Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look, App Review
First Look: File Magic 2.0
If there's a genre of iPhone app that's even more prevalent than fart apps, it's file transfer and viewing apps.File Magic 2.0 (click opens iTunes) is the newest entry into this market from SplashData, an app development firm with years of history in the mobile space. As with the other apps of this type, File Magic provides a way to send files from a Mac or PC to an iPhone or iPod touch, then view those files on the handheld.
For those of you who are using Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, you'll be happy to know that File Magic supports the XML-based .xlsx, .docx, and .pptx file formats for viewing, as well as a number of other document, sound, image, and video file formats. Like Quickoffice, File Magic does not support any of the iWork file formats.
One feature that I felt was a bit of a throwback is the use of a dedicated application on the desktop for transferring files back and forth. While the software, File Magic Desktop, is available for free for both Windows and Mac, you need to download and install the desktop software on any Mac or PC you're going to use File Magic with. Other apps now use Bonjour or web browsers as a way to transfer files without a dedicated desktop app. The last thing I want to have to do is remember to load software onto a computer in order to move data; I'd prefer to just use the tools that are already part of the operating system or default software.
File Magic 2.0 differentiates itself from many of the other file viewing / transfer apps in that it can send files to and receive files from other iPhones on the same Wi-Fi network that are also running File Magic. Those files, of course, can only be those that are actually stored by File Magic; you can't send photos, address cards, or other such iPhone-specific items to other users.
I'm not sure why, but File Magic 2.0 was slower in terms of performing file transfers than similar apps. For example, the large files and folders that I sent to my iPhone with Quickoffice moved very quickly. With File Magic, the same transfers were relatively slow, and several times I had the app actually lock up during a transfer, forcing me to restart the app and try the transfer again.
Depending on your personal preference, you may be thrilled or dismayed by the user interface on the iPhone. The app uses a large, bold-face font to label different folders for different types of files. Those who are app design purists will be appalled, while those who are tired of squinting at tiny type in iPhone apps might rejoice. For me, it's a mixed blessing because I think it's easier to read, but it isn't as nice looking as some of the other apps of this genre.
While using File Magic 2.0, I experienced several bugs. First, importing a PowerPoint file never worked properly for me. My test files are all about 100 slides in length and contain graphics, and when opened on the iPhone, I only saw three slides in each file with none of the graphics appearing. Second, if a file was large (13 MB for one Word document), an error message was displayed telling me that I shouldn't continue to try to open the document, and then File Magic crashed. For small files, File Magic 2.0 worked fine.
As for the pricing of File Magic, US$4.99 is about average for this type of app. Quickoffice Files (click opens iTunes) is less than half the price at US$1.99, Files (click opens iTunes) is more expensive at US$6.99. At the same price is the much more capable Air Sharing (click opens iTunes), which uses WebDAV and Bonjour on the PC or Mac instead of a proprietary desktop application, and which also has the ability to view those pesky iWork documents.
Personally, I think that file transfer and viewing functionality should be built into the iPhone. Most other smartphone platforms have done this for years, and it seems odd that it isn't already in the iPhone. Perhaps we'll see this as a surprise addition to iPhone 3.0? Who knows...
What's your favorite file transfer and viewing app on the iPhone? Leave your comments below, and be sure to check out the gallery for images of File Magic at work.
Gallery: File Magic 2.0 Review
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John B. said 2:38PM on 5-11-2009
I got Air Sharing when I first got my iPhone because it was one of the only ones around. They haven't given me a reason to switch yet. I love the fact that you can access it through either the Finder (and possibly Windows Explorer, but who cares?) or a web browser via its built in web server. I'd recommend it to anyone.
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quandmeme said 6:10PM on 5-11-2009
That's really it. Any reason to check it out over AirSharing? Since it added the alternate scrolling feature (for long documents where inertial scrolling would be intolerable) I don't have any wish list. Must have program.
midnitemarv said 3:00PM on 5-11-2009
420mb download for my MBP through Software Update. Is there any real benefit to getting the combo updater vs. going through Software Update?
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alansky said 6:59PM on 5-11-2009
"420mb download for my MBP through Software Update. Is there any real benefit to getting the combo updater vs. going through Software Update?" --midnitemarv
Looks like you posted this question in the wrong place, but the benefit of installing the combo updater is that it replaces *all* system files, not just those that have changed. Installing incremental OS X updates via Software Update increases the chance that corrupted system files will not be replaced.
MILE said 3:04PM on 5-11-2009
And with the new "AirSharing Pro" you can now even access your iDisk or your box.net storage and much, much more…! Great app and getting better all the time…
(Although they should have made that an update to the existing "AirSharing" app instead of a more expensive standalone application…)
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John B. said 1:11AM on 5-12-2009
I didn't even realize there was a pro version now. That honestly makes me a little mad because I already spend the 5 bucks for the first one. Now instead of updating it they lock the features and charge you for a different version? The pro version looks great actually but I'm not made of money!
midnitemarv said 3:04PM on 5-11-2009
I used Air Sharing at first but didn't like how it really choked on some of the bigger PDF's. I'm now trying out Good Reader and have really liked it so far. Very similar to Air Sharing but with some additional features and is a little faster to boot as well as to use.
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Cronick said 3:11PM on 5-11-2009
Wow. I bought Air Sharing a year or so ago and used it extensively to swap files around while traveling around Europe. I had removed it from my iPhone, but not deleted it from iTunes. This article reminded me that I will need it again soon so I threw it back on my iPhone.
Problem was, I couldn't remember how to use it [major early-onset tech-senility]. So, I fired Air Sharing up and pressed the connection button. Everything I needed to know was right there. 5 seconds later my iPhone is mounted on my desktop and I'm copying files back and forth.
I can't imagine bothering with any other product.
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FearlessFreep said 3:29PM on 5-11-2009
AirSharing > FileMagic.
TUAW has degraded into nothing more than a shill for developers to hawk their subpar apps.
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JD said 3:42PM on 5-11-2009
Has anyone tried ReachMyFile? It's okay as a file viewer, but it's real use is to access the files on your computer. You have to leave an app running on your home machine, but it allows the iPhone app to find your computer wherever you are, and unlike an FTP server, it works through routers and firewalls, over 3G with no worries about your changing IP address. It also allows the iPhone app to use your home computer/smtp to email any file on the home computer. Both of these functions are really useful if, like me, you often find yourself at work having forgotten to bring an important file you need *right now*.
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str1f3 said 5:39PM on 5-11-2009
can'apple releasest wait for the day when any of these apps support iWork 09 formats. I hope that apple releases an iWork mobile with access to iWork.com and iDisk.
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JNGold said 9:04PM on 5-11-2009
The only real problem I had with File Magic was the lack of contact searching when entering an email address.
I now use Quick Office Files which does support contact search and allows sending multiple files in a single email.
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John Golden said 2:25PM on 5-12-2009
Mobile Studio has the best Text file creation feature, it may be the only one. As for viewing files, it views a large amount of different formats. I have movie files, reduced data rates, saved as .3gp. So several Full Length movies are possible. But the most useful is either creating Text files in Mobile Studio or creating them on my Mac and transferring them over. I also discovered that the Free Mac DiskAid App's transfer to it's less apt companion iPhone App FileAid through a USB cable is as easy as it gets. Mobile Studio can access the FileAid directory/folders with a button Mobile Studio has on the bottom of their screen. The so-called "Camera/Photo" button leads you to the FileAid directory. It's all legit and Not jailbroken.
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