How integrated is DropBox?

**tbkfan** · 02-01-2013, 04:56 PM

I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday to get my hands on a Z10. Hoping the line-up at the Telus store is not too severe...

What none of the dozens of "in-depth" reviews have answered, however, is how the DropBox integration works. I am hoping that some of you that have already gone hands-on can comment. Here are a few things I would want to see to be satisfied that DropBox is truly "integrated" and not just "tacked-on"

1. Can I snap a pic and save it to DropBox, within the camera app?
2. Can I save an incoming email attachment to a specific folder within DropBox?
3. Can I compose an email message, and attach a file from a DropBox folder?
4. While in the file browser, can I select a file from a DropBox folder and see an option to attach to email?

I am not talking about going into the file browser and copying and pasting the desired file from DropBox to the local folder on the phone, then composing the email and attaching the local copy of the file... I mean I want to hit the paperclip while composing a message and see DropBox as one possible location. I want to click and hold on an attachment, select "save as" and see DropBox.

So are we there yet? Or is Cloud storage integration still a lie?

**steveo1259** · 02-01-2013, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by gregcoad

I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday to get my hands on a Z10. Hoping the line-up at the Telus store is not too severe...

What none of the dozens of "in-depth" reviews have answered, however, is how the DropBox integration works. I am hoping that some of you that have already gone hands-on can comment. Here are a few things I would want to see to be satisfied that DropBox is truly "integrated" and not just "tacked-on"

1. Can I snap a pic and save it to DropBox, within the camera app?
2. Can I save an incoming email attachment to a specific folder within DropBox?
3. Can I compose an email message, and attach a file from a DropBox folder?
4. While in the file browser, can I select a file from a DropBox folder and see an option to attach to email?

I am not talking about going into the file browser and copying and pasting the desired file from DropBox to the local folder on the phone, then composing the email and attaching the local copy of the file... I mean I want to hit the paperclip while composing a message and see DropBox as one possible location. I want to click and hold on an attachment, select "save as" and see DropBox.

So are we there yet? Or is Cloud storage integration still a lie?

1. Yes you can upload straight to dropbox through the camera app.
2. You have to open the file in the email first but after that you can do a save as and save it to dropbox.
3. You can attach files from dropbox.
4. Yes you can select a file straight from the file browser in dropbox to attach to a new email message.

Hope this answers your questions and I think everything you asked for can be done

**sf49ers** · 02-01-2013, 05:29 PM

DropBox Support on BlackBerry 10 is AWESOME! - BerryReview

**sf49ers** · 02-01-2013, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by gregcoad

I am anxiously awaiting Tuesday to get my hands on a Z10. Hoping the line-up at the Telus store is not too severe...

What none of the dozens of "in-depth" reviews have answered, however, is how the DropBox integration works. I am hoping that some of you that have already gone hands-on can comment. Here are a few things I would want to see to be satisfied that DropBox is truly "integrated" and not just "tacked-on"

1. Can I snap a pic and save it to DropBox, within the camera app?
2. Can I save an incoming email attachment to a specific folder within DropBox?
3. Can I compose an email message, and attach a file from a DropBox folder?
4. While in the file browser, can I select a file from a DropBox folder and see an option to attach to email?

I am not talking about going into the file browser and copying and pasting the desired file from DropBox to the local folder on the phone, then composing the email and attaching the local copy of the file... I mean I want to hit the paperclip while composing a message and see DropBox as one possible location. I want to click and hold on an attachment, select "save as" and see DropBox.

So are we there yet? Or is Cloud storage integration still a lie?

BB10 has cleverly integrated Dropbox into their file manager and the file manager is made available to all the apps via the BB10's invocation framework, as steve pointed everything works as it is a local drive

**tbkfan** · 02-01-2013, 06:13 PM

That is freaking awesome!! Guess I'm switching back to DropBox. SkyDrive is so much cheaper though...sad.

If you guys were to wager, what do you think the odds are of seeing SkyDrive integrated in the same way in forthcoming updates?

**aleid** · 02-01-2013, 06:35 PM

Batter used box app coz I got twitter from blackberry says, blackberry and box app offer 10 free gb for bb z10 users

It's very good

Thanks

**tbkfan** · 02-01-2013, 06:48 PM

So I would assume that if it is integrated like a local drive, I can also choose dropbox as my default photo save location.... Yes?

**aleid** · 02-01-2013, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by gregcoad

So I would assume that if it is integrated like a local drive, I can also choose dropbox as my default photo save location.... Yes?

It's integrated, and I think yes you can

**info600** · 02-07-2013, 08:09 PM

Just a (very stupid) question - does the phone have the copy of the files from dropbox or does it only access the dropbox servers for the files?

**tbkfan** · 02-07-2013, 08:23 PM

Right now it only accesses the server for the files and downloads them to the device on demand. But from what I understand they are working on synchronization as are most other cloud storage providers.

**tbkfan** · 02-07-2013, 08:23 PM

Either way it's freaking awesome and reason alone to buy a Z10!

**greatwiseone** · 02-07-2013, 08:24 PM

Dropbox is part of the file manager. So it just works as if it's a SD card or part of the flash memory on the device.

**info600** · 02-07-2013, 08:30 PM

ah good, it would be very bad if it's actually syncing with the phone's flash memory. Imagine the lack of space once everything on dropbox gets downloaded onto the phone...

