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It's amazing how easy it is to fill an 8GB iPhone. While apps like FileMagnet (using a proprietary protocol & desktop companion app) and Air Sharing (WebDAV via your desktop or web browser) provide "documents to go" functionality, this only works if your phone is on the same WiFi network as your desktop—and providing you've enough space left after syncing that episode of Battlestar Galactica! Since the iPhone does not offer expandable storage there are two alternatives. The first is to stream media content to the device (e.g. via BBC iPlayer, Internet radio, or DRM-free iTunes tracks). Alternatively, you could temporarily cache and view a limited range of file types via mobile Safari, or download and store various documents retrieved from your FTP server (e.g. via FTP On The Go, MobileStudio)—or make use of the cloud (e.g. via Dropbox or Box).

Getting your files into the cloud

Dropbox software is available for Mac, PC, and Linux. When installed it creates a local folder on your desktop machine that is automatically synced to an online filestore. You can connect multiple computers to your Dropbox account so that any edits made on one machine are automatically reflected in the local folder on all linked computers:

In addition to using the client software, you can access the contents of your Dropbox from any computer or mobile device with a decent web browser. The web interface is very clean and supports uploading of any file type from your desktop:

The web interface for uploaded files in a shared folder looks like this:

Using a Mac you can open the web interface via a menubar tool, or alternatively browse the Dropbox folder in the OS X Finder:

You can't install the Dropbox software on iPhone—but you can access Dropbox contents using mobile Safari. On iPhone the web app interface is a close mirror:

This uploading facility doesn't work on iPhone, however, due to Apple-imposed limitations (even if you log in to the 'regular' site). If this is a must-have feature there are possible workarounds.

Incidentally even Box, who offer a native iPhone client, can upload photos only (and e-mail a link for sharing):

Streaming to iPhone and saving media

If you have audio (e.g. MP3) or movie files (e.g. MP4) in your Dropbox, when you tap them they will being to download to a temporary cache on the iPhone, and can be played as they do so—providing they are QuickTime-compatible.

Other files types, such as PDF, PowerPoint presentations, and Word documents can also be downloaded for viewing within mobile Safari.

Click thumbnail to enlarge image

MP4 video, MP3 audio, PDF, PowerPoint & Word via Dropbox

However, none of these files can be permanently stored on the device via Dropbox. The only file type that can be saved to the iPhone are images (tap and hold to bring up the Save Image dialogue); these appear in the Camera Roll in the Photos app:

Sharing files with others

Using mobile Safari you can navigate to a file and view it inline (if supported), which generates a URL something like this:

http://dl-web.getdropbox.com/get/folder/file.pdf?touch=code&w=code

It's possible to access any file in your Dropbox (shared or private) even when signed out of Dropbox if you have this URL. You'd need to guess the exact filename and alphanumeric codes, however, if you weren't deliberately sent the link—and that's unlikely (best not to put really private stuff into an online file store anyway). The advantage is, whether shared to a specific individual or not, you can pass on any file that can be viewed on your iPhone to anyone simply by tapping Mail Link to this Page:

Anything you put in a Dropbox folder called Public has a mail icon next to it, meaning you can e-mail someone a download link even for file types that the iPhone can't actually view inline:

These public URLs are slightly simpler:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/code/file.jpg

Sharing photo galleries

You can't share the Dropbox Photos directory, but can share a folder within. Create a shared folder (i.e. gallery/ album) via the desktop web interface or 'regular site' on iPhone:

Once the share is created you can log in to the 'regular' site on the desktop or iPhone to get the share link:

Gallery links have the following syntax:

http://www.getdropbox.com/gallery/code/1/Sample?h=code

...which you cannot copy-and-paste from iPhone as the link is oddly not clickable (so can't be opened in Safari and the link e-mailed from there).

Curiously it is possible to upload photos into the root Photos directory—from where you can enjoy a slidshow—but you need to be logged in as you:

Tapping the '+' button here will only produce an unhelpful generic link; anyone clicking it is asked to log in:

http://www.getdropbox.com/iphone/#photos

Version management

Dropbox includes version management features; the screencast is worth a watch.