Making Your Life Easier Using Dropbox

Bob Bertsch, Web Technology SpecialistKathleen Schmaltz, Extension Parent Educator

Dropbox Lives in the Cloud

You don’t generate your own electricity. You plug something into the wall and the electricity is there.

Cloud programs & services work the same way. Instead of residing on your computer, you plug into the Internet and they are there.

What Does Dropbox Do?• Syncs files from your computer to your own storage space

in the cloud.

• Allows you to store up to 2Gb free and up to 100Gb for a fee.

• Allows you to share folders with multiple people in a secure environment.

• Provides access to your files from mobile devices, computers, or Web browsers.

• Backs up your files with a 30 day undo history.

Other Cloud Storage Systems

Feature Dropbox Google Drive SkyDrive iCloudFree Storage 2GB 5GB 7GB 5GBMax. Storage 100GB 16TB 100GB 50GBSync Files Yes Yes Yes YesOffline Mode Yes Yes Yes YesFolder Sharing Yes Yes Yes NoMobile Android,

Blackberry, iPhone, iPad

Android, iPhone, iPad

Windows Phone, iPhone, iPad

iPhone, iPad

Edit Simultaneously

No Yes Yes No

How It Works?• Go to dropbox.com to download and install the Dropbox

desktop application

• When prompted, create your Dropbox account

• Choose your storage space• 2GB – Free• 50GB - $9.99/month• 100GB - $19.99/month

2GB20 yards of books

50GB10,000 5-minutesongs

100GB125full-length movies

How It Works?• After your account is created, a “My Dropbox” folder will

appear on your computer (probably in your “My Documents” folder).

• When setup is complete, any files you put in your “My Dropbox” folder will be synced to your Dropbox space in the cloud.

• You can access those files through a web browser on any computer and on your smartphone or tablet using the Dropbox mobile app.

Cool Ways to Use Dropbox• Securely share a folder with co-workers and colleagues,

even if they are not NDSU employees

• Share files with anyone using a public folder

• Print to your home computer from any computer

• Automatically upload pictures taken with your smartphone to a Dropbox folder

Parent Educators use Dropboxfor Data Collection

Partners Across the State

Statistics Collection Tool

Dropbox Folder for each Region

Dropbox Quarterly Excel Spreadsheet

Yearly Data from One Region

What Could Be in Your Dropbox?Shared office network documentsCommittee correspondenceShared county event photosRegistration databasesDistrict projects – planning Adv Camps4-H leaders to share infoProgram planningConnecting work + home computerWorking together with people for presentationsNewslettersAgendasCommittee document sharing – across different agenciesSome documents are too large to emailSend photos from 4-H events to dropbox for secretary to accessDocuments, powerpoints, inventoriesPhotosCollaborative workItems for dept. Facebook page or web pageGrant proposalsPaper trail approval formsApplications/papers which need to be shared among committeesData sheets

What Could Be in Your Dropbox?Forms for data collectionShare powerpoint filesShare word docsUse it to work from different computers without carrying files from one to anotherStore picturesShare music/movies (Note from Bob: Be sure to do so legally!)collecting./compiling conference presentationsBackup file for presentations (Oh no, I forgot my flash drive back at the office!)Office newsletterOffice narrativeCEDL indicators paperwork for Center for Community VitalityWork on documents from homePhotos and videosRLND Class ProjectsRLND Seminar PicturesQuarterly ReportsExtension CompetenciesShare data files so they can be worked on by several people on more than one computerShare photos and powerpoint files with others in Ext and outside NDSU

Photo Credits:• Outlet – by sixth lie, www.flickr.com/photos/sixthlie/• Library Bookshelf – by twechy, www.flickr.com/photos/twechy/• CD Library – by Gunnar Bothner-By, www.flickr.com/photos/gcbb/• DVDs – by JudeanPeoplesFront, www.flickr.com/photos/judeanpeoplesfront/