If you're a student with an iPhone or an iPad heading back to school or college, then you need to know about some of the best iPhone and iPad apps for college students. 

Whether you want help with your productivity, documents, collaboration, or even your learning itself, there are a ton of apps that can help you get the most out of your studies, all at your fingertips on iPhone and iPad. 

Thanks to the magic of Apple's App Store, you can download these apps whether you have Apple's best iPhone or iPad, or something cheap and cheerful. Here are our top picks as we head towards the end of summer. 

Pages, Keynote, and Numbers

If you're in college classes, the chances are high that you're going to need a word processor, presentation creator, or spreadsheet application. And if you're working with your best iPhone or iPad (or even a Mac), then there is nothing better and more crucial than Apple's own suite of office software.

Pages is Apple's word processor that does all of the same things that you can find in Microsoft Word, but in a sleeker interface that is easy to use. Keynote is like PowerPoint, but much more streamlined and fun to use. And Numbers is just like Excel, so you can create spreadsheets to your heart's content. And all three of these programs can save files that are compatible with Microsoft Office as well, if you need to submit files online as a .doc file or similar, for example.

Google Docs

Google offers an entire suite of apps, many of which you'll probably end up downloading on your iPad and all of your other devices. Google products are ecosystem-agnostic, meaning you can use them across Apple and non-Apple devices easily and smoothly. Google Docs is the first one you'll want to download, since you can use it to write papers, take notes in class, whatever you need.

You'll probably be able to get through school without paying for upgraded storage, unless you store a lot of photos and videos within your Google account. In that case, you'll need to upgrade. While you can store up to 15GB for free, the paid tiers start at $2/month for 100GB and go up from there.

Microsoft Office 365

If you're used to Microsoft Office or your school uses Microsoft products exclusively, then you can grab Microsoft Office on your iPad This app contains Word, PowerPoint, and Excel in one app, but you can also grab them individually on the App Store as well.

With the Microsoft Office app, you get Word, PowerPoint, and Excel in one place. You can create, edit, and even collaborate with others in real-time, but a Microsoft 365 subscription may be required to access some premium features. Still, you can use the app to view and create documents without paying anything.

Evernote

When it comes to digital note-taking, it's hard to beat Evernote. Not only is it available on iPhone and iPad, but it's also available on Android, PC, and Mac, and the web — so you can access it anywhere.

Evernote lets you create notebooks for easy organization, and notes can consist of plain text, formatted text, web snippets from the clipper, photos, entire web pages, audio — you name it. And the best part is that everything that you put into Evernote becomes searchable, so you can search by keyword to find what you need. There is seamless syncing across all of your devices and while there are paid plans, you should have a good amount of space for free every month.

Microsoft OneNote

For those who are invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, then OneNote is an excellent alternative to Evernote. With OneNote, you can create an unlimited number of digital notebooks for every subject you're taking, and take notes in an organized fashion.

OneNote lets students type out notes, as well as handwrite them in, sketch diagrams, import photos, collaborate with others, and more. There is also a Sticky Notes feature that lets you save notes for easy reference later, and they are synced to all of your devices. You can download OneNote for free and use it with your Microsoft Account or even an account that is assigned to you by your school.

Dropbox

You're bound to end up with a lot of files and documents for school, so you'll want a good cloud storage service. One of our favorites is Dropbox because once you upload your files to Dropbox, you're able to access them on practically any device. Dropbox also has seamless integration with a lot of existing third-party apps as well, giving you a ton of flexibility when it comes to choosing what apps to use to get things done. You can also share files with others quite easily, making this a great tool for collaboration.

Dropbox has a free tier with 2GB of storage, which isn't a lot, but you can get more space with referrals. However, we recommend signing up for one of their tiered plans, which starts at 2TB for $10 a month. Considering the ubiquity and versatility, Dropbox is well worth paying for.

Quizlet

Either you're a flashcards person or you're not, but if you are, step away from those index cards. Save paper and time and create your flashcards on Quizlet. You can create your own custom flashcards or choose from over 500 million pre-made flashcards by students and teachers in many popular fields of study from grade school to grad school. You'll be able to share them easily with your classmates and study groups. 

The app is free to download, but you'll need a Quizlet Plus subscription for the more premium features. For $8/month or $36/year, you'll unlock features such as offline studying and be able to access many more flashcards.

Khan Academy

Enrich your learning in a myriad of subject with Khan Academy. Maybe you need a little help understand certain subject material, or you want to brush up on previously learned material before beginning an advanced class. Perhaps you want to get a taste of a subject before committing to whole semester class on it, or you just have deeper interests that take you beyond your college course's materials. You can find it all here. 

Khan Academy is a free app with no in-app purchases, since a non-profit organization and. Downloading this app a no-brainer. Everyone should have this app on their iPad whether they are a college student or a student of life.

PCalc

Chances are high that you'll be taking a math class of some sort, especially if you're an undergrad. If that's the case, you may want to have a powerful calculator on your iPhone and iPad, and it's hard to beat PCalc.

With PCalc, you're getting a feature-rich calculator that is capable of basic calculations all the way up to more advanced equations. It has an optional RPN mode as well as a multi-line display, customizable button layouts, unit conversions, and constants, paper tape, multiple undo and redo, engineering and scientific notation, hexadecimal support, and binary calculations. PCalc is great for scientists, engineers, students, programmers, and anyone else who wants a powerful calculator.

Screens VNC

While services like Dropbox are great for accessing our files from any device, what about using our apps on desktop computers? If you have Screens VNC, then it's entirely possible.

Screens VNC allows you to connect to your computer from anywhere in the world at any time. With Screens VNC, you can update your computer even when you're away from it, work with your computer software, and even access files that may not be in the cloud. All you need to do is download Screens, set up an account, and connect. You will need Screens VNC on both your iPhone or iPad as well as your Mac or PC.

YNAB

College isn't just about learning, it's about trying not to go broke. To that end, you need a great budgeting app that can help you keep track of all your income and your outgoings. You Need a Budget helps you put all your spending in different categories to help you keep track of your spending. 

Fantastical

Most college students will have a very busy schedule of classes, exams, studying, assignments, deadlines, and of course social gatherings. Not to mention sports, travel, and anything else you can think of. You need a great calendar to help keep track of your time and there's no better option than Fantastical. If features day, week, and month views as well as reminders. 

Get back to school!

If you have a new iPhone or iPad and you're about to go back to school, all the apps listed above are perfect for helping you with your studies. A combination of them means you can get plenty of work done in a portable fashion without relying on your best student Macbook to be productive.

Of course, if you're in a creative program, especially in the digital design field, you may want to check out some of the best drawing apps for iPad, as they will offer you a ton of great tools to sketch, paint, or draw right on your best iPad.

If you have an iPhone, then you probably use it a lot for taking photos. After all, no matter which model you have, the iPhone always has a pretty great camera, and it's always there for those spontaneous moments. Over time, this means you have a lot of photos. But what if you want to edit a bunch of them on your Mac, rather than your iPhone or iPad, so that they look the absolute best they can? You need to get them over from your iPhone to your Mac somehow. Fortunately, there are a few ways to go about this.

Whether you're using the iPhone SE or the iPhone 13 Pro, here's how to transfer photos from your favorite iPhone right to your best Mac.

Use iCloud Photo Library

One of the easiest methods to transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac, with no cables required, is to turn on iCloud Photos. When this is enabled, you should be able to access all of the photos and videos that you have across all of your devices — including the best iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

However, you will need to have enough storage space in your iCloud account, which you may not have. Apple provides 5GB of free space for every iCloud account, which is like nothing these days. If you want to use iCloud Photos, you may need to consider which iCloud storage plan you should get, which start at $0.99 a month for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, or you can get 2TB for $9.99 a month. There are also Apple One bundles, which get you iCloud storage on top of other Apple services like Apple Arcade, Apple News+, Apple Fitness, and more.

The 2TB option can also be shared with up to six others through Family Sharing. For most individuals, the 200GB should suffice. However, you should keep in mind that this iCloud storage is not just for iCloud Photos — it's for everything you store in iCloud, including iCloud backups, which can take up quite a bit of space.

To use iCloud Photos for importing your photos over to your Mac from your iPhone, you'll first need to make sure that all of your devices have iCloud Photos enabled.

1. Launch Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap on Photos.
3. Tap the toggle for iCloud Photos to ON (green).

1. Launch the Photos app on your Mac.
2. Click Photos in the upper left corner of the menu bar.
3. Click Preferences (you can also easily access the Preferences by pressing cmd and , on your keyboard).
4. Click on the iCloud tab.
5. Click the checkbox on iCloud Photos to turn it on.

Once iCloud Photos is enabled on all of the devices you want to use it on, your images should sync automatically across everything. However, it may take up to 24 hours after turning it on for everything to get synced over, so you'll have to be patient. After that, though, everything should be rather seamless when it comes down to how to transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac.

Import via the Photos app on Mac

If you use the Photos app on your Mac to manage your photos and edit them, but you don't want to use iCloud Photos, then you'll need to manually plug your phone in and import it the old fashioned way. Here's how.

1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac via a USB cable.
2. Open the Photos app on your Mac.
3. The Photos app should automatically be on the Import screen with all photos and videos on the connected device. If not, just click on the device name in the sidebar.
4. Select the photos you want to import.
5. Click Import Selected. If you did not select photos, click Import All New Photos.

6. Photos app will begin the process. Once it's completed, you can disconnect your iPhone or iPad from your Mac.

Before iCloud Photos was a thing, this was probably the best and most straightforward way on how to transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac.

Transfer the photos with AirDrop

Don't use the Photos app on Mac? No problem. Another quick way on how to transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac is to utilize AirDrop. With AirDrop, you're using Bluetooth Low Energy to basically create a point-to-point WiFi network that can transfer data between two Apple devices, such as an iPhone and a Mac, an iPhone to another iPhone, an iPhone to an iPad — you get the idea. AirDrop is fast, power-efficient, and secure.

It's also incredibly easy to use!

1. Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Find the photos and videos that you want to send to your Mac. You can do it for individual images or a batch of multiple photos.
3. Tap the Share button in the bottom right corner.

4. Tap AirDrop.
5. Select the Mac device that you want to send the images to.

6. On your Mac, the AirDropped image should appear in a Finder window.

If you use AirDrop enough, it will begin to show up as the first choice in the top row of sharing options. You can just tap it to send to your most frequently AirDropped device, which may be your Mac.

I honestly use AirDrop every day to complete work here at iMore. It's the fastest way to for me to get iPhone and iPad screenshots, product review photos, and more, without having to deal with iCloud Photos or the Photos app on Mac.

Utilize the Files app

If you want to transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac, but don't want to use iCloud Photos and Photos on Mac, then you could use the Files app instead. Importing a file into the Files app on your iPhone means you can access that photo or video file from your Mac via iCloud Drive, or even another third-party syncing service, such as Dropbox or Google Drive.

If you prefer to use a third-party service, such as Dropbox, you'll need to turn that on first.

1. Launch the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the Browse tab.
3. Tap the "..." button in the upper right corner.

4. Tap Edit.
5. Under Locations, tap the toggle for the third-party service or app you want to enable.
6. Tap Done.

Now that your service or app is enabled in the Files app, you should be able to browse all of your stored files directly, without having to use a separate app.

Of course, third-party services like Dropbox also have standalone apps that can handle your Camera Roll uploads automatically as well.

1. Launch Photos on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Find the photos and videos that you want to send to Files.
3. Tap the Share button.

4. Scroll down and tap Save to Files.
5. If you have multiple locations saved, choose the location you want to save to.
6. Tap Save.

Once you have imported your photos and video to the Files app in your specified location, it should be easy to find them on your Mac.

1. Launch Finder on your Mac.
2. Click iCloud Drive in the sidebar. If you chose a different location, like Dropbox, click Dropbox in the sidebar.

3. Your photo or video should be there. It may be easier to sort by Date Added or Date Modified if you have a lot of files.

Send 'em to your Mac right from your iPhone!

While you may use your iPhone for all of your photo-taking needs, getting them on your Mac may not be so obvious. But now that we've shown you all of the different ways that you can accomplish this, it's pretty easy! Plus, there are some amazing photo editors on the Mac that help you achieve the perfect photo. And don't forget, you can transfer photos from your Mac to your iPhone as well, you know, so you can post those edited photos on Instagram.

Updated March 2022: These are still the best ways to transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac.

What you need to know

• Dropbox has finally released a stable version of its macOS app that's designed for Apple silicon.
• The updated Dropbox app should automatically download on compatible Macs.
• The update comes after Dropbox was slow to begin working on an Apple silicon version of its sync app.

Popular file syncing and sharing service Dropbox has now finally released a new version of its app that supports Apple silicon.

Dropbox says that the move to Apple silicon is one that will allow for improved performance and efficiency.

After initially being slow to announce the move to Apple silicon, Dropbox began beta testing a release earlier this year. The native Apple silicon version of the Dropbox sync app is now available for download and the company says you might already have it — the Dropbox app should update itself automatically.

Anyone who hasn't yet been updated to version 143.4.4161 automatically can download the latest stable version of the app direct from Dopbox now. Of course, anyone using an Intel Mac won't need to worry too much about any of this until it comes time to upgrade.

While Dropbox has always worked on Apple silicon Macs — those with M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max chips inside — it has previously required on Rosetta emulation to function. The move to native support for Apple's chips should ensure improved performance and power usage as Dropbox alluded to. It also means that Dropbox will be able to take advantage of any Apple silicon-specific features that might crop up in the future.

Dropbox has long been one of the best Mac apps and services for syncing files between devices and the move to native Apple silicon support is a very welcome one indeed.

What you need to know

• Dropbox has warned users that third-party apps might soon be unable to access online-only files.
• A workaround means opening files manually via Finder.
• A beta release is coming that should help fix the issue.

Once-popular online storage and sync outfit Dropbox has once again upset Mac users after it sent an email out to users saying that they might soon be unable to access some files.

According to an email sent to customers, Dropbox is concerned that people running a future version of macOS Monterey might not be able to access online-only files via third-party apps. It mentions macOS 12.3, a release that doesn't exist yet, although that could be a mistake. It's also possible that Dropbox has been given a heads-up by Apple, of course. The latter seems most likely given the talk of macOS 12.3 in a related support article on the Dropbox website.

