Dropbox 1.0 Launches

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Dropbox is among my all-time favorite apps, particularly since I do my work on various computers, but need the convenience of having the same files on-hand. If you’re a fan of this cloud storage and sync solution, you’d be glad to hear that Dropbox has just come out of beta, with significant new features.

The new version of Dropbox still retains the basic functionality of syncing files across different computers that run the software. You also get the same web access to files, in case you find the need to retrieve your work from remote locations. However, the new Dropbox gives notable advantages.

• A reworked architecture promises better performance, with a resource utilization of 50% compared to the beta versions.
• Mac versions of Dropbox is now written entirely in Cocoa, promising a smaller footprint.
• Mac-specific filesystem nuances are also preserved.
• User interface has been improved. In particular, the installer has been redesigned to be more user-friendly. Dropbox is usually an install-and-forget app, so focusing on the installer makes sense.
• The new version synchronizes extended attributes. So-called resource forks are important aspects of certain applications, so these likewise kept intact.
• Selective syncing is introduced. You can now choose to exclude certain folders from being synchronized on specific devices that you own. This can be particularly useful for devices with small storage space, like netbooks.

Dropbox remains free up to 2 GB. Beyond this, users can subscribe to 50 GB of space for $9.99 monthly or $19.99 for 100 GB of space.