Update 2: Box.net will work with first generation iPod Touch units. The team is going to push an update very soon to make this visible on the app description page. You can download the program right now and it is fully compatible with all iPhone and iPod Touch units.

Update: Box.net is looking into why its new app is not working with first generation iPod Touch units and hopes to push out an update soon. We'll keep you posted!

I love Box.net -- the online file storage system that makes it easy to store and share files with other users quickly and easily. A couple of years ago, TUAW wrote up how to use Box.net as an iDisk (and this still works), but now the Box team has made it even easier to access your files while on the go, with the new Box.net iPhone app.

The app, which is compatible with the iPhone and the second generation iPod Touch (sorry 1st Gen touch users!), is simply awesome. Box.net already had an iPhone friendly mobile interface at i.box.net, but while you could access some files from that page, you couldn't play back media and document viewing was more limited. The new application means you can play back audio and video (assuming the file is compatible with the iPhone 2.1's firmware support for QuickTime), view PDF or Office files, view photos, and upload photos from your iPhone or iPod Touch directly to Box.net.

Even nicer, the Box.net app integrates directly with your address book, so you can share a folder or individual document with a contact, just by clicking the "Share" button and selecting the contact from the address book. The application also notifies you of any updates or changes made to your box, which is great for individuals who collaborate with other users using a Box.net account.

I have a free Box.net account (which limits me to 1 GB of storage space and puts a 25 MB cap on file sizes), but I was able to access all my files and documents with ease. On my iPod Touch, Box.net loaded PDF files faster than some other tools I have used for PDF viewing, though I did find that network activity did impact overall speed. When the bridged router I use with my non-802.11n devices was in heavy use, it could take quite some time to load a large PDF. When the G router was idle, load time was almost non-existent, even for 8 or 9 MB files.

I don't have an iPhone, so I cannot vouch for EDGE or 3G speeds -- but over WiFi, speed was solid.

The interface of this app, as you can see from the gallery, is just superb. It perfectly matches both the Box.net website and the iPhone user interface guidelines. Maneuvering through files was a cinch and I love the integration with the address book for sharing files or folders. Being able to upload photos directly to Box.net is also pretty great.

If there was anything that could be on my wishlist, it would be the ability to upload other types of tiles to Box.net as well. Of course, you can always e-mail uploads to Box.net, so this isn't an absolute necessity.

Box.net is free and available from the App Store now.

We mentioned Box.net, an iDisk-like online hard drive service, back when we could begin mounting them on our Macs. To simplify uploading files to your Box.net account, Daniel Ryan has created an Automator action that not only lets you upload with a simple right click, but it also takes care of changing any spaces in file names to underscores, making them much more web-friendly. It isn't difficult to set up or use, but be sure to read Daniel's instructions at Automator World, as the action depends on you having mounted your drive with Mac OS X (which creates a Keychain item to store your password). If Box.net isn't much more than a file repository for sharing (perhaps via their blog-friendly widget), this action should streamline your efforts.

iCal is great. I love the elegant interface, integration with other applications, and most of all, I love how easy it is to publish and share my calenders though .Mac. Unfortunately, paying 60 bucks a year just so I can share my calenders is just not something I can justify. Lucky for cheapskates like myself, there are ways to publish calenders from iCal without paying Apple's exorbitant fees.

Amazon recently launched their Jungle Disk online storage service, which offers a WebDAV server, similar to .Mac, at rock bottom prices. One can get 20GB of storage with 2GB of monthly transfer for $3.40 per month. Box.net offers 1GB of online storage with WebDAV for free. Publishing to any WebDAV server is just as simple as publishing to .Mac. Systems Boy has a great tutorial for how to do this on his blog.

Alternately, if you already have web hosting, and don't feel like setting up a new account at Jungle Disk or Box.net, Scalp makes it possible to publish your calenders to any server with FTP, SSH, or SFTP.

Via macosxrumors and Hawk Wings

Box.net is an iDisk-like service that allows you to mount an 'internet hard drive' on your desktop (they offer both free and paid accounts). Great for easily and securely backing up, syncing and sharing files between computers. Previously, they apparently only offered a client for PCs, but UNEASYsilence has published a simple tip for logging in and mounting your Box.net account on your Mac OS X desktop - no extra software necessary. Using the simple power of the Go > Connect to Server menu from the Finder, you too can have your very own WebDAV online hard drive. 1 GB is free, while 5 GB is $4.99/month, and 15 go for $9.99/month. Enjoy.