The problem, the email says, is that "for this release, Dropbox doesn't have full support for online-only files." That means that files that only live on Dropbox's servers — and not on your Mac — could go AWOL at some point in the future, at least in terms of access via third-party apps. Files should still be available via Finder, at least.

Dropbox has been struggling to maintain its position as the best Mac app for syncing files and saving them to the cloud of late. It's still working on a native Apple silicon version of its app, for example.

What you need to know

• Apple silicon Mac users can now download a native version of the Dropbox apps.
• The new Apple silicon version of Dropbox is available as a beta release.
• A future public release will come when Dropbox believes it to be ready.

It might have taken longer than we would have liked but the folk at Dropbox have finally released the first beta build of its Apple silicon-specific app. While previous versions of the Dropbox app did work on M1 Macs, this is the first time a native release has been made available.

It was reported a week ago that Dropbox was testing an M1-native app and that a beta release would arrive in due course. That's now happened with a Dropbox forum post making the announcement. The new Apple silicon build lives alongside the Intel one, so make sure to download the correct version if you're looking to live that beta life.

Dropbox is one of the best Mac apps for syncing files with the cloud and other devices but the lack of an Apple silicon version of its app has damaged its reputation. Dropbox somewhat strangely said it didn't intend to create such an app, although it did finally back down. While the Intel build worked via Apple's Rosetta emulation, there's no doubt a native app is always the preferred option among users.

However, now is a good time to remember that this is a beta build. Keep that in mind before installing it — I'd suggest it might be prudent to wait for Dropbox to release the update to everyone before taking the plunge.

What you need to know

• Dropbox is finally working on a new version of its app that is M1-native.
• Dropbox currently works on M1 Macs but uses Apple's Rosetta emulation.
• The new test will roll out to Dropbox's beta users by the end of this month.

Popular file syncing service Dropbox has begun to test a new Apple silicon version of its Mac app, removing its reliance on the Rosetta emulation that the current version uses.

Having come under fire for initially saying it wouldn't build an Apple silicon-native app, the company later changed tune and said that it would get a new version ready in the first half of 2022. Now, according to a MacRumors report, the outfit is getting ready for the first beta testers to try it out.

While Dropbox does function as-is, the move to a native Apple silicon build would allow for improved performance and power efficiency, something that Dropbox hasn't been known for over the years. Dropbox still remains one of the best Mac apps for syncing files between devices and the web, but only just. This new app will definitely help the company rebuild its relationship with Mac users once it's available to everyone later this year.

Those on the current Dropbox betas should probably keep their eyes peeled between now and the beginning of February.

What you need to know

• Dropbox has announced new file management features.
• Features include automated folders, naming standards, and more.

Dropbox has announced new features that are designed to make it easier for people to organize and then find their digital files. A number of new features announced via blog post, show just how far Dropbox has come from being a folder on your Mac that syncs files to the cloud.

All of the new features are available to Dropbox Teams today with individual and family plans getting them "soon." Those features look pretty great as well, especially if you're someone who wants to be able to dump files into Dropbox and then have it carry out actions on them.

The new features include:

• Automated folders. Create folders that automatically perform specific tasks—such as naming, sorting, tagging, and converting—anytime a file is added to the folder.
• Automated dashboard. Control and manage automated folders and their settings from a central dashboard.
• Naming conventions. Create file naming standards based on categories that can be applied to individual folders. You can rename files or photos by the date they were taken and include a parent folder name.
• Multi-file organize. Categorize and sort a folder's files into subfolders based on dates, keywords or level of activity. Preview and verify changes before files are moved.

New support for search using tags has also been added while finding photos via the Dropbox web interface has also been made a better experience — there's a new Photos section in the sidebar.

There's a lot more going on here as well, especially for those who need to sign agreements and whatnot. You can learn more about the ins and outs of the new changes over on the Dropbox blog now.

Dropbox has long been one of the best Mac apps for syncing files and now it's getting even better!

It doesn't matter if you prefer using iCloud, Dropbox, or even OneDrive, or any other cloud storage service, there's a way for you to save email attachments on the best iPhone and iPad.

Whether it's a spreadsheet or presentation, a PDF, or plain text, you can save your attachments using the Mail app right from your iPhone. This is extremely helpful if you'll need to save the attachment for later. The best part is, you can watch it on any other device that have the same online storage service. Here's how!

How to save email attachments on iPhone and iPad to iCloud

Trying to save email attachments on iPhone or your favorite iPad to iCloud Drive is easy because iCloud is built right into iOS and iPadOS.

1. Launch Mail from your Home screen.
2. Choose the email that contains the attachment.
3. Tap on the attachment attachment to bring up the Share sheet.

4. Tap the share sheet button on the bottom left of the page. It's a square with an upward arrow.
5. Choose Save to Files.
6. Tap iCloud Drive to save to iCloud Drive or tap On My iPhone to save it directly to your phone.
7. Tap Save on the top right of your screen.

How to save email attachments on iPhone or iPad to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or enterprise storage

Thanks to document provider extensions, you can also save to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and other storage services.

To save attachments to your storage provider, you first have to download the host app from the App Store.

Once you've downloaded the app, launch it, and log into your account. Then you can start saving attachments to the respective accounts. How you do it can vary by provider, however.

Save email attachments to Dropbox

1. Launch Mail from your Home screen.
2. Choose the email that contains the attachment.
3. Tap on the attachment attachment to bring up the Share sheet.

4. Choose Save to Dropbox.
5. Select the folder to save your file to or Tap Choose a Folder You can't create a new folder on the fly using the Apple Share sheet, unfortunately.
6. Tap Save.

Save email attachments to Google Drive

Before saving a file to Google Drive using the Share sheet for the first time, you should add the Google Drive extension, which makes the process much easier.

1. Launch Mail from your Home screen.
2. Choose the email that contains the attachment.
3. Tap on the attachment attachment to bring up the Share sheet.

4. Tap the More icon by scrolling right-to-left on the second row of icons in the Share Sheet.
5. Choose Edit at the top right.
6. Tap the green + to the left of Google Drive under Suggestions.
7. Choose Done at the top right.
8. Select Done at the top left now.

9. Tap the (Google) Drive icon in the Share sheet. It should be in the second row of icons.
10. Log into your Google account, if necessary.
11. Choose Select Folder at the bottom.
12. Select the location to save the file.

13. Choose Save here at the bottom right to save your image to Google Drive.
14. Finally, select Upload at the top right.

As you can see, saving an attachment to Google Drive requires many more steps than saving to iCloud.

Save email attachments to OneDrive

1. Launch Mail from your Home screen.
2. Choose the email that contains the attachment.
3. Tap on the attachment attachment to bring up the Share sheet.

4. Tap the More icon by scrolling right-to-left on the second row of icons in the Share Sheet.
5. Choose Edit at the top right.
6. Tap the green + to the left of OneDrive under Suggestions.
7. Choose Done twice.

8. Tap the One Drive icon in the Share sheet. It should be in the second row of icons, then follow the directions.

Not sure how to add attachments? Are you looking to take advantage of the Files app on iPhone and iPad? Don't worry, we have guides for that too!

Don't want to save email attachments on iPhone through Mail? You can always try another Mail app for your iPhone or iPad. If you're thinking about switching here's our list of the best email apps for iPhone and iPad.

Questions?

Do you still have questions about how to save email attachments on your iPhone or iPad? Let us know in the comments below!

Updated July 2021: Updated for latest iOS/iPadOS versions.

Working from home has become more and more common over the years, with global circumstances thrusting nearly everyone into a home working environment in 2020 and 2021. In some ways, this policy shift has been beneficial — research shows that working remotely can lead to higher efficiency, for example — but one of the major downsides of working from home is that home Wi-Fi networks aren't as secure as those used in the office. As a result, important company files and databases being compromised has become a serious concern.

The solution to this problem lies with encryption services, and of these, the best and most secure option is Tresorit. Tresorit's end-to-end encryption service allows employees to share files and collaborate together without worrying about security breaches. It's essentially a beefed up and more protective version of Dropbox that has all of the same collaboration tools, while also offering significantly better security (business plans even include a control panel that allows administrators to manage company file sharing, too). Tresorit's services have been evaluated by EY Cybersecurity, with the third-party security company finding that Tresorit's encryption is just as effective as it's claimed to be. Tresorit also uses a "zero-knowledge system" that ensures your passwords and encryption keys aren't stored in or transmitted through its servers, guaranteeing that even the company itself won't be able to access your data Tresorit is also fully compliant with ISO27001, HIPAA, FINRA, and GDPR.

A premium feature called Tresorit Content Shield is also available as part of Tresorit's Enterprise plan. Content Shield allows enables features such as advanced link tracking that allows admins to view how many times a file has been viewed, downloaded, or saved, an Outlook plugin policy that lets admins make Tresorit integration with Outlook mandatory, dynamic watermarking that prevents unauthorized resharing by displaying viewer information as a watermark, and a link activity report that allows admins to look over all shared links in an organization's workflow — even access logs.

What about file storage? Tresorit offers plenty of it, with up to 2TB of storage per user and up to a 20GB file size limit available in business plans. There are also plans for individuals that include max storage sizes of up to 2.5TB and max file sizes of up to 10GB as well. Tresorit also features a local file manager that can be installed on any Windows or macOS device, allowing users to safely and securely send files to company cloud storage.

It's important to note that people won't always be at their computers when they need to send or receive documents, and this is where Tresorit's mobile app comes in. Available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, this app brings the functionality and efficiency of Tresorit to the smartphone. This is incredibly convenient and will ensure your team's workflow won't be slowed down just because someone isn't at their computer.

Finally, the service is also very affordable at both the individual and business level, which will no doubt be a big help to individuals and businesses looking for encryption that's both effective and budget-friendly. Prices for individual plans start at $10.42/month, while business plans start at $14.50/month.

Ultimately, between its superb encryption services, its convenient and plentiful file storage, and its customer-friendly pricing that offers plenty of bang for the buck, you can't go wrong with Tresorit.

While sending an email with the Mail app, you might need to attach a large file or a document to it. For security reasons, you can't go wandering through the file system, but you can attach any file to any email with the help of your Cloud Storage system, including the Files app, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and more.

How to send large email attachments from the Files app on iPhone and iPad

The Files app gives you access to all of your documents, videos, photos, and more that are saved onto your iCloud Drive, all from the convenience of your iPhone. This makes it easier to send large email attachments by browsing through your folders and recent files. Here's how!

1. Launch Mail from your Home screen
2. Tap the Compose button on the bottom right corner of your screen to start a new email.
3. Touch-and-hold to bring up the editing menu on iPhone. (Or use the shortcut key on iPad)
4. Tap the arrow button to get more options.
5. Tap Add Document.

6. If the file isn't in the recent tab, tap on the Browse tab. You might need to Browse again at the top left corner of your screen, if your file is not on iCloud either.
7. Tap on the folder that contains the file you want to attach, if it's not at the top level.
8. Tap on the file you want to attach.

Add a recipient, a message, and you're good to go.

How to attach Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive or enterprise files to email on iPhone and iPad

If you want, you can also attach and send large email attachments by using other popular Cloud Storage systems. This is thanks to the document provider extension feature. Here's what you need to do.

How to use Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, and other could storage services with the Files app on iPhone and iPad

For the document provider extension to be available, you first have to download the host app from the App Store.

• Download Dropbox
• Download Google Drive
• Download OneDrive

Once you've downloaded the app, launch it and log into your account. Then you can start attaching away.

1. Launch Mail from your Home screen
2. Tap Compose to start a new email.
3. Touch-and-hold to bring up the editing menu on iPhone. (Or use the shortcut key on iPad)
4. Tap the arrow button to get more options.
5. Tap Add Document.

6. Tap Browse at the bottom of the screen. You might need to tap Browse again at the top left corner of your screen.
7. Tap the app you would like to attach files from.
8. Tap the files you would like to attach to your email.

Add a recipient, a message, and you're done.

How to use the attachment shortcut on iPad

The iPad has shortcut keys to either side of the predictive keyboard. In Mail, one of those keys is for attachments. Instead of having to use the edit menu, as detailed below for iPhone, simply use the attachment button to save yourself some time. Everything else remains the same.

How to save Mail attachments

Want to save email attachments as well? Check here!

How to save email attachments in Mail for iPhone and iPad

Any questions on attachments?

If you have any questions about how to send large email attachments from your iPhone or iPad, or about Mail in general, drop them in the comments!

Updated October 2020: Updated for iOS 14.

Your Dropbox account has been designed to store some of your most important documents. To better secure your Dropbox account, consider activating two-factor authentication. With this type of authentication, there's a more substantial barrier against would-be hackers by requiring anyone who attempts to access your account have both your password and access to your mobile devices. Here's how to set it up.

How to set up two-factor authentication for Dropbox

1. Log into your Dropbox account at the official website.
2. Click your account at the top right of the page.
3. Choose Settings from the pull-down menu.

4. Choose Security at the top of the page.
5. Toggle on Two-Factor Authentication.

6. Click Get Started in the box.
7. Add your Dropbox password in the box.
8. Choose Next.

9. Choose how to receive your security code. Choices include Use text messages or Use a mobile app.
10. Click Next after making your choice.

1. Add your phone number for your mobile device in the boxes.
2. Choose Next.

Follow the directions, which include confirming that you received information from your mobile phone.

1. Scan the barcode on the screen using your mobile phone to open up your authenticator app.
2. Choose Next.
3. Add the six-digit code from your authenticator app.
4. Select Next.
5. Add an optional phone number.
6. Choose Next one final time.

After activating two-factor authentication, you'll need to use your Dropbox password and mobile device to log into your Dropbox account for the first time on a new device.

Questions?

Let us know if you have any questions about Dropbox or two-factor authentication in the comments below.

What you need to know

• Dropbox has been updated to support dark mode.
• The iPhone and iPad update can be downloaded now.
• The app now obeys your device's Dark Mode setting.

Popular cloud storage app Dropbox has now updated its iPhone and iPad app to support dark mode. The feature was added in iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, and now Dropbox fully supports it as well.

