Dropbox hoping to move beyond folders
updated 05:55 am EST, Fri November 11, 2011
Dropbox looking at broadening its capabilities
Dropbox founder and CEO Drew Houston has used an interview (embedded below) to outline his plans for the future of the popular cloud-based file syncing service. Currently, the service enjoys the patronage of over 45 million users who use its current system of online folders to keep whatever files they drop into them in sync across devices. Houston, however, sees the future of Dropbox as moving well beyond its existing approach.
Houston sees the cloud as the place where all a user’s files will be stored by default, rather than their own computers and mobile phones. This will enable the fast and easy sharing of home and personal files, as well as providing users with a way of accessing all their files anywhere and on all types of devices.
“Big email attachments and uploads — that’s the kind of thing that goes away if all of your stuff is in the cloud by default,” Houston said. “We can preview it, transcode it.”
“The way we manage files on a computer is insane. We’ve had this system for decades, but there’s still no one button that says ‘put this online,’” he continued.
“All of these things become possible. We can index all that metadata in the pictures and then tell you where the picture is taken, and maybe give you all the pictures taken within ten mile radius.”
Houston did not have any announcements to make about when new syncing features will be rolled out in Dropbox. Whatever the company does, it will need to move soon. The cloud space is becoming increasingly competitive with services such as Backblaze, Box.bet and Carbonite arriving on the scene. [via GigaOM]
Previous Comments
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11/11, 11:03am |
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Not likely
Quote: "Houston sees the cloud as the place where all a user’s files will be stored by default, rather than their own computers and mobile phones. "
No, I think not. Dropbox is for what I'm working on now. It synchs nicely between my different gadgets. That's handy enough I can work around the limitation of needing Internet access via WiFi.
But once completed, I'd rather those documents (in my case, books available for sale) be stored only where I am in control. That means my computers, their backup hard drives and off-site storage. It doesn't mean having everything in the cloud and in someone else's hands.
For some businesses, that 'in the cloud' scheme may make sense, but not for all. It's not the future. It's only part of that future.
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11/11, 11:40am |
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Thanks, no.
I will choose what I want to put in "the cloud", when I choose to.
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11/11, 12:28pm |
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No, shut up.
“All of these things become possible. We can index all that metadata in the pictures and then tell you where the picture is taken, and maybe give you all the pictures taken within ten mile radius.”
No, shut up. People don't use that c***. They just want a folder. A folder that syncs.
(http://www.quora.com/Dropbox/Why-is-Dropbox-more-popular-than-other-programs-with-similar-functionality)
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How about security?
How about encrypting the files in such a way so their staff do not have a back door to view them?