm not sure about "secure" but I do know 2 things that Box.com are not, and those are simple and accessible. What I've recently discovered is that Box really sucks at sync.

I used to agree, but Box has made changes the last few months that I really like. Their UI now works a lot like dropbox did.

I still have accounts with both and use both, but BoX is now my primary. It is now as fast and intuitive as Dropbox IMO.

 

[JeffDenver]

Does anyone use one drive?

Hotmail and Bing have left a really bad taste in my mouth, as has Metro. I don't really trust MS anymore.

I have a OneDrive account but I never use it.

 

[RavenSword]

I used to agree, but Box has made changes the last few months that I really like. Their UI now works a lot like dropbox did.

I still have accounts with both and use both, but BoX is now my primary. It is now as fast and intuitive as Dropbox IMO.

Do you find yourself missing any kind of auto upload?

 

[JeffDenver]

Do you find yourself missing any kind of auto upload?

Nope. Although all I have syncing is SMS backup. I mostly use Box for long term cloud storage that I can access quickly if I need it.