The updated Dropbox app arrived on the App Store yesterday and is a free update to the already-free app. If you have automatic app updates installed, you probably already have it.

As the release notes point out, Dropbox will now obey your device's dark mode setting. Now you won't be running around in dark mode and then be blinded by Dropbox every time you go to find a file!

There doesn't appear to be any other changes in this update – at least, nothing visible – but it's well worth downloading if you're a dark mode fan.

And who isn't? After all, tests show that it extends your battery life by as much as 30% on OLED iPhones.

Read more comics from The Pixel Project.

In today's world, it's always important to back up your important files, preferably in more than one place, to ensure that you never lose something permanently in case something happens to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Of course, most people also need to move around essential files between different devices, and that can get tricky. Luckily, Dropbox can help you with both tasks; here's everything you need to know.

Free - Download

What's new in Dropbox

Today, Dropbox announced in a blog post that it has officially increased storage space for customers using both the Professional and Business Standard subscription tiers, allowing you to host more important files than ever before. Starting today for new subscribers, Owners of Dropbox Professional accounts will get a whole 2 TB (2,000 GB) of space, while Business Standard teams will get a total of 3 TB (3,000 GB) of shared space — that's a lot of room for podcast episodes, client work, spreadsheets, and that one photo of a cute dog you haven't deleted yet for some reason.

Here are the greatest perks of more storage space, according to the company:

If you've already got a Dropbox Professional or Dropbox Business Standard subscription, you should be seeing the change in storage within the coming weeks. For more details, you can check out Dropbox's post here. If you'd like to sign up for an account now that the company has sweetened the pot with more storage, you can check out and compare the different plans here.

People who use Dropbox Business or Dropbox Professional can now access, edit, and, share, files, photos, and documents on the go with the newly redesigned Dropbox mobile app.

The Dropbox blog also stated that drag-and-drop functionality will work in iOS 11.

To see the entire update, head to the Dropbox blog to learn everything!

What is Dropbox?

Dropbox is a cloud storage and sync service available for the Mac, PC, and most mobile devices. It makes sure that anything in its particular folder is kept safe online and mirrored on any other device you install it on. What's more, Dropbox provides a robust API for developers that allow many other apps to tie into their service and use them for cloud storage and sync as well.

How much does it cost?

Dropbox is free to download and then has a free version and a paid version. The free version of Dropbox gives you up to 2GB of cloud storage, while the upgraded version known as Dropbox Plus, will give your 1TB of space.

There are a few other perks to upgrading to Dropbox Plus such as an automatical camera roll back up, so all the photos you take on your iPhone will be saved to your Dropbox immediately. Dropbox Plus costs $9.99 per month, or you can get a yearly subscription for $99.99.

How do I use Dropbox with the Files app?

Files is to iOS what Finder is to macOS. Although not as full-featured as its macOS counterpart, the Files app lets you view, preview, organize, store, and share files from iCloud and other cloud-based providers. It's as simple as opening up Files in iOS, tapping on the Dropbox folder in Locations, and following the prompts to authenticate your account. Afterward, you'll be able to access all the files you've stored in Dropbox both within the Files app and in any app that supports iOS 11's new document picker.

Read: How to view and organize documents in the Files app in iOS 11

How do I transfer Photos with Dropbox?

If you're not interested in using iCloud Photo Library, iTunes, or quick fixes like AirDrop, you can still view and share pictures from your Mac or PC: Just use Dropbox.

Dropbox actually has a pretty good walkthrough and upload tool for adding images to your online storage space; alternatively, you can even drop your Photos library into Dropbox whole-hog and have those images show up in the Dropbox app — though I'd recommend doing that to a copy of your Photos Library, not the original, so as to prevent any potential sync errors.

Read:How to use Dropbox to transfer photos from your Mac to your iPhone or iPad

Dropbox has long been the go-to online storage service for many, offering a cross-platform solution that's easy for anyone to pick up and use. The service has always given a lot of attention to how you upload photos to your Dropbox, and with the iOS app, uploading your photos and videos is simple. And even if you don't use the automatic import options, you can still use the manual upload option to send multiple photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Dropbox at the same time.

Here's what you need to know about uploading multiple files at once using the Dropbox app for iPhone and iPad.

• How to upload multiple photos to Dropbox at once on iPhone or iPad
• How to upload multiple files to Dropbox at once using the Files app on iPhone and iPad

How to upload multiple photos to Dropbox at once on iPhone or iPad

1. Open Dropbox on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap the Create button (has a + over it).
3. Tap Upload Photos.

4. Tap all of the photos or videos that you want to upload.
5. Tap Next.

6. Tap a location under Upload To or tap Choose a Different Folder… if your intended destination isn't on the list.
7. Tap Upload.

How to upload multiple files to Dropbox at once using the Files app on iPhone and iPad

Using the Dropbox app, you can only upload multiple photos and videos at once. But if you want to upload multiple types of other files, you can do so using the built-in iOS Files app.

1. Open Files on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Choose the location that has the files you want to move to Dropbox.
3. Tap Select.

4. Tap the files you want to copy to Dropbox.
5. Tap the Move button (looks like a folder on iOS 12).
6. Tap Dropbox.

7. Tap the destination where you want to store the files.
8. Tap Copy.

Questions?

If you've got any questions about moving photos and other files to Dropbox on iOS, let us know in the comments.

Dropbox is one of the best cloud storage services out there for Apple users to store files, documents, photos, and other important data in a safe place. With Dropbox's handy mobile apps and easy to use web platform, it's a great way to keep content safe, while also freeing up some space on your devices.

Of course, if you ever feel like printing, sharing, or editing any of the photos you've stored on Dropbox, you'll need to download the photos from the cloud back on to your device. Here's how you can get your photos from Dropbox back on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

• How to download photos from Dropbox to your iPhone and iPad
• How to download photos from Dropbox to your Mac

How to download photos from Dropbox to your iPhone and iPad

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad. If you haven't signed in, you'll need to right now.
2. Tap on the photo you want to import to your camera roll.

3. Tap and hold on the photo until the options bar appears.
4. Tap Save to Camera Roll.

Once the export is done you can hop right into your Photos app and upload it to whatever service you'd like.

How to download photos from Dropbox to your Mac

1. Go to the Dropbox website 2, Log into your Dropbox account if you haven't already.
2. Click photo you want to download to your Mac. Depending on how you have set up your Dropbox, you may need to go through some folders.
3. Command - Click or Right Click on the photo.

4. Click Save Image to "Downloads" to put the image in your downloads folder.
5. Click Add Image to Photos to important the picture directly into the Photos app.

Any questions?

Let us know in the comments down below.

Updated June 2018: Updated for the newest version of Dropbox and added steps for Mac.

According to a report by Axios, the Information Technology Industry Council — a Washington trade group that represents major tech companies — is planning to meet in San Francisco on Wednesday to talk consumer privacy online and how to best handle the growing concern surrounding the topic post-Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Members of ITI include such tech giants as Apple, Facebook, Google, Samsung, Amazon, and many others. Though ITI expressed to Axios that it expects representatives from multiple companies across a diverse sampling of industry sectors to attend, it didn't explicitly say which companies would be there.

ITI CEO and president Dean Garfield shared its member companies' thoughts regarding user privacy with Axios, describing their increased awareness of the issue in the current climate:

Also making the meeting more urgent than ever is Europe's recent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a set of stringent privacy requirements that went into effect last month in order to give individuals control over their personal data and unify data online privacy regulations across the EU. Many people are now calling for similar rules in the US, and the White House is currently exploring options that range from stricter guidelines to full-on legislation.

For more information regarding the meeting, you can check out Axios' newsletter here and the ITI website here.

Thoughts?

What do you think the outcome of this meeting will be? How do you feel companies should tackle user privacy concerns going forward? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Dropbox's latest iOS update (version 64.3) adds full support for the Files app in iOS 11.

After you've updated to the latest version of Dropbox, you'll need to re-authenticate in order to access your files using the Files app. It's as simple as opening up Files in iOS, tapping on the Dropbox folder in Locations, and following the prompts to authenticate your account. Afterward you'll be able to access all the files you've stored in Dropbox both within the Files app and in any app that supports iOS 11's new document picker.

The company announced support for the Files app back in June:

You can learn more about the Files app in iOS 11 by checking out our guide!

How to view and organize documents in the Files app in iOS 11

As the old saying goes, one copy is no copy and two copies is as good as one. What that means is, unless you have good local backups—plural—and online redundancies, you're only one failure, accident, theft, or other incident away from catastrophe—from the loss of everything that's digitally vital to you. That's why you need to have a plan in place. Luckily, both iOS and macOS make it easy to get started and have plenty of options available so you can get serious as well!

1. Local backup

Your first line of defense for any disk failure or damage is a local backup. On macOS, Apple provides the built-in Time Machine apps that will automatically create incremental backups—as long as you have an external drive or Time Capsule hooked up. The great thing about Time Machine being incremental is that, if you only need to recover a few files or folders, or even older versions of them, you can do that without a full restore. Since you may want to backup multiple versions and multiple machines, you'll need a hard drive at least as big as the one(s) you're backing up, although in this case, the more the better.

If you want to back your iPhone or iPad locally as well, you'll need to connect them to iTunes, make a backup—make it encrypted, so it stores your passwords securely as well—and then Time Machine will copy that data over as well.

• How to backup your Mac with Time Machine
• Apple Time Capsule on Amazon
• Western Digital external hard drive on Amazon
• Western Digital portable external drive on Amazon

2. Clone

Although Time Machine is great for incremental backups, if you ever have to do a complete recovery it can be time consuming. A bit-identical clone, on the other hand, isn't just fast to restore, you can boot off of it in a pinch and get right back to work immediately in case of emergency. You still need an external hard drive, but in this case it doesn't store your backup—it becomes your clone. That means you simply need to match the size of your internal drive. You also need an app, since cloning isn't built into macOS. Both SuperDuper! and Carbon Copy Cloner can get the job done.

If you want to back your iPhone or iPad as part of the clone, you'll still need to connect them to iTunes and make a backup—make it encrypted, so it stores your passwords securely as well.

• SuperDuper!
• Carbon Copy Cloner
• Western Digital external hard drive on Amazon
• Western Digital portable external drive on Amazon

3. Offline + offsite

If you have incredibly personal data you can't afford to lose but also don't want to risk on anyone else's servers, you can make an additional copy or clone on an additional drive and keep it somewhere else. If it's home data you can keep it at work. If it's work data you can keep it at home. You can keep it with a relative or friend, if you trust them. You can keep it in a locked drawer, a safe, even a safety deposit box at a bank. Then, every week or month or so, you can swap it with a recently updated version so it's always as up-to-date as possible. And if a fire, break-in, or anything else ever takes out your primary data, your backup is still safe. It's old-fashioned, but it works.

4. Online backup

Offline backups might be private but they're also a pain. If you don't mind trusting your data to someone else's servers, there are online options that are basically set-it-and-forget-it. Sign up, sign in, and from then on the bits just float up to the cloud.

On iOS, Apple provides the built-in iCloud Backup that keeps all your data safe on the company's servers—as long as you have enough space left on your account. On macOS, not so much. Luckily, there are a couple of company's that provide inexpensive, reliable online backup, including Backblaze and Crashplan. Experts can even roll their own using Amazon or a similar service. They'll copy every bit of your data to their servers and then let you download it again if and when you need it. For large amounts of critical data, some will even take and send drives to speed things up.

• How to turn on iCloud backups for your iPhone or iPad
• Backblaze
• Crashplan

5. Online storage

Backing up your entire drive is effective but not always convenient. It also provides security but not synchronization. While you should absolutely have local and online backups, you may also want to keep your most important files safe and synced via online storage. Apple provides the built-in iCloud Drive, which is accessible through both iOS and OS X. Dropbox, though, is typically regarded as the fastest and most flexible solution. Google also offers its own online drive, as does Microsoft. If you use their services, you'll have the best time using their storage. All of them are cross-platfom, so you can pick the one that suits you best and access all your files from anywhere.

• Dropbox
• Google Drive
• Microsoft OneDrive

Your backup plan?

If you already have a backup plan for your data, let me know what it is! If not, let me know what you end up going with!

Updated January 2017.

Dropbox has updated its iOS app, adding support for the newly launched iOS 9, including a 3D Touch menu, support for the Spotlight feature and more.

If you are getting the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus later this month, you will be able to use the Dropbox 3D Touch menu:

Dropbox files will also show up in Spotlight searches in iOS 9, and a new action menu will show up when users press the down arrow icon in any file or folder.

• Free - Download now

Source: Dropbox

There are plenty of reasons to put things into the cloud, be it as a backup or to access them remotely from other devices. But putting things into the cloud can be a hassle — Apple's trying to make it a little more seamless with iCloud but if you're old school like me, that seamlessness just doesn't do it for you. There's something about having all my computer's files neatly organized and accessible that soothes my more obsessive tendencies.

At the same time, I want to be able to access my important files while I'm on the go, and I want to know that they're backed up in case catastrophe strikes. That's where the cloud really comes in. I've got a local Time Machine backup running (two, actually) and I use Backblaze for nightly backups to the cloud, and though I can use Backblaze to access files from my iPhone, it's just terribly slow.

Enter Dropbox

Dropbox, on the other hand, is blazing fast. Uploads and downloads sling through the web as fast as my connection can handle. I can open the Dropbox app on my iPhone or iPad and get to all the files in there with ease and speed. But there were two basic options for backing up my files to Dropbox: either copy them over regularly, or just move them onto Dropbox (oh, the humanity).

Turns out, there's another way, one in which you can keep your folders and files right where they are and have them backed up and synced with Dropbox. It all works through the magic of symbolic links.

How does this work?

You might be familiar with alias links on your Mac — it creates a shortcut that points to another file, open the shortcut and it opens that file. A symbolic link is similar, except that instead of creating a pointer it creates a redirect. Whatever you do with the symbolic link (or symlink) is applied to the linked file.

Dropbox works by creating a folder on your computer that is synced with their servers. Place a file in that folder and it's synced to the cloud. Upload a file from a Dropbox app or their web interface and it'll be downloaded onto your computer. Basically, that's it. Thing is, if you want to back up files to Dropbox, copying them into that folder means they're taking up space twice on your hard drive, and just moving them to Dropbox takes them right out of your organizational flow.

