Dropbox In 30 Minutes

by Ian Lamont

"Dropbox In 30 Minutes" shows you how to get started with Dropbox -- a remarkable software application that makes it easy to store and share data.

Dropbox is already used by millions of people to handle everything from business documents to personal photos. The application works on PCs, Macs, iPhones, Android devices, iPads, and other mobile devices. It replaces inefficient methods of storing and transferring files, such as emailing attachments and using USB drives.

Dropbox can be a huge time-saver, and can even save you money -- if you know how to take advantage of its features. This guide will get you started, using images, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions to use Dropbox on various operating systems and devices. The ebook includes sections on:

* Dropbox system requirements
* Installing Dropbox
* The Dropbox website
* How Dropbox works conceptually
* Saving your first file
* Working with folders/groups of files
* Opening a file or folder from a second computer
* Dropbox mobile: Downloading and uploading files
* Limited sharing via links
* Sharing folders with other Dropbox users

"Dropbox In 30 Minutes" also includes an unofficial FAQ that answers the following questions:

* How can I get free space?
* How secure is Dropbox?
* How do I delete Dropbox?
* Help! I accidentally deleted an important file! How can I recover it?
* What happens when the same file is opened simultaneously on more than one computer?
* Are the paid Dropbox accounts worth it?
* Why would I want to link my Facebook account to Dropbox?
* What are third-party apps, and how do they relate to Dropbox?

Try "Dropbox In 30 Minutes" today -- it will change the way you use your computer and other devices, and make technology work for you!

Genres: Technology

66 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

I am the author of a half-dozen “In 30 Minutes” guides, including Google Drive & Docs In 30 Minutes, Dropbox In 30 Minutes, Excel Basics In 30 Minutes, and Twitter In 30 Minutes. I’ve been writing about business, technology, education, and culture for years, starting with newspapers and magazines in the 1990s and later expanding to online media. I was the senior editor, new media for IDG’s Computerworld and served as the managing editor of The Industry Standard. My articles, essays, and blog posts have appeared in numerous locations, from the BBC World Service website to Lifehacker.

My interest in technology is rooted in early exposure to computers, video games, and science fiction. I am old enough to remember the original Battlestar Galactica, and read Gene Wolfe’s Shadow of the Torturer when I was 12. I have been writing science fiction short stories for more than 10 years, but in 2014, I took part in NaNoWriMo and managed to produce the first draft of my first science fiction novel which, unfortunately, requires significant revisions before it can be released!

My latest project is Lean Media (leanmedia.org) which is a framework for creating all kinds of media, from books to videogames. The first draft was completed in September 2016, and I expect the book to come out in 2017.

Reviews

[Patricia Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Adequate Outline of Dropbox

I have never used Dropbox but see a need in the near future to help my sister transcribe, edit, and publish a novel she is writing. Working at a distance with my sister and several transcribers will require some tools that I have not used before. Dropbox in 30 gave me a very good sense of what the program can do. How to use it for my specific needs, I will need to invent, or seek specific publishing advice. Collaborating within Microsoft Word will also require consulting the user manual.

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book does what it says - no false advertising here. It took me about 30 minutes to power through and see how the author covers Dropbox. I started using Dropbox about half a year ago and had gone through the effort of investigating their application and website. The website has very few things to click on, but some are icons with no explanation. This book describes those icons so you don't have to experiment, and does that in the allotted time. Good if you like some handholding and are just thinking about using the program.

I won this book in a contest, but this did not bias my review.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a little bit computer illiterate this read did deliver its promise giving me a good overview in less than 30 minutes