Filed under: Software, Beta Beat, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
First Look: Briefcase for iPhone
Briefcase is the latest in a flood of apps for the iPhone that let you transfer files to and from a PC or Mac, then view them on the iPhone. After using a beta for several weeks, my personal opinion is that Briefcase is the easiest of the bunch to use. So far, it's also the only app of this type to allow Wi-Fi file transfer between iPhones.Several competing applications require running special software on the host computer, Briefcase doesn't. Mac users just turn on File Sharing in System Preferences and make sure that the iPhone and Mac are on the same Wi-Fi network. A list of machines appears on the iPhone, you tap on one to connect, and once the user of the computer allows you to have access, you can browse the directories of the machine you're connected to. WIndows and Linux machines simply need to support remote login via SSH. You can also make remote connections to machines if you know the IP address and SSH port number.
When Briefcase arrives in the App Store soon, it will cost US$4.99. A free version, Briefcase Lite, just lacks the ability to zap files to other iPhones. We'll write a full review soon. Until then, enjoy the gallery.
Gallery: FirstLookBriefcase
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
nicleT said 1:40PM on 9-29-2008
No needs of "special software" with Files either.
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foldersapp said 11:19AM on 9-29-2008
Actually Folders for iPhone has been able to share files between iPhones via WiFi for a while now. You just enable WiFi export on one iPhone and then browse to it using Folders on another iPhone. Very easy, works like a charm.
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folderaspp said 11:24AM on 9-29-2008
http://foldersapp.com/
lekas said 6:52PM on 9-29-2008
I recommend Mac products and software to costumers for it's design & simplicity.
If Briefcase is as straightforward as http://heymacsoftware.com/ claims - I'm in with my customers.
Foldersapp said:
"You just enable WiFi export on one iPhone and then browse to it using Folders on another iPhone"
I DON'T want to enable anything for software to work. I just want to use it! That's why I buy Mac.
Beau said 11:22AM on 9-29-2008
Oh this is sweet - A really cool way to share files, since you can't do it via bluetooth. :)
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DevilGhost said 11:26AM on 9-29-2008
Ain't it the same functionality as AirSharing App?
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sam said 11:38AM on 9-29-2008
Yep and AirSharing had the same functionality of DataCase.
Douglas said 11:34AM on 9-29-2008
Thanks for the tip, Steven.
Briefcase has a nice interface and I'll give it a try later but DropCopy also allow transfers between iPhones, and it works damn well too.
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Tom said 12:07PM on 9-29-2008
"WIndows and Linux machines simply need to support remote login via SSH. "
No version of Windows supports SSH out of the box, so this app is pretty useless for transferring files from the phone to a random Windows box.
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Dave said 12:34PM on 9-29-2008
I've been using AirSharing for this, and it works fine, but there's one function that's lacking in all of these apps – the ability to attach one of the files to an e-mail. I thought about this because I'm on the job hunt right now and it'd be pretty impressive if someone asked me for my resume and, right in front of them, I emailed it to them on the spot.
Is there any app that has this function? Heck, does Apple even *allow* that function?
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Louie said 1:18PM on 9-29-2008
AFAIK, the best thing you can do about your resumé right now is to email it to yourself first, then forward it anyone who asks for it. Alternatively, you can have it bookmarked, and forward the URL.
Jack Chance said 1:09PM on 9-29-2008
if you email yourself your CV as an attachment, you can forward it from your phone.
Chester said 1:11PM on 9-29-2008
Email your resume to yourself, and then forward it to the people you are wanting to send it to. Just remove the text in the subject line and change the body to whatever you want it to say.
I know that you are looking for a way to easily send files and what not, and that this isn't really a solution for THAT problem, but I just thought I'd chime in about your resume scenario.
Tetzel1517 said 1:28PM on 9-29-2008
Yeah, I know I can do that, but then I have to constantly keep that e-mail handy and (ideally) near the top of my inbox. Not to sound corny, but I'm looking for a more "Apple-like" solution.
Darren said 3:06PM on 9-29-2008
As an addition to Dave's point, I'm still waiting for the app that lets me send files back to my computer and has access to the iPhone's e-mail attachments. That would be very handy when I'm out somewhere without internet on the computer.
Josh said 1:26PM on 9-29-2008
I agree, using SSH is a bad idea since it is not supported on all systems. Air Sharing used HTTP (WebDAV) which as we all know is supported pretty much universally.
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Jash Sayani said 2:31PM on 9-29-2008
Cool. This is the best file transfer app as AirSharing/TouchFS/DataCase/etc. don't have the feature to browse the computer from the iPhone !
Waiting for the release !
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foldersapp said 3:43PM on 9-29-2008
Again, Folders for iPhone allows you to browse shared files on a PC or Mac from the iPhone and has been out for weeks.
http://foldersapp.com/
MethodicJon said 3:42PM on 9-29-2008
I strongly recommend Caravan. Caravan allows HTTP 'get' and FTP 'put' & 'get' from iPhone, only app in store that I could find that does.
It's the underdog in the whole 'wifi drive' app sector.
This app also crushes FTPOnTheGo. Please see my review.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=286058590&mt=8
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ecume said 4:22PM on 9-29-2008
echo for DropCopy, which works perfectly for sending files between iphones/ipods, and is very Mac-like. Their desktop Mac client has been on my machines for years...
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