If you were to create an alias to a file and put that in the Dropbox folder, only the alias would get backed up, and that's not terribly useful. But if you put a symlink into the Dropbox folder, when the Dropbox backup app looks at it it's redirected to the linked file, and it backs that up instead. So with one 25-byte symlink you can back up gigabytes upon gigabytes of data without duplicating it on your computer.

The additional benefit is that you can sync and back up entire directories that would be otherwise difficult to move. You can put your Pictures folder into Dropbox with a symlink or your entire Documents folder. Heck, you could even sync and back up your Mac's desktop files and installed apps.

This sounds too good to be true…

There are some caveats to note here. The first is cost: Dropbox does offer a free tier, and it's a paltry 2GB. That might be enough for you, but chances are if you're planning on putting an entire folder like Documents in there you'll need more space. Thankfully, Dropbox isn't terribly expensive, offering 1TB of storage for $9.99/month. Chances are you'd be able to back up your entire computer onto that if you really wanted to.

There are risks that come with putting your files into the cloud, of course, and they come down to you to manage them. Make sure you have a strong and unique Dropbox password and use pin or Touch ID security in the mobile apps when available.

The biggest risk you run, however, is inherent to Dropbox itself: any changes made to a file in Dropbox are synced to all devices linked to that account. So if you change a file from your phone, that file is saved on the server and synced down to your computer with those changes. If you delete a file from the web interface, it's deleted from your computer. And vice versa. Dropbox does offer paying customers 30 days of stored historical versions and backups of deleted files, but it's still worth noting the risks of what you're wading into here.

Those risks are minor, though. Set and practice good security and be conscious of what you're doing with your files and you'll be in good shape — and your files will be there for you whenever and wherever you need them.

How to sync folders on your Mac to Dropbox

1. Download and install the Dropbox app from the Dropbox website (download will start automatically).
2. Once you've got the Dropbox app up and running, open Terminal.
3. Navigate in Terminal to your Dropbox folder by typing cd /Users/YourMacUsernameHere/Dropbox and then hitting return. A new line in Terminal will appear that's Your-Computer-Name:Dropbox YourUserName$
4. Create your symbolic link by typing ln -s ~/FolderNameHere and hitting return. A folder will appear in your Dropbox folder with the alias/shortcut arrow and it will immediately begin uploading.
   
   • To create a symlink to your Desktop, type ln -s ~/Desktop
   • To create a symlink to your Documents folder, type ln -s ~/Documents
   • To create a symlink to any other folder or file, simply type its file path after ln -s ~/FilePathGoesHere — this is useful for if you want to back up most your Documents folder, but not necessarily everything in there (for instance, a 30GB Windows virtual machine from Parallels).
   • To create a symlink to a folder or file with a space in its name, put a backslash before the space, like so: ln -s ~/Documents/Star\ Trek\ Aldrin

5. Dropbox will start uploading your symlinked folders.

Now what?

Now you go about using your Mac like you normally would. Any time you edit or create a file in one of your symlinked folders, it'll be automatically uploaded to Dropbox. Any time you remotely edit one of those files, it will be synced back down to your Mac. It's the magic of the cloud.

Advanced: Sync files with another Mac!

This isn't just a handy cloud back-up and storage tool — you can also use Dropbox to sync files between multiple Macs. Yeah, crazy, we know. Just imagine stepping away from your iMac and opening your MacBook at the coffee shop to have all of your important files, even your desktop, synced right over. Here's how to make that a reality:

1. Get your folder(s) set up on your primary computer as instructed above.
2. Install and set up Dropbox on your second computer. It will start to download the folder that you symlinked and uploaded from your primary computer.
3. Wait for both computers to finish syncing. See that little syncing icon on the Dropbox menu bar icon? That means that Dropbox is still syncing. You want just the open box Dropbox icon, no little sync icon. Seriously. Wait for the sync to finish.

4. Once the folder is fully downloaded, quit Dropbox on the secondary computer. Seriously, quit Dropbox.
   1. Click on Dropbox in the menu bar.
   2. Click on the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the Dropbox menu.
   3. Click on Quit Dropbox.

5. On the secondary computer, open the Dropbox folder.
6. On the secondary computer,drag your synced folder out of the Dropbox folder and into the location where you want it to be. In the case of Documents or Desktop, you'll be replacing an existing folder in your user folder (get to that by opening Documents or Applications and hitting cmd + up arrow).
7. On the secondary computer, open Terminal and navigate to your Dropbox folder by typing cd /Users/YourMacUsernameHere/Dropbox and then hitting return.
8. On the secondary computer, create a symlink to the folder you dragged out of Dropbox by typing ln -s ~/FolderNameHere and hitting return.
9. Double check that both the primary and secondary computers have identically-named symlink files in the exact same Dropbox folder locations.
10. Re-start Dropbox on the secondary computer (it's in Applications) and give it a moment to sync. If all has gone well, there won't be anything to sync since both folders are identical.

And that's it. Now when you change a file in your symlinked folder on one computer, it will be uploaded to Dropbox and immediately downloaded onto the other computer. Voilà, you're in sync.

Any questions?

Let us know in the comments!

Dropbox has received an update today to version 3.6, which gives iOS users more control over their files and folders. Both individual files and entire folders can be renamed and moved.

To edit a file's name or move it, you can open the file, and tap the three dots next to the share menu in the upper right corner for more options. You'll get a drop down list of different actions you can take. Additionally, on the file and folder list, you can swipe to the right on a file or folder to access these options. Select Rename to edit the file or folder's name, and Move to select a new destination folder for the file. The list will also show the exact size of the document, as well as when it was last modified.

Dropbox 3.6 for iPhone and iPad is available for download from the App Store now.

• Free - Download Now

The Dropbox team have announced a handy new feature inside their official apps for the iPhone and iPad. With Microsoft Office documents open for viewing, it's now possible to hit the edit button to launch the installed Office suite for a more feature-rich editing experience. Once all changes have been saved everything is automatically saved to the cloud, thanks to both parties working on support bridges between the two services.

The new Office integration is perfect for those who rely on Dropbox storage, but require tools available in Microsoft's suite of productivity apps. It's worth noting that, according to the Dropbox support section, attempting to edit files within a Dropbox for Business account requires one of the following Office 365 accounts: Business, Business Premium, ProPlus, E3, or E4.

• Free - Download Now

Source: Dropbox

Today iOS 8 launches, and along with it, a whoooooole bunch of apps are being updated to support the new software. It's a veritable avalanche of updates, but we're going to dig up the very best ones for you. Give us a shout in the comments if you find any more!

iOS 8 app updates

• TextExpander - Set custom shortcuts (snippets) which expand to full phrases with this custom keyboard.
• Screens VNC - Use Touch ID and 1Password to unlock, and send rich text through a shared clipboard between devices.
• Transmit - Share files directly from your iPhone or iPad to your Amazon S3, FTP, SFTP, or WebDAV server.
• Epic Zen Garden - See what Metal graphics rendering can do with the tech demo.
• Slack - Share items directly to Slack channels and fellow collaborators from outside apps thanks to Extensions. Also gets 1Password integration.
• 1Password - Log into websites securely with a mere touch. Free for a limited time.
• Clear - View your latest tasks in the Today view.
• Camera Plus: Family Share pictures to other devices, haul in pictures for editing via Extensions, hop between devices for editing with Handoff.
• Instapaper: Read anything in a clutter-free environment thanks to Extensions. Saved articles show in Notification Center.
• TouchPal - A theme-friendly custom keyboard.
• Mint - Use Touch ID to access your personal finances.
• EyeEm - Follow friends and reply to comments on shared photos directly from notifications, and share pics for editing directly from the Photos app.
• OmniFocus 2 - Task manager lets you see what's next in the Notification Center. Also, shoot new tasks to the app through sharing Extensions.
• Facebook - Ubiquitous social networking app optimized for the iPhone 6's bigger screen.
• Color Keyboards - Stick close to the original keyboards, but add in your favorite colors.
• KuaiBoard - Use this custom keyboard to drop in chunks of preset text easily for those really repetitive e-mails and form letters.
• Yahoo Weather - Access the latest forecast from the Today widget.
• Dropbox - See latest activity in Today widget, plus new sharing controls for Pro and Business users.
• Minuum - A resizable keyboard perfect for those sticking with the smaller screen.
• Finish - Complete or stall tasks from the Notification Center.
• Swype - Another fantastic custom keyboard that focuses on gestures.
• Wdgts - A whole collection of useful notification tray widgets.
• Pocket - Handoff support lets you keep reading where you left between devices, and add new stories directly through Safari thanks to Extensions.
• Simple - Get access to your banking information through Touch ID.
• Find my Friends - Apple's location-sharing app can now move your friends list to iCloud.
• Find my iPhone - Now ties in with iOS 8 Family Sharing.
• iTunes U - Automatically add assignment due dates to calendar.
• Retro - Instagram viewer for iPad adds Today widget for keeping tabs on timeline and adds 1Password integration thanks to Extensions.
• Day One - Today widget offers flashback to previous entries, Extensions allow for easy importing from other apps, and Touch ID enabled to unlock.
• Evernote - Save notes with Notification Center widget, and clip content from all over with Extensions. Touch ID unlock for premium users.
• Badland - Visual optimizations for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screen size.
• Vimeo - Easier uploading and sharing thanks to Extension support.
• Asphalt 8 - Exclusive iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus season plus switch to Metal graphics engine.
• SwiftKey - Hugely popular custom keyboard finally on iOS.
• Fleksy - One of the first custom keyboards for iPhone.
• OpenTable - Notification Center widget to let you know about upcoming reservations.
• Fragment - Resume editing between devices using Handoff.
• Endomondo - HealthKit integration and interactive notifications for challenge requests.
• Microsoft OneNote - Clip all sorts of content to the cloud with new Share Extension.
• Buzzfeed - Catch the latest from the Today widget and bookmark from notifications.
• Box - Access Box files in other apps thanks to new Document Provider extension.
• Duolingo - Lesson progress widget added to language-learning app.
• pCalc - Quick calculation widget added.
• Snapguide - Recipe and home decor app adds iCloud Drive integration.
• Redfin - Real estate reference adds Today widgets.
• MyFitnessPal - Fitness tracker adds HealthKit integration.
• App in the Air - Flight tracker adds widgets.
• Amazon - Online shopping app adds Touch ID signin option.
• Carrot Fit - Fitness tracker adds HealthKit integration and iPad support.
• Pinterest - Pin to your collections from Safari, support bigger iPhone screens.
• Calendars 5 - Check your schedule with a new Today View widget.
• Scanner Pro - Can now scan photos directly from the photo library thanks to Extensions.
• PDF Expert - Zoom Writing, AirTurn support, bookmarks management and iOS 8 exclusive features.
• Documents 5 - Open, view, and edit files stored in iCloud Drive.
• Printer Pro - Wirelessly print documents from your iCloud Drive.
• PDF Converter - Save iCloud Drive files in other formats as a PDF locally.
• LastPass - Safari extension for remembering passwords and Touch ID integration.
• Sky Guide - Sunrise, sunset, and lots of other information available in a Today widget.

New iOS apps

• Goat Simulator: Achieve a trans-species nirvana in the greatest sim game of all time. - $4.99 - Download now

Discounted iOS apps

• Numerics: Business statistic visualizer. $19.99 Free - Download now

Other iOS app updates

• Ascension: New Darkness Unleashed expansion available for this dark fantasy card game. - Free, IAPs - Download now
• Rules!: Two new game modes added to this memory-testing puzzle game. - $1.99 - Download now
• Real Racing 3: Classic Lamorghinis added in this beautiful racing gaming. - Free, IAPs - Download now
• Snipp3t: Catch celebrity Tweets and Instagram pictures from within the app. - Free - Download now
• Twitch: Chromecast support added to help you watch live video gameplay on the big screen. - Free - Download now

If you've somehow managed to get iOS 8 loaded up after all of the traffic today, and you're eager to get started with Notification Center widgets, we've dug up a bunch of notable apps that started supporting them today. There's a lot more to read about widgets in iOS 8, if you're interested.

Of course, it's a busy, busy time in the App Store, so leave a comment if you've found any other great new iOS 8 apps sporting a widget or two. If you're looking for more apps that make use of new iOS 8 features, be sure to dig into our master list of updates from earlier today.

• Hours - Keep tabs on billable hours, now with a start/stop widget.
• LinkedIn - See who's been checking out your profile in Notication Center.
• LinkedIn Pulse - See news items coming in from your professional social network in Notification Center.
• Yahoo News Digest - Catch up on the latest happenings with a new widget.
• forScore - Check your instrument's pitch from Notification Center.
• News360 - Stay up to date with the latest news stories through a dedicated Today widget.
• Magisto - Start generating videos from your local media right from the notification tray.
• Wunderlist - See what's next on your to-do list from a dedicated widget.
• OmniFocus 2 - Task manager lets you see what's next in the Notification Center. Also, shoot new tasks to the app through sharing Extensions.
• NYT Cooking - Check out the recipe of the day in the Today widget.
• Yahoo Weather - Access the latest forecast from the Today widget.
• Dropbox - See latest activity in Today widget, plus new sharing controls for Pro and Business users.
• Wdgts - A whole collection of useful notification tray widgets.
• Retro - Instagram viewer for iPad adds Today widget for keeping tabs on timeline and adds 1Password integration thanks to Extensions.
• Day One - Today widget offers flashback to previous entries, Extensions allow for easy importing from other apps, and Touch ID enabled to unlock.
• Evernote - Save notes with Notification Center widget, and clip content from all over with Extensions. Touch ID unlock for premium users.
• OpenTable - Notification Center widget to let you know about upcoming reservations.
• Buzzfeed - Catch the latest from the Today widget and bookmark from notifications.
• Duolingo - Lesson progress widget added to language-learning app.
• pCalc - Quick calculation widget added.
• Snapguide - Recipe and home decor app adds iCloud Drive integration.
• Redfin - Real estate reference adds Today widgets.
• App in the Air - Flight tracker adds widgets.
• Calendars 5 - Check your schedule with a new Today View widget.
• Sky Guide - Sunrise, sunset, and lots of other information available in a Today widget.

