File sharing and cloud storage

Download your YouTube videos in their original format

Uploading a YouTube video causes it to be converted to the format used for streaming by the service. If you ever lose your videos, you could always grab the converted versions from the YouTube site, but what if you want the originals?

Google Takeout is now offering the ability to download the original versions of your videos, as mentioned by the Google Data Liberation blog. Takeout allows you to export data like settings, groups, or photos from Google's other Web sites and services.

Unfortunately, you can only download all videos together at this time. There's no option to … Read more

Microsoft SkyDrive vs. Google Drive on Android

With Microsoft SkyDrive recently touching down on Google Drive's territory, it's only fitting we take a look at how the two cloud storage and file-syncing Android apps fare against one another. On the one hand, we have Google Drive: the incumbent and the darling of the Android platform. And on the other hand, we have SkyDrive: Microsoft's offering and somewhat unexpectedly, the new kid on the block. Each app has its strengths and weaknesses, and we take a look at how they compare.

Microsoft SkyDrive (free) Similar to Google Drive, Microsoft's SkyDrive lets you store files … Read more

SkyDrive now available on Android

After announcing its intentions to do so a few weeks ago, Microsoft today launches its official SkyDrive app for Android devices. Similar to its sibling apps on Windows Phone and iOS, this newest release lets users access their SkyDrive cloud storage accounts from devices running Google's mobile operating system. While it was designed specifically with Android 4.0 in mind, the app is said to be fully functional with devices running Android 2.3 and above.

From the looks of it, SkyDrive for Android covers all the basics, letting you view personal documents, shared documents, and recently used documents. … Read more

Torque turns BitTorrent into a Web app

A new way to manage your torrents puts a bit of Torque in your Web browser. Debuting today from the company that makes uTorrent and BitTorrent, the alpha version of BitTorrent Torque creates rudimentary torrent controls in JavaScript that can be run from your HTML5-compliant browser.

In a blog post announcing Torque, BitTorrent developer Patrick Williams explained that Torque works by providing a JavaScript hook to a custom BitTorrent client backend. From there, developers can write apps that use Torque's APIs.

Currently, there are two extensions for Torque. One is Paddle Over, which integrates drag and drop file transfers … Read more

Divide for Android integrates Box with version 1.7

If you find yourself carrying around two separate mobile devices (one for work, the other for personal use), then you probably haven't heard of Enterproid's Divide app for Android.

Known as a solution to the growing BYOD (bring your own device) trend that plagues many a corporate IT department, Divide creates a separate, fully encrypted and password-protected work environment right on your Android device. This means you can securely access your work e-mail, contacts, calendars, and corporate applications, all while keeping your personal life out of your employer's reach.

Today, Enterproid updates Divide for Android to version … Read more

Dropbox to kill off public folders?

Dropbox's public folders might soon be a thing of the past.

According to German site Mobiflip (Translate), Dropbox has e-mailed developers, informing them that as of August 1, public folders will no longer be supported by the service. Public folders will be officially replaced by a new Link feature the company announced in April, according to the e-mail.

"After July 31, we will no longer create Public folders in any new Dropbox accounts," the e-mail reportedly reads. "If your app depends on Public folders, we recommend switching to the /shares API call. Public folders in existing … Read more