**mphillips828** · 02-07-2013, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by tbkfan

So I would assume that if it is integrated like a local drive, I can also choose dropbox as my default photo save location.... Yes?

I have been playing around with my Z10 and I have yet to find a way to make a photo automatically save to Box or DropBox...I have it to save to my Micro SD, then from there what I have to do is to move the file into either Box or DropBox if you want...

Its a good solution for now, but I hope they update the entire File Manager. When I take a picture, as of now I can not choose where it saves, its automatically saving into the Camera file (which isn't terrible), but my issue is that when you save a photo you have to put it into albums via the file manager...you can not create folders in the photos app, nor can you choose to move photos into a folder via the photos app...it must all be done in file manager, which personally I do not like.

**tbkfan** · 02-07-2013, 09:32 PM

I don't see how to set Dropbox as the default save location for the camera either. Oh well. One step at a time.

The photos app and the whole albums implementation is still a total train wreck in my opinion. Hope BlackBerry gets to work on that soon too.

**greatwiseone** · 02-08-2013, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by mphillips828

I have been playing around with my Z10 and I have yet to find a way to make a photo automatically save to Box or DropBox...I have it to save to my Micro SD, then from there what I have to do is to move the file into either Box or DropBox if you want...

Its a good solution for now, but I hope they update the entire File Manager. When I take a picture, as of now I can not choose where it saves, its automatically saving into the Camera file (which isn't terrible), but my issue is that when you save a photo you have to put it into albums via the file manager...you can not create folders in the photos app, nor can you choose to move photos into a folder via the photos app...it must all be done in file manager, which personally I do not like.

When you click in the Box icon, do you see the "Backup" toggles? it allows you to select what content you want to have automatically stored online (Pictures or Videos). Pictures I took are backing up into the Box account (under the BB folder).

**Emu the Foo** · 02-08-2013, 01:01 AM

Sort of off topic but since we are here I'll ask. I'm not new to blackberry but I am new to cloud storage. What, if either is, better, box or dropbox? I would like to start using them and I was thinking of going with box but I don't know which is which. Any help would be great. Thanks

**ealvnv** · 02-08-2013, 01:06 AM

You can auto save pictures to Box, no to dropbox at least not ye..

**BergerKing** · 02-08-2013, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by sf49ers

DropBox Support on BlackBerry 10 is AWESOME! - BerryReview

Now that is good to hear!

**Skeevecr** · 02-08-2013, 03:16 AM

Originally Posted by tbkfan

That is freaking awesome!! Guess I'm switching back to DropBox. SkyDrive is so much cheaper though...sad.

If you guys were to wager, what do you think the odds are of seeing SkyDrive integrated in the same way in forthcoming updates?

In some of the older leaked photos there was skydrive in addition to dropbox and box, so presumably there is some hold up with it from the ms side at this point.

**tbkfan** · 02-08-2013, 09:51 PM

I was a big Dropbox user for about 8 months until I switched to SkyDrive for the past 4 months because SkyDrive is so much cheaper. Turns out that SkyDrive is also quite a bit better in my opinion. The coolest feature was the ability to access all files on my home computer even if they weren't in the SkyDrive folder. By going through a simple authentication process you can have access to your entire computer for those odd times that the file you want isn't on SkyDrive. Really cool.

Since SkyDrive isn't integrated yet on BB10, I have switched back to Dropbox. I have also noticed that Dropbox has become a bit more competitive with its pricing now too. The one major advantage of Dropbox is wide adoption so it makes sharing easier with others.

**tbkfan** · 02-08-2013, 11:38 PM

I just discovered the "Pin Dropbox" option... it seems that if you "Pin Dropbox" it syncs the files to your device and then keeps them sync'd when changes are made to files on any device. I was wondering what that "Use Cellular Network" option was all about. I assume that if you turn that on, and you have pinned Dropbox then it will sync any changes regardless of connection type.

**FSeverino** · 02-08-2013, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by tbkfan

That is freaking awesome!! Guess I'm switching back to DropBox. SkyDrive is so much cheaper though...sad.

If you guys were to wager, what do you think the odds are of seeing SkyDrive integrated in the same way in forthcoming updates?

well, you can always look for ways to get more FREE space on Dropbox. i have 35GB now! There was recently a 'space race' with university/colleges and i got 12gb (i think) from that, when the auto-upload beta was in I got 5GB from that, plus a lot of space from referrals!

**tbkfan** · 02-09-2013, 12:27 AM

Seems that the files sync to device memory in some kind of hidden folder. I can't see where they reside on the local device memory but I can see the memory filling up as it syncs. There really should be an option to sync to the memory card instead. I have less than 5 gigs in Dropbox so it's not going to fill up the memory, but there really should be some configuration options here. Or you should be able to selectively pin some folders within Dropbox and not others. Right now it's all or nothing.

**FSeverino** · 02-10-2013, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by tbkfan

Seems that the files sync to device memory in some kind of hidden folder. I can't see where they reside on the local device memory but I can see the memory filling up as it syncs. There really should be an option to sync to the memory card instead. I have less than 5 gigs in Dropbox so it's not going to fill up the memory, but there really should be some configuration options here. Or you should be able to selectively pin some folders within Dropbox and not others. Right now it's all or nothing.

can anyone find where these files are?

also, is there a way to stay logged into dropbox but NOT sync files?

my files are syncing like crazy and it is draining my battery