Since all of the cool kids are doing it, I thought that I'd show you what's on my iPhone. My iPhone is the single most important piece of technology in my line-up. It goes with my everywhere, and is my primary method of communication. I keep the most important apps on my first Home screen. I don't use most of the stock apps enough for them to merit a place on my first screen. Those few that remain, however, I use every day without fail. Messages, Camera, Maps, and Safari all remain on my Home screen.

• Wallpaper: I like to rotate my wallpapers quite a bit, and I love some of the ones that Apple included in iOS 7, but I'm always on the lookout for wallpapers from around the internet. My current favorite is the phone variant of the Seas wallpaper by Louie Mantia. He has a number of different wallpapers that he's made, all available from his website.
• Fantastical 2: I've been a Fantastical user for awhile, first on Mac, then on iPhone. I bought Fantastical 2 as soon as it was available from the App Store. The reminder integration in Fantastical 2 means that I have more space on my Home screen. $9.99 - Download Now
• Carousel: I've tried a few photo storage and organization solutions, but recently I've been taking a look at Dropbox's own photo app, Carousel. I was using Dropbox as my backup photo storage, and Carousel lets me view and share photos stored in Dropbox better than the actual Dropbox app. The only problem I've had so far is the inability to hide a selection of photos at once, like those stored in a shared folder. Free - Download Now
• Dark Sky: Dark Sky moved up to my main screen after its major 4.0 update, which made the app a lot more useful as a general purpose weather app without dumbing the hyperlocal prediction that made it an essential app to begin with. $3.99 - Download Now
• YouTube: I don't watch a lot of video on my phone, but I use the YouTube app with AirPlay to watch things on my Apple TV, rather than using the built-in Apple TV YouTube app. The app also occupies the same position as the stock YouTube app did pre-iOS 6. Free - Download Now
• Vesper: While I use apps like Evernote and Simplenote for more in-depth note taking that I need to access anywhere, Vesper is the perfect app to just get down a quick note right when I need it. Now that Vesper has added sync, it's even better, and it might even replace Simplenote for me one day. $2.99 - Download Now
• Flipboard: Opening Flipboard is for me what reading the newspaper in the morning was for my parents. It's usually the first or second app that I go to in the morning, after checking email and sometimes Twitter. Opening Flipboard is a lot easier than using Twitter to catch up on the news I may have missed overnight. Free - Download Now
• Paper: Facebook's Paper is a great app for browsing Facebook posts. It is, in fact, much better than the standard Facebook app. Paper is especially great for looking at photos, and makes good use of gestures for navigation and viewing.
• Tweetbot 3: I've been a Tweetbot user since day one. When they launched Tweetbot 3 last year, I bought it without hesitation. It's everything I want in a Twitter app. $4.99 - Download Now
• Tumblr: Tumblr has created an excellent app for the iPhone, and it's one of those apps that's just fun to use. It's dead simple to create any type of post using the app, browsing is fast and fluid, and each section is easy to find. The recent addition of mobile themes let you put your personal flair on part of the app. Free - Download Now
• Beats Music: Beats Music has become my streaming service of choice. I enjoy the discovery features of Beats, and it's superior to Spotify when it comes to organization. Additionally, it allows me to select when high quality music is streamed to my device, and automatically switches to streaming lower-quality music when I turn off Wi-Fi so I don't use as much data, something I have to manage manually on Spotify. Free - Download Now
• Pocket Casts: I listen to a lot of podcasts, and I've found Pocket Casts by Shifty Jelly to be the perfect tool for the job. The use of color and animation, along with highly customizable episode filters, make Pocket Casts a joy to use. $3.99 - Download Now
• Audible: Audible is the app for listening to audiobooks. I don't always have time to sit down and read, but I can listen to a book while doing other things. Audible uses Amazon's Whispersync to sync the listening position of many audiobooks with their ebook counterpart in my Kindle library. Free - Download Now
• 1Password: My password manager of choice on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. I have a lot of passwords, and I need not only to keep them secure, but also to make them unique. I use the app's password generator to create passwords that are unique, complex, and secure. Because I've started using more complicated password, I keep 1Password on my Home screen to quickly access them when I need them. $17.99 - Download Now
• Launch Center Pro: After using it sporadically for a little while, Launch Center Pro earned a place on my dock. It's just so versatile, a Swiss Army knife of apps. I use it to write text messages to friends and family, to start searches, to create text files, and open specific functions of other apps. Creating and discovering new workflows for Launch Center Pro is always interesting and fun. $4.99 - Download Now
• Mailbox: Mailbox became my go-to email app on iPhone shortly after its launch last year. Working with email on my iPhone is rarely about responding to it, and almost always about organizing or getting rid of it. Mailbox lets me easily sort and archive my mail with gestures that are easy to use. Saving and email for later is easily my most-used feature. Free - Download Now

So that's my first Home screen. My second page holds interesting or fun apps, but nothing I would call "mission-critical". My third page holds all of the rest in folders. My first page never stays exactly the same for very long. Tomorrow I'll probably move Soulver on there because I'll convince myself I absolutely need a calculator app on the first page. What do you keep on your Home screen, and how do you decide what goes on your front page? Let me know in the comments, and show us what's on your home screen over in the forums.

I've already shown you not only what I have on my iPhone and iPad Home screens, but what I've got in my Mac dock too. A lot of our staff members here at iMore have also shown you what they're using on their iPhones, iPads, and Macs. That means the only thing I have left to show you are the apps and utilities I think are important enough to earn a place in my Mac's menu bar. Follow along to find out!

Off to the right of my menu bar is all the basic stuff that comes standard on every Mac including current user, date and time, volume controls, wifi and bluetooth toggles, and Time Machine. For the most part, you'll see some kind of variation of this setup on every Mac out of the box. Now that we have the boring stuff out of the way, here's what else gets a spot:

• iStat Menus: iStat Menus by Bjango is a system monitoring app that Peter turned me on to a while back. Not only can it track CPU usage, but RAM usage, network traffic, and pretty much every other chip or connection your Mac has. It's a huge help when you have to pinpoint an app or process that's causing problems. It has become one of the first things I install when setting up a new Mac. $16 - Download Now
• AirPlay: If you have an Apple TV floating around your house that's connected to the same network as your Mac, you'll probably recognize this icon. We have three of them between the bedroom, office, and living room. Whenever I want to beam content from my Mac to any one of them, the AirPlay icon in my Mac menu lets me do it in just two clicks. There's nothing to download or install, OS X will automatically show AirPlay anytime there's a capable device within range.
• Google Hangouts: We use Google Hangouts quite often for conference calls and meetings across Mobile Nations. That's why I find it essential to be able to sign in or access it quickly. The Mac app lets me do that in just one click. I can also initiate a private chat with any colleague just as easily. I don't use this feature all that often since we use Skype regularly, but it's nice to know it's there.
• Fantastical: I use Fantastical across the board on both OS X and iOS. It is one of the absolute best calendar replacement apps, if not the best. Fantastical supports natural language input and reminders all in one app. That clears up two places in my dock. I can also access it from virtually anywhere as well as assign shortcut keys to create events without ever taking my fingers off the keyboard. It doesn't get much better than that when it comes to calendar and reminder management. $19.99 - Download Now
• CloudApp: CloudApp is a link shortening and image storage service. It is available on most platforms and integrates with many third party apps for both Mac and iOS. I use it frequently to share screenshots, links, and documents. Since it integrates nicely into the iOS apps I have, it means I have one central account to review and access all the media I've uploaded. It's just that much easier to keep track of socially shared stuff in one central location. Free - Download Now
• TextExpander: We use a lot of links around here at iMore. I also respond to a lot of similar emails. Text Expander makes is super simple to create shortcuts based on the things I do the most. I can't even imagine how many keystrokes I've saved by using TextExpander snippets. You can also share them via Dropbox in order to create snippets for a group. We do it here on iMore and it works amazingly well. I add a snippet and everyone else has it too. The only caveat is that the Mac App Store version is somewhat limited, that's why we recommend buying it directly from SmileOnMyMac instead so you get the full feature set the way it was intended to work. $34.95 - Download Now
• Dropbox: Not only is Dropbox my main cloud storage service, I use it to share documents with colleagues, family, and friends. It integrates into pretty much every platform I use and could ever want to use. Almost every third party app that hooks into storage services supports it. It sits in my Mac dock because I access it countless times a day for everything from PSD templates to imagery to PDF documents. It's all there, on every device I own. Free - Download Now

That's it! I don't like to keep an over abundance of apps in my Mac's menu bar or I feel it looks too cluttered. Now it's your turn, let me know what you're must-have menu bar items are in the comments below! Do we share any of the same ones? Let me know that too!

Like many of you, I rely on Dropbox to share files with friends, family and coworkers. When it comes to my coworkers, we have a lot of files we share, and some of them are quite sizable photos and graphics files.

I use a MacBook Pro with flash storage, so space is at a premium. While having access to those shared files is helpful, I don't need all of them taking up valuable storage space locally on my Mac.

Fortunately Dropbox has considered this. There's a Selective Sync feature that enables you to specify which folders will be copied locally to your Mac. If you need access to them, you can just pull up a web browser and grab them from there instead.

How selectively sync files in Dropbox

1. Go to the menu bar and click on the Dropbox icon.
2. Click on the gear icon in the lower right hand corner.
3. Click on Preferences.
4. Click on the Account icon.
5. Click on the Change Settings... button next to Selective Sync.
6. Check only the folders you want copied locally to your computer.
7. Click the Update button
8. Dropbox will ask you if you want to update Selective Sync settings. Click Update.
9. Dropbox instantly removes the unchecked folders.

When I need the files that have been shared with me, I simply open Dropbox in my web browser and download what I need.

Bear in mind that this doesn't affect the amount of space you're allowed in your Dropbox account. Those files are still being shared and accessed through your account, and are accessible on other connected devices. So if you've run out of space, you'll still have to upgrade your Dropbox account. But this is a handy way to get back local space you'd rather not use storing files you only need very occasionally.

Using this technique I was able to recover about 3 GB of hard disk space. How about you? Let me know in the comments.

Want to take your spreadsheets, documents, and presentations from Dropbox and start using them with Apple's iWork suite of Numbers, Pages, and Keynote, and store them in iCloud? Luckily, both Dropbox and Apple make it easy to do. Here's how!

How to transfer files from Dropbox to Pages, Keynote, and Numbers

1. Launch the Dropbox app on your iPhone or iPad, navigate to the file you want to open in Pages, Keynote, or Numbers, and open it inside of Dropbox.
2. Tap on the Share button in the bottom left hand corner.
3. Now tap on Open In....
4. In the popup menu, tap on Pages, Numbers, or Keynote. For instance, if you're trying to open a spreadsheet, you'd have the option to open it in Numbers. If you're open a word document, Pages should be an option.

If you have multiple files you need to move over to iCloud from Dropbox, you can do so quickly from a Mac by copying and pasting the files into iCloud.

See also:

• How to move existing iWork files from your Mac to iCloud

We've told you about what's on our iPads and Macs before, explaining our choices in apps, desktop wallpaper and more. It's my turn again so I thought I'd share with you the contents of my Mac's menu bar. I've customized the bar with a bunch of applications and tools that I think are indispensable.

I'll skip most of the basic Apple stuff like Date & Time, the system's standard battery gauge, volume level and Bluetooth. I assume you're familiar with them and know what they do. You will notice, however, that Time Machine is active. I feel very strongly that Time Machine is the best way to make sure you can easily recover from a major problem and strongly advocate that you use it by whatever means you prefer - external hard drive, Time Capsule or compatible NAS system.

• iStat Menus: One of my favorite system add-ons, usually one of the first tools I'll install on any new Macintosh. iStat Menus lets me visualize CPU and network traffic, memory status, disk usage, battery life and even temperature and voltage readings with a single click. $16 - Download now
• Creative Cloud : I was skeptical at first about paying for software as as service, but Creative Cloud has changed the way I use Adobe products. They're frequently updated with new features, and it's an impressive range of features across the different apps, most of which I underutilize, if I use at all. I mainly stick to Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom and Acrobat Pro. $49.99 per month - Download now
• TextExpander: Smile Software's typing shortcut utility is a godsend for anyone who writes or has to input repetitive data on their computers. We use it to add snippets of information and links to pages quickly and easily when we're writing the content you read on iMore. (Buy it from Smile's web site — the Mac App Store version is crippled thanks to Apple's sandboxing requirements.) $34.95 - Download now
• Airspace: The control software for the Leap Motion Controller. The Leap Motion Controller lets you gesture in space rather than using a trackpad or mouse; it's a bit like having a Kinect on your Mac. Terrific fun, and loads of games designed to support it. Airspace acts as a portal to the Airspace Store, where you can download new Leap Motion Controller-optimized apps. $79.99 - Buy now
• Crashplan: While I depend on Time Machine for regular backups, that's not where my backup strategy ends. Having offsite backup is important if a catastrophe occurs. I can't rotate out Time Machines on a regular basis, so I've retained the services of CrashPlan instead. This service enables me to back up every Mac on my home network, including the ones used by my wife and kids. It's my second line of defense. Family plan: $149.99 - Download now
• gfxCardStatus: I use a Retina MacBook Pro, which has both integrated video and a discrete video system for higher-power work like image editing and gaming. This handy little passive tool shows me at a glance if the energy-saving integrated video mode is on, or if the more battery-hungry discrete graphics system is being used. What's more, I can use it to force the integrated video on; it slows down graphics-intensive apps but helps my battery live a bit longer between charges. Donationware - Download Now
• Dropbox: The popular cloud storage service is vital to us at iMore - we use it for common files we use throughout our work, templates, source art and more. What's more, I use it to share files I need to get to other people - it's as simple as moving a file into my Dropbox folder and control-clicking it to get a link I can drop in an e-mail or share via social media. Free - Download now
• SugarSync: Dropbox is great for shared repositories, but those files need to live in the Dropbox folder. SugarSync helps me synchronize the rest of my files. My Documents folder contains dozens of subfolders I use for various work and personal files - my archive of iMore articles, for example, receipts, stuff I've written for other publications and much more. Those are files I want instant access to regardless of what Mac I'm using - SugarSync makes it happen seamlessly. $7.49 per month - Download now
• Flint: Campfire is an essential communication tool for the iMore staff - it's our editorial bullpen, for all intents and purposes. Flint is an excellent Campfire client that lets me know at a glance if there's anything going on that I need to pay attention to. It maintains transcripts and can also ping me with a Notification Center alert if messages containing any words (like my name) are posted. $7.99 - Download now
• Echofon: My favorite Twitter client for the Mac. Syncs between its OS X and iOS counterparts, so I don't have to read the same tweets twice. Clean interface, fast, and well supported. $9.99 - Download now
• Fantastical: Flexibits' calendaring app provides me with an instant view of my upcoming appointments along with reminders, and lets me enter new items in my calendar using natural language parsing. It's a great replacement for Apple's own Calendar app. $19.99 - Download now
• Skype: I have to admit that I'm not the most enthusiastic Skype user. But Skype is an essential business tool. I used it to talk with other iMore folks, I use it to interview people, I use it to get in touch with friends and colleagues. The big advantage to Skype is that it's multiplatform - something that despite Apple's initial promises, FaceTime is not. Free - Download now

That's it! Those are all my menu items. See any common tools that you rely on? What other menu tools do you find completely necessary? Sound off in the comments.

Dropbox, the popular online storage service, has begun circulating a new terms of service (ToS) agreement that wants to remove our ability to sue or join in class-action lawsuits against them and instead agree to arbitration using an arbiter of their choosing. Here's how the Dropbox blog phrases it:

Tiffany Baxendell Bridge of Quibbling has already elaborated on the reasons why opting-out is likely in your best interests. I'll add mine here — Dropbox houses much of my documents directory. That's most of my work, personal and professional. There's a trust relationship there that I feel is best served by them having the legal equivalent of the Sword of Damocles hanging over their collective heads. If my privacy is violated, if my data is misused or abused, if my stuff is in any way compromised, I'd just as soon have every measure under the law available to me should I need to seek redress. None of which is served by pushing me into an arbitration process wholly under their control.

So, I'm glad Dropbox is providing an easy online opt-out mechanism and I've already taken advantage of it. It's only good for 30-days from date of notification, however, so I urge you to read the new Dropbox ToS — which also includes new language on permissions, new privacy clarifications, unification of Mailbox ToS, and new ToS for Dropbox for Business as well.

After informing yourself, if you want to take advantage of Dropbox's arbitration opt-out, hurry up and go here, and then let me know what choice you made and why!

We've already decided on our best apps of 2013 but we still want you to know our most personal ones — the apps we have given primetime spots on our Home screens. Rene's already shared his iPad Air setup so now I'm going to share what's on my iPhone 5s, at least for right now. See, the first page of my Home screen rarely ever stays the same for more than a few weeks. I switch apps based on what I need and like at the time. There are a few staples, however, that might get shuffled but never get bumped. Here they are!

• Wallpaper: I've always been a fan of plain gradient wallpapers mainly because they don't compete for attention with app icons. I can easily pick things out without straining my eyes. When the iPad Air came out, I loved the wallpaper on it so much I searched for an iPhone version and saved one off Google images. It's been alternated between other gradients ever since.
• Stock apps: Six of the spots on my Home screen that never change are occupied by the native Camera, Photos, Clock, App Store, Passbook, and Music apps. Typically they always remain in the same place too. I always know exactly where they are and they've become pretty much muscle memory.
• Fantastical 2: Ever since the first version of Fantastical came out I've never even thought about returning to the default Calendar app. It's just too good. And now that the new version integrates reminders, it's another spot I've been able to open up on my Home screen since I don't have to have the native iOS Reminders app taking up space.
• Beats Music: Beats Music has replaced the spot Rdio previously occupied on my Home screen, at least for now. I stream a lot of music during the day and even though I like iTunes Radio, I've always depended on a premium streaming service when it comes to downloading music for offline listening. I'm far too finicky with music to buy everything I like. Subscriptions suit my personality far better since I tire of things quickly.
• iMore: I am pretty sure this one speaks for itself. If you don't have it already, stop what you're doing, download it, and then continue as you were.
• Reeder 2: I've turned to Reeder for a long time when it comes to RSS feeds. Perhaps it's out of habit, I'm not sure. When Reeder 2 came out it was a no brainer for me and I haven't been disappointed. It sorts my feeds how I want and sends them to all the services I care about. It isn't too over the top which is what I love about it.
• Podcasts: I've made a New Years resolution to actually attempt to keep up with the podcasts I enjoy. I've been bad at this in the past and I'd like to change it. But I'm not a hardcore podcast listener so Apple's Podcasts app more than suits my current needs.
• Remote: There are very few things in life I despise more than the tiny silver remote that comes with every Apple TV. It buries itself in any couch crease or bed sheet it can find, and I've given up looking for it. If you own an Apple TV, the remote app is a must have on every iOS device you own.
• Tweetbot 3: I have a nasty habit of switching between Twitter clients frequently. I always come back to Tweetbot. Its feature set is pretty much unmatched, at least for what I use it for. It's also the most reliable in my experience.
• Facebook: As much as I'd love to hate Facebook, I still find myself checking my news feed whenever I'm bored. Possibly out of habit. I already know none of it is relevant and all of it is pretty much crap ads nowadays. Perhaps just moving it altogether would be a good idea...
• Facebook Messenger: Hate if you want, but the voice calling and messaging capabilities of Facebook Messenger are hard to put down. When traveling internationally it's saved me a few times especially when calling someone who didn't have FaceTime. For that it earns a spot on my Home screen. And it lets me not really open Facebook if I don't have to.
• Instagram: As much as I hate to admit it, I take far too many photos of my dogs and my dinner. Where else would I slap a fancy filter on them and upload them for all of your viewing pleasure?
• BillGuard: It's the best damned credit card monitoring service on the planet. Not only does it monitor for fraud, but hidden fees, deals, and savings. All for a one time in-app purchase of $9.99. If you own a credit card or checking account it's a no brainer.
• MyFitnessPal: We all know how it is. The holidays are over and it's time to get back in shape. MyFitnessPal is a great way to do so, no subscription service necessary.
• Faves folder, page 1: I have the usual suspects such as Dropbox and Settings. From there I've got Chase which I use to manage my personal accounts, deposit checks, and QuickPay money. Foursquare and GetGlue are my favorite check-in apps and I use them both fairly regularly, when I remember that is. Trello is what we use here at iMore to manage and plan content so that's a must. The next two are iMore related too and they are Flint which lets me sign into our Campfire chat system while on the go. Chartbeat then lets me monitor iMore's traffic and see what you, our readers, are currently reading. Creepy right?
• Faves folder, page 2:The last page in my Faves folder contains some basics such as the AirPort Utility to manage my home network and my Pebble app. Other than that I've got more iMore stuff such as Skype and Evernote. I use the first to communicate with my colleagues and the latter as a way to take notes or jot down thoughts throughout the day. Any RSS stories I want to remember to read later get sent to my Pocket app. As for weather, I'm currently using BeWeather due to the beautiful design and in-depth information. mydlink Lite lets me monitor our home cameras and last but not least, TeeVee 2 keeps me up to date on all my favorite shows including reminding me an hour before a new episode is going to air.

And that brings me to the end of the first page of my iPhone Home screen. The next several pages are filled with folders of even more apps. Important ones but ones that aren't used nearly as much as the ones mentioned above. So what's on your Home screen? Do you share any of the same first page habits I do? Be sure to let me know in the comments and then jump in our forums and show us what's on your Home screen!

Dropbox has been updated to version 3.0 and it brings with it an all-new, all iOS 7 look and feel. That includes a smoother, faster iPad experience with easy-to-toggle full screen mode. You can share more easily, including via AirDrop. There's also video saving, and enhanced PDF viewing.

It definitely scores highly on the deference and clarity scales. Clean, crisp, and consistent. If you like the core principles of iOS 7, you'll like this update.

If you're already using Dropbox, the update is ready and waiting for you. If not, check it out on the App Store now.

• Free - Download now

Dropbox has allowed instant upload for iPhones for quite some time. While the Mac version isn't getting the exact same treatment, it is getting a new import tool for iPhoto users. You can also now choose to automatically save screenshots to your account whenever you take them, according to the Dropbox blog:

Basically, just take enable the screenshot feature and Dropbox will automatically upload your screenshots and copy the link for you. No need to use a separate sharing service if you don't want to.

WIth the new iPhoto import tool, you can easily get all your iPhoto events into Dropbox seamlessly. While an importer is a nice added feature, it would probably be more useful if it worked more like automatic uploads does on the iOS version.

If you happen to try either of these features out, let us know what you think in the comments!

Source: Dropbox blog

The Dropbox app for both iPhone and iPad not only stores all your files but lets you share them with people when and if you need to. From individual files to entire folders, you can easily create links to share content with someone. While it isn't the native sharing and collaborating option the Dropbox website gives you, it can at least get files to someone in a pinch quicker than getting to a computer.

Here's how to share a file or folder:

• How to share an individual file in Dropbox for iOS
• How to share an entire folder in Dropbox for iOS

How to share an individual file in Dropbox for iOS

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
2. Navigate to the file you'd like to share and tap into it.
3. In the top navigation, tap on the share button in the upper right hand corner.
4. Now choose the way you'd like to share the file. For this example, we will email the link.
5. Dropbox will now launch you into the app you've chosen to share through or copy the link to your clipboard.

How to share an entire folder in Dropbox for iOS

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
2. Navigate to the folder you'd like to share and tap into it.
3. In the top navigation, tap on the share button in the upper right hand corner.
4. Now choose the way you'd like to share the folder. For this example, we will email the link.
5. Dropbox will now launch you into the app you've chosen to share through or copy the link to your clipboard.

Dropbox is not only a useful cloud storage service for organizing files on your computer, but also on your iPhone and iPad. With the ability to not only view files in your Dropbox account but manipulate them as well, Dropbox for iOS makes it easy to move, delete, and manage your files right from your iPhone and iPad.

Here's how:

• How to delete multiple files and folders at once in Dropbox for iOS
• How to move multiple files and folders at once in Dropbox for iOS

How to delete multiple files and folders at once in Dropbox for iOS

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the menu icon in the upper right navigation. It looks like a set of three dots.
3. Now tap on the edit option in the popup menu.
4. Tap on the names of the folders or files you'd like to delete.
5. Now tap Delete in the lower left hand corner.

How to move multiple files and folders at once in Dropbox for iOS

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the menu icon in the upper right navigation. It looks like a set of three dots.
3. Now tap on the edit option in the popup menu.
4. Tap on the names of the folders or files you'd like to move.
5. Now tap Move in the bottom right hand side of the navigation menu.
6. A new window will pop up. Either tap on the folder you'd like to move the files to and select Choose or tap on Create Folder in order to create a new folder to drop the files into.

When moving files, you can drill down into folders and create subfolders if you'd like too. Just get to the location you want to either drop the files or create a new folder and then choose an option in the bottom navigation. That's all there is to it!

Dropbox for both iPhone and iPad makes for a great way to free up some physical storage space on your devices. Instead of just lumping all of your mobile uploads into the main directory, Dropbox makes it easy to create folders to organize your content so you don't have such a hard time finding it later.

Here's how:

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the menu option in the upper navigation. It looks like three dots.
3. Now tap on the option for Create Folder.
4. Give your folder a name and then tap on Create.

That's all there is to it. The folder will be added to your Dropbox and you can now start uploading content to it.

Dropbox lets you create folders inside of folders as well. To do so, simply navigate to the directory inside of an existing folder that you'd like to create a new folder in and just choose the menu option from there and create a folder. It will be created in the directory you're currently in.

Dropbox is one of the most widely used online storage services around. Dropbox for iPhone and iPad is a super convenient way to clear up some on-board storage as long as we remember to be conscious of protecting the data we put there.

Adding a passcode to Dropbox for iOS can help safeguard your important files in the event your iPhone or iPad falls into the wrong hands. Here's how to do it:

1. Launch the Dropbox app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on the Settings icon which is in the bottom right of the navigation menu.
3. Under the Settings section, tap on Passcode Lock.
4. Type in a 4-digit passcode of your choice that you'll remember. You'll be asked to type it in twice to confirm it.
5. A passcode will now be enabled. We also recommend turning the Require Immediately setting to On for further protection from someone gaining access to your Dropbox account.

That's all there is to it. The Dropbox app will now ask for that passcode anytime someone tries to access it from your iPhone and iPad. For those that store a lot of data in Dropbox, losing it could be disastrous and this is just another step to safeguard yourself from that happening.

Dropbox is currently hosting their inaugural DBX developer conference, and has announced a couple of interesting items already. First up is the new "Dropbox Platform," a suite of tools for developers to utilise to access Dropbox data across different devices and operating systems. Better still, the new Datastore API will provide the ability to sync contacts, to-do lists, oh, and game states.

Google announced a cross-platform gaming tool back at Google I/O, but we'll certainly welcome another. Dropbox is available in some form on every major mobile OS, plus Mac, Windows and Linux, so the possibilities are far and wide. One forthcoming example of some of the new Dropbox tools is their recently aquired iOS app, Mailbox, which will soon be able to send file attachments from your Dropbox account right within the Mailbox app. No word yet on when it'll be rolling out. What do you guys think? A step forward for cross-platform syncing?

via Engadget

The Dropbox app for iPhone and iPad has been updated to version 2.1, and added features include a new PDF viewer to better render your portable document files, as well as push notifications to alert you to shared folders, and the ability to sort files by date modified.

If you're a Dropbox user, get the update now. If you haven't tried out Dropbox yet, it's the most popular online file store for iOS, and you get a free account, grab the free app, and give it a try.

• Free - Download now

iCloud promised ubiquitous access -- all our stuff, every where and every when we wanted it. Not sync, Apple very carefully, almost awkwardly explained it, but an idea that was and is just as simple. You create something, it gets stored on the iCloud, and pushed down to all of your iOS and OS X devices. Not a server-side truth store, and critically, not a file system either. Unlike Google, it didn't live in the browser, and unlike iDisk, which came before it, there were and are no folders or hierarchies to get lost in, no Finder or Explorer to trudge through. iCloud, as Apple positioned it, was and is something new and something potentially much, much better.

The problem is, it doesn't work yet.

The architecture is unnecessarily dependent on apps. If I create a document in Text Editor 1, not only do I have to remember the document I created but, if I want to access it again, I also have to remember the app I created it in. If I later switch to a much better Text Editor 2, my document doesn't switch with me. I have to either copy and paste every document from Text Editor 1 into Text Editor 2, or keep a list of which documents are where. That's a non-trivial amount of cognitive overhead. If at some point I move on to Text Editor 3, or delete (or switch devices and don't re-install) Text Editor 1, it gets even worse. I have to track my documents over multiple access points, and perhaps even re-install old apps just to get back to the documents locked inside. It's a mess.

Decoupled, documents that present themselves to any app that supports editing their type, and apps that simply pull any document whose type they support, would be much simpler and better. A smart version of a document picker would remove the cognitive burden from users and let the system do all the heavy lifting. (I used to want Photos/image-picker-like access via a Files.app repository, but increasingly I think a flat store with search better fits the future.)

Of course, even if you do manage to keep track of all your documents across all your apps, iCloud's store and push features still haven't proven reliable enough for primetime. Key values seem to work okay, but documents still sound like a bag of hurt, with many developers struggling to implement them, or giving up on them entirely and switching to another solution. And that's on top of the larger problem facing Apple's services -- they're not historical one of the company's strengths, and haven't historically received the attention that Apple's software and hardware have enjoyed.

While Google, Facebook, and Amazon can snap up developers and designers and push out better looking and working apps, it's hard to imagine a plucky startup Apple could buy -- much less a NeXT-level acquisition Apple could make -- to jumpstart their services talent and technology the way they did their local operating system over a decade and a half ago.

Best case, Apple has secretly been working on something as important to the next generation of online services as WebObjects was to the last. Worst case, we're all in for a lot of pain and turbulence as they struggle to figure it out.

And that's in stark contrast to something like Dropbox, which enjoys about as much popularity on iOS as can be afforded a third-party service.

I've used Dropbox for years. My entire OS X documents folder lives in Dropbox. It's the first thing I install whenever I set up a new Mac. It's the closest thing I've found, Google Drive and Microsoft SkyDrive be damned, to truly automagical sync. It has versioning, it has un-delete, it has selective sync, and it's saved my ass more times than I can count. It's also being improved on the API side, making it even easier for developers to integrate. (Dropbox, it turns out, has also been a bag of hurt for developers for years.)

But here's the thing -- for all Dropbox's automagical-ness, it's a relic of the past. It's a file system. It's a hierarchy. It's a folder sync. It's a bunch of encrypted data stored on Amazon's S3 network.

As much as iCloud is the right thing still not realized, Dropbox is the wrong thing done brilliantly well. And at the end of the day, that still amounts to the wrong thing.

Those of us used to, and clinging to, traditional file systems love it, and will continue to love it as it becomes marginalized into obsolescence, as the growing mainstream -- those who aren't power users but are increasingly empowered users -- who won't get it and shouldn't be subjected to it, sweep past it and onto newer, better things.

iCloud could be that better thing, if Apple can nail it. It could be the iPad-style car to the old file system truck. So could something else, including a new version of Dropbox. But nothing and no one is there yet. So, as iPhones and iPads and other appliances bring computing to a broader user base than ever before, the services that bind them remain stuck between the best-ever version of the past, and a still sputtering and stammering future.

Dropbox, folder sync darling of iOS developers and users alike, has announced a new Dropbox Sync API that aims to make implementing in-app sync easier, but also safer and more constrained. The Dropbox blog announced three key parts of the API:

• Dropbox, built in, which lets developers embed Dropbox to the extent that it looks like a local file system inside an app.
• Write locally, sync globally, which lets a developer do basic file system actions like list contents, move, and delete.
• Work offline, which uses local cache to handle operations when not connected to the internet.

The Dropbox SDK has examples of a notes app for iOS that includes just such Sync API integration, to help developers jumpstart their efforts.

I'm not a dev, so I can't claim any deep insight into the challenges of mobile sync. However, having spoken to numerous Dropbox developers in the past, it sounds like the seamless experience users have enjoyed in North America hasn't been easy to implement on their side, and hasn't been as seamless internationally. Obviously, Dropbox's hosts building more data centers outside U.S will help with the latter, while the Sync API is aimed squarely at the former.

That said, for those developers who have already spent time and effort building against the old API, there doesn't seem like there's any reason for them to considering a switch to the new API any time soon.

Justin Williams, the developer of Elements, an enormously popular Dropbox-based Markdown text editor, told us:

Denys Zhadanov of productivity powerhouse, Readdle shared:

So we may well see more apps with Dropbox sync in the future, but not necessarily anything transformative-ly better. That means, for me, it still doesn't solve the biggest problem with Dropbox. But I'll save that for a later article. If any developers are giving the new Dropbox Sync API a whirl, let me know your thoughts. For Dropbox users, let me know what you'd like to see improved in the Dropbox apps you're using.

Source: Dropbox blog

If you don't live in the United States but make use of Apple's online storage system, iCloud, US authorities could technically obtain and view your information without your consent. Actually, this doesn't just affect iCloud, but any cloud storage service such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and any other service that is based in the United States.

While this isn't new news, nor reason to stop using all your cloud storage accounts, it's still interesting and worth knowing, especially if you live outside the US but have a lot of your data stored with iCloud or another service. The Independent has an intriguing story on the subject and what it means for international users -

This basically means that if US authorities found reason, they could search your cloud storage accounts for information. Most of this was probably put into place to prevent acts of terrorism considering this rule doesn't apply for United States residents. Even so, it just goes to show that sometimes convenience comes at the price of privacy.

The Independent goes on to explain why the rule may have went into affect -

Basically FISA was put into place to target any potential threats. Basically, unless you give them a reason or raise a red flag for them to follow up on, your data probably won't ever be looked at our touched. Any foreign readers out there have any input on whether this would affect your decision to use cloud storage services?

Source: The Independent

Microsoft SkyDrive, Dropbox, and the newly introduced Google Drive) all focus on storing your data in "the cloud" (i.e. in massive data centers) instead of on a physical hard drive in your home or office. That means not only can you free up some valuable internal storage space, but enjoy the piece of mind that comes with solid off-site backup, and the convenience of accessing your files from all your computers, many of the your devices, and almost any web browser. While Dropbox, Skydrive, and Google Drive will all get the job done, which one is the best choice for most iPhone and iPad users?

SkyDrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: Interface and Experience

While you can access Dropbox, Skydrive, and Google Drive via the web, that's not usually not the best option for iPhone and iPad users. Apple severely limits what web browsers can do in iOS, so while web sites are great to view supported files, they're not much good for anything else. That means the first thing most iPhone and iPad owners will do when choosing a cloud storage service is to look at their native app offerings.

SkyDrive is a universal app for iPhone and iPad users. The overall interface is incredibly straight forward and easy to use. Upon signing into SkyDrive, you'll be presented with your files and folders. You can choose to view them as a list or a grid. Tapping into a folder allows you to view the contents and open any documents inside that folder. You can also upload pictures to SkyDrive or create more folders.

If you need to edit a document, you can open it in a supported app by tapping the export button. Unfortunately you won't be able to sync changes back or save back to SkyDrive unless the individual app supports saving to SkyDrive. This is both a limitation of iOS and a product of SkyDrive's popularity relative to DropBox.

Dropbox functions in a very simliar way to SkyDrive and is also available for both iPhone and iPad. That's not surprising -- there are only so many ways to make a file browser. In the Dropbox app you can navigate through folders and mark things as favorites. Doing that stores a file locally for quick viewing later, even if offline. You can also pop into settings and set Dropbox to cache a certain storage amount locally for even quicker access to files you view regularly.

You can upload pictures and videos to Dropbox from within the app, but nothing else. (Again, that's an iOS restriction.) You will, however, be able to view many common files types from your iPhone or iPad such as Word, Excel, PDFs, and many image file types. You can also send supported files to other apps for editing or viewing.

Google Drive doesn't have a native iPhone or iPad app yet. (Google says they're working on it.) You can access your Google Drive files via mobile Safari though. It's not the most intuitive or functional solution and it has to make you wonder what exactly Google was thinking when they released Drive without an iOS companion app. (It's not like they lacked the time or resources to get it done for launch day.)

As a work around, you can use the Google Search app which provides access to Google Apps. It's not a full solution but it works. You could also add a homescreen bookmark to Google Drive for quicker access.

Until the iOS app arrives, iPhone and iPad users will probably shy away from Google Drive. Dropbox is easy to use but could definitely make do with an update. Right now, SkyDrive has the best design and interface.

SkyDrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: Features

While SkyDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive are all cloud storage and sync services, they all work differently and offer a different set of features. Before you decide which one is for you, you need to figure out exactly which features you need most.

SkyDrive boasts online file collaboration, public file sharing, and version tracking. You'll be able to edit files online via the Microsoft Office web apps, or from your computer via the traditional Microsoft Office suite, and have them all on your iPhone or iPad when you need them.

If your main purpose is to use a file storing service to free up space on your iPhone or iPad, SkyDrive can help you do that with built-in media streaming, which means you can upload music and video to SkyDrive and stream it into the app on your iPhone or iPad.

Dropbox also offers built-in media streaming in their iPhone and iPad app. You'll also be able to share files and folders online, create share folders publicly, and track document versions. However, Dropbox doesn't include the ability to edit documents via web-based apps, nor do they have their own desktop suite. You need to open any documents stored in Dropbox in a local editor on your desktop or mobile device.

In addition to lacking an iOS app, Google Drive doesn't currently support media streaming. So, if you were hoping to unload some music and videos to Google Drive, that's not an option yet. You will, of course, be able to access everything on your iPhone or iPad via mobile Safari but that isn't an ideal solution. Google Drive does enjoy Google Docs support, however, but unlike SkyDrive it doesn't offer a native desktop document editing suite.

Google's lack of an iOS app hurts it again here. When it comes to features, Dropbox and SkyDrive are extremely comparable but Dropbox's inability to let users edit files on the web gives SkyDrive a slight edge.

Skydrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: Workflow and syncing

While mobile document creation has come a long way, most iPhone and iPad users will most likely still spend most of their time creating documents on their Windows or Mac PC, and will definitely need to access them there. So, a seamless workflow between desktop and mobile apps is a must.

SkyDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive all offer both a native app for Mac and Windows as well as a free web portal. When it comes to the native Mac and Windows apps, all three apps have almost identical interfaces and functionality. They seamlessly integrate with your file system. You'll just notice a new folder in your main tree of files. They'll also all add a system tray icon to your Mac or Windows PC for quick access.

To use these services from your Windows or Mac PC, you simply drag and drop, or copy and paste your files into the folder, and then work them the same way you did previously. You won't notice any difference, but the files and folders are syncing your data constantly with each respective cloud service.

When you return to your iPhone or iPad to pull up a document, it'll just be there. And if you ever need to access your documents from someone's else's Windows or Mac PC, you can do so easily by accessing the web based version of SkyDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive.

Google has the better desktop clients but their lack of an iOS app kills the overall workflow model. Dropbox has great apps but once again doesn't have online editors like Microsoft or Google. That makes SkyDrive the winner.

SkyDrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: 3rd party app compatibility

Many iPhone and iPad apps integrate support for cloud storage. If you're looking to use text editors frequently, for example, it will matter a great deal which services are supported.

While SkyDrive and Google Drive are fully functional cloud services in their own right, neither enjoys anywhere near the support of Dropbox. Dropbox has simply been around a long time an many developers have chosen to embrace it. In fact, for many apps, you won't find support for many cloud services outside of Dropbox (and Apple's iCloud, which is not exactly the same).

Dropbox by far has the best support from other app developers.

SkyDrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: Storage space and pricing

Using SkyDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive means you get online storage that can free up local drive space, you get online backup that can keep you files safe, and you get remote access that lets you get to your files no matter where you are. All of them offer some amount of free storage, and the ability to buy more to suit your needs.

SkyDrive gives you a generous 7GB for free. If you'd like to add more storage on top of that, this is what you'll pay:

• 20GB - $10 per year
• 50GB - $25 per year
• 100GB - $50 per year

Dropbox gives users the smallest amount of free storage, coming in at only 2GB for a free account. They do offer a referral program that'll allow you to rack up an additional 250MB for each individual you refer up to 8GB total. Otherwise, to buy additional storage, here's what you're looking at:

• 50GB - $9.99 a month or $99 per year
• 100GB - $20 a month or $199 per year
• 1TB+ team accounts - $795 per year for the first 5 users

Google Drive gives you 5GB of free storage from the start. After that, here's what you can expect to pay -

• 25GB - $2.49 a month
• 100GB - $4.99 a month
• 200GB - $9.99 a month

There are sometimes special promotions or cross promotions where you can get additional storage bonuses for free, sometimes for a limited time. It's hard to predict when these will happen or for whom they'll apply, but it's worth doing a web search before paying just to see if there are any special offers available.

Otherwise, Dropbox makes for the most expensive service by far and gives the least amount of free storage to new users. Conversely, SkyDrive offers both the highest amount of free storage and the cheapest price for additional storage. However, Google Drive is extremely competitive, so if you're already a Google user, there's no compelling difference.

SkyDrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: Conclusion

If you take each individual category and weigh them equally, it looks like SkyDrive is the winner here. But not all categories should be weighed equally. A lot of free storage is great. Cheap additional storage is great. Arguably better desktop apps and inarguably better online document editors are great. But none of that matters if you need your cloud service to be supported by your iOS apps and that support simply isn't there.

Until Google Drive gets a proper iOS app with streaming media support, it's impossible to recommend it as anything other than a secondary or tertiary backup service to drop extra copies of your files for extra safe keeping. If you're already a heavy Google user, especially a Google Docs user, the free service is there for the taking.

If you're brand new to cloud storage and all you want to do is offload some media and documents to free up space on your iPhone and iPad, SkyDrive's combination of free storage and low additional storage costs make it the best option.

If you need to have your docs and data available in your iOS apps, then even though it's more expensive and doesn't have an online editor built in, Dropbox is still the only way to go.

Everyone's individual needs and priorities will be different, but for right now, for most users, most of the time, especially if you don't need anything more than the free storage they offer, Dropbox remains the best cloud storage solution for iOS users. iPhones and iPads are app-centric devices, and that's still where Dropbox shines.

Additional resources:

• Dropbox for iPad review
• Instapaper vs. Pocket vs. Readability: Read later app for iPhone shootout
• Pandora vs. Slacker vs. Spotify: iPhone music streaming app shootout

Cloud storage services are a great way to extend and expand the internal storage of your new iPad. Many of the files you store on a cloud service like Dropbox, Box.net, SugarSync, or any other popular cloud service can be accessed both from within their own, dedicated apps and from other software like password apps, note taking apps, document editing apps, and more. Many of them also offer free accounts for a decent amount storages, so there's not cost involved in trying them out.

How to use Dropbox with your new iPad

If you've already got a Dropbox account, you can download the free Dropbox app from the App Store. Of course you can always visit Dropbox.com from Safari on your iPad but the native app is a much more pleasant experience and gives you more features than Safari allows.

If you don't have an account, it's free to set one up at dropbox.com. You can get 2GB for free and up to 100GB for $19.99 a month or $199.99 a year.

Once you've downloaded the Dropbox app, just sign in with your Dropbox login and give your iPad a few seconds to bring down all your files from the cloud. Once it's done you'll see all your files and folders listed just like a computer directory (yes, on your iPad!). From there you can view any file type supported by the iPad, and even send files to other apps for better viewing and even editing. (For example, you can send a Numbers document to Numbers for editing.)

I've found Dropbox to be the best cloud storage app for iPhone. It's also my favorite for iPad.

How to use Box.net app with your new iPad

Box.net is another popular cloud storage app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It's designed with more of a business-user in mind but is available for anyone. It's especially good for users who need to collaborate with others or make frequent options.

Box.net offers a free app via the App Store. All you'll need to do is download it and sign in to access all your files instantly. You can browse them and send them to any other apps that supports them.

If you don't have an account, you can head on over to Box.net and get 5GB for free, and up to 50GB for $19.99 a month.

Other cloud options for iPad

While Dropbox and Box.net are two of the most popular choices - there are certainly other options out there for you to choose from, including SugarSync. (Apple's iCloud is a different kind of service, which is fantastic but which doesn't do quite the same things in the same way, so we're not including it here.)

If you've already got a cloud storage service you use and like, stick with it. Odds are, you'll probably find an application in the App Store to compliment your cloud storage service of choice.

The advantages of the cloud

Once you have your preferred cloud storage service and app set up, there's a lot of great things you can do with it.

• Store music, videos, images, documents, and other files on the cloud that you don't need immediately and always available (i.e. locally on your iPad), but would like to be able to get to when online.
• Always have an up-to-date copy of files that you edit a lot on your Mac, Windows, or Linux PC, right on your iPad. (Some of us keep our PC home directory in Dropbox so it's always in sync and backed up on multiple machines, and getting to those files while mobile is sometimes a life-saver.)
• Quickly move a file from your Windows, Mac, or Linux PC to your cloud storage folder when you need to have it available from your mobile but don't have time to transfer it over locally.
• Make sure collaborators, friends, family, clients, etc. can always see the most up-to-date version of any project.
• Easily share a file you have in your cloud storage by getting a link to email to anyone, anywhere, at any time.

Conclusion

If you're debating between choices, whether or not they have an app for iPad should probably be a factor when choosing a service. The Retina display on the new iPad will definitely increase application size so cloud storage can help move some files off your iPad and in the cloud to free up space for even more applications.

Do you plan on using cloud services to free up some valuable space on your new iPad? Which cloud service are you using?

Dropbox is one of several high-profile cloud storage and sync solutions, but it comes out on top due to its fantastic iPhone (and iPad) support, multi-platform availability, easy to use interfaces, excellent availability and reliability, and highly competitive pricing.

Apple's iCloud is a great way to keep your personal information, your device data, and a few, compatible files like iWork backed up and in sync. However, iCloud doesn't provide anything beyond that. If you want to store files strictly online, if you want to access and edit them from other platforms, if you want past versions of files kept available, if you want an actual filesystem to work with, then iCloud isn't enough. (Anything a previous user of iDisk on MobileMe or .Mac knows and laments.)

Dropbox does all this, easily and transparently, and more.

Dropbox for iPhone opens up with a list of all the files and folders you have stored on their servers, arrange alphabetically. You can swipe up or down to browse, or just like Contacts, you can tap a letter on the right side of the screen to jump to files and folders that begin with that letter. It's like a very simple, iPhone optimized version of Windows Explorer or Mac finder.

If you tap on a file your iPhone understands, like text, HTML, PDF, documents, music, or video, Dropbox will open it up and show it to you. If it's an image file and the folder you're in has multiple images, Dropbox will show you a small gallery button at the top left and if you tap on it, will switch to a thumbnail view for easier browsing. You can even delete files right from your iPhone if you want to.

If another app on your iPhone understands and can do more with that file, like edit it, Dropbox will list the app under the action button and offer to send it there for you. You can also tap the Link button to share the file via email or copy it to the clipboard, or the Favorites (star) button to store a copy of the file locally (so you can access it when offline).

You can choose how much local storage you want Dropbox to use in the options tab. This makes it really handy for not only stories work files or family pictures, but storing PDF copies of your travel documents (airplane, hotel, event registrations, photo of your passport, etc.) as a backup.

Dropbox, smartly, made an open API (Application Programming Interface) so other apps could tie into their services. A lot of iOS apps have chosen to do so, including list-makers, password utilities, and text editors. Here are just a few of our favorites:

• 1Password
• Elements
• Comic Zeal
• Noteshelf
• PDF Expert

If you use multiple mobile devices, Dropbox also has apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry, as well as Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops, and, of course, a website available from pretty much anything that can run a browser.

That means it's really easy to access your files from pretty much anywhere. (Several of us here at iMore keep our entire local work directories in Dropbox, which means our computers are in sync at home, at work, and while traveling, and setting up a new computer is much, much easier.)

Dropbox also makes it easy to share folders and files. I've got several folders set up, some private, some shared. When I'm working on a website for a client I can share a folder with them so we can collaborate and they can preview what I'm doing and share back information I might need. This is far more productive than swapping emails and losing track of changes and versions.

You can move non-vital files off your iPhone (or iPad) an onto Dropbox to free up valuable local storage space. For example, if you have an iPhone 4S you have probably noticed how fast you can fill your phone with 1080p video and high quality images. While I was never able to fill 32GB on my iPhone 4, I'm quickly hitting a wall on my iPhone 4S.

Using Dropbox, I can simply upload photos and videos right from within the app, delete them from the Camera Roll, and still have access to them whenever I'm online. (The online part is key -- if you absolutely, positively have to have something available, make sure you store it locally on your device. Dropbox is for the vast majority of stuff that's okay to leave online.)

If you're traveling and away from your computer, and you need to share a file, you don't have to wait until you get back -- just share a link from Dropbox.

With any online storage solution, security is important. Dropbox encrypts files in transit and when stored on their servers. Dropbox also allows you to protect your files with a passcode on your iPhone. After so many incorrect attempts you can tell it to wipe your data off that device as well. I use Dropbox to store client files and business information so anytime I configure it on my iPhone, I make sure I add a passcode for added protection on top of my default iPhone password.

If that's not secure enough, you can even store encrypted disk images in dropbox, though you won't be able to open them on your iPhone.

Backup is also extremely important. With Dropbox, copies of all your files are stored on their servers. So if you lose your iPhone or your PC hard drive fails, you haven't lost any important date. You just replace the device or the drive, install Dropbox, and all your stuff is back.

The Dropbox app for iPhone (and iPad, it's universal) is free, as are your first 2GB of storage. If you need more, they have several reasonable price plans available.

• 2GB Basic account - Free
• 50GB Pro account - $9.99/month
• 100GB Pro account - $19.99/month
• 1TB+ Team accounts - $795/year for first 5 users

Dropbox also has a referral program that allows you to net an additional 250MB of storage space for each person you refer. Free accounts can earn up to 8GB from referrals while Pro users can get an additional 16GB of free space on top of their paid storage. (So if you sign up for the free account, hit up your friends and family before they find out about it first!)

The good

• Free basic service, reasonably priced plans for power users
• Dedicated apps for iPhone, iPad, other platforms like Android, as well as Windows, Mac, Linux.
• Online access via Dropbox.com
• Wide ranging support from iOS apps
• Referral program allow you to add quite a bit of extra space at no cost to you
• Save images and video from Dropbox directly to your device when you need to
• Easily create links to share files on the go straight from the app

The bad

• File sharing only available on the website
• iOS app lacks viewers for popular formats like Photoshop
• Online file storage is always susceptible to connectivity issues.

Conclusion

When it comes to storing and syncing files online, Dropbox's accessibility from multiple platforms, easy to use interface, free starting service, and reasonably priced professional services make it hard to beat. Other services like Box.net and Sky Drive are comparable but when it comes to iOS app support and native client ease of use, Dropbox comes out on top.

The original handwriting app, Penultimate, is better than ever with its recent update that brings support for Dropbox and Evernote. You can send your notes directly to Dropbox or Evernote and setup Penultimate to automatically backup to Dropbox so that all your notes are always available in the cloud.

• Serious Dropbox integration: Send notebooks and pages directly to your Dropbox, or enable automatic backup to be sure you always have a copy of your notes in the cloud. Open Penultimate files from your Dropbox.
• Evernote support. Evernote's handwriting recognition is a great fit for Penultimate users. You can send notebooks and notes to your account for searching there later. Very simple signup in the app if you want to give it a spin.
• Open new workflows by "Open"ing your notebooks and pages in other apps on iPad.
• Copied images can be pasted into Penultimate, and copied ink can be pasted into other apps.
• Now available in Chinese (simplified) and Korean.
• As always, many other improvements and updates.

Penultimate is available on the iPad and on sale for $0.99.

• App Store link

Have an app you'd love to see featured on iMore? Email us at iosapps@imore.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we'll take a look.

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CloudOn, a free iPad app that offered Microsoft Office functionality with Dropbox support, appeared briefly in the App Store yesterday before going up in a puff of smoke a short time later.

CloudOn has responded saying their app has "sold out", but we think this may have had something to do with server overload.

The fact that CloudOn came with full Dropbox support for storing and managing office files on-the-go was a great idea for power users, and the overall offering is unique in respect to beating Microsoft to the punch at their own game. This could be another reason the app is no longer available, as Microsoft could have called shenanigans if CloudOn didn't go through the appropriate channels before release.

I gave it a quick whirl when it was actually up and running, and noticed the app was somewhat sluggish from the get-go (probably due to how much it relies on the cloud backend to get things done paired with the influx of users hammering their servers).

We'll let you know as soon as CloudOn is back in the App Store. In the meantime, here's its description:

• Use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint on your iPad to create or edit documents.
• Rename, delete and manage documents with your Dropbox account
• Display, edit or create charts, change formatting, spell check, insert comments, into any Word, Excel or PowerPoint files
• Track changes while reviewing Word documents
• Use pivot tables and insert formulas in Excel workbooks
• Display and edit animation or transitions in PowerPoint presentations
• Present in full PowerPoint mode (not in PDF)
• Open files directly from your iPad email accounts or Dropbox account
• Automatically save documents to avoid losing changes

Source: CloudOn

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Has all the furor surrounding Dropbox lately made you wonder how you can better protect your private information? It's always a good rule of thumb to assume that any file you store using a service that has any internet connection at all is by its very nature not protected. (For a variety of reasons, legal or otherwise.) However, there's nothing to stop you from making your files as secure as possible, encrypting them before they ever hit Dropbox's servers. We'll show you how, after the break.

Part of Dropbox's own security document outlines the use of encryption before uploading files, and there are a variety of ways to do this. If you're on a Mac, one of the easiest is to simply use Disk Utility in the OS X Utilities folder to create a special mountable folder that you can lock up to your heart's content. In a few quick steps, you can be sure that your sensitive docs are protected long before they leave your LAN.

Note: iOS can't mount encrypted files so if you used this, you won't be able to open them on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Security is always at war with convenience and this tip is for when you've got to let the security Wookie win.

Open Disk Utility (HD/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility) and choose New > Blank Disk Image from the drop down menu. Now you'll need to choose a few parameters for your disk image.

Here's where it gets only slightly tricky. There's a bunch of stuff you can pick here for your disk image, but it really depends on how much space you have in your Dropbox and how tight you want your security. First, give your new disk image a name (I usually use the same one for the "Save As" field and the "Name" field).

Now, you need to choose how much storage you want to use. Even if you aren't going to fill it, Dropbox will see the new disk image as a single file, so if you only need 100 MB of storage, don't choose the 500 MB disk image size, because it'll be a lot of wasted space. Conversely, you can also choose a custom size if you need a lot more space.

Now, for the important part. If you're doing this at all, there's probably no reason for you to use anything less than 256-bit encryption, so go ahead and just pick that and make it easy on yourself.

Once you're done, you can pretty much leave the other things as they are. Of course you can tweak as much as you like, but it'll work fine with just those two settings. Click "Create" and Disk Utility will ask you for a password. Make it a good one and if you really want to be safe, you can uncheck the "Remember password in my keychain" box. This will force you to enter the password every time you need to access the image - so if you're only concerned about storing it safely on Dropbox and you feel your machine is safe enough, it's up to you how hardcore you want to get. If you leave it checked, your keychain should auto-unlock the image for you each time you open it. But remember, if you uncheck that box, and lose or forget the password, it's really gone, along with anything in that disk image. So be careful.

Now that you've assigned a password, the image will be created. When it's ready, it will auto-mount on the desktop and you can open it and begin adding files.

You can see available space in the bottom of your finder window.

When you're done dropping your sensitive docs in, simply eject the disk image and it will begin uploading to Dropbox. That's pretty much it! If you look in your Dropbox folder, you'll see a disk image, and when you double-click to launch, it'll prompt you for your password. Now you can rest a little easier, knowing that your documents are locked up long before they hit the web.