Dropbox – My Stuff Where I Need It [Review]

This post/review is courtesy of guest contributor, Jerry of mochaSync.com

I will be the first to admit it—I drink the Apple flavored Kool-Aid. Still, there are things I just can’t seem to justify; like the cost MobileMe. There seems to be plenty of free or low-cost alternatives to cloud computing and file management. Today, I will be talking about my favorite: Dropbox.
First, here’s a little about what kind of user I am. I have two laptops: one Mac Book Air and an HP that shall remain nameless (because it sucks). I also have a Blackberry and an iPhone. I work in an IT department which has no less than 32 projects going on simultaneously, I run my own wanna-be software development company and I manage my own band. So I have a lot going on in an average day. I need to be able to reference documents, songs, or ideas from anywhere, on any platform. Dropbox accomplishes this without missing a beat (no pun intended).

At work, I uploaded the most needed document – a monthly report – that I constantly need to modify. If I get a few minutes between tasks, I try to update the report as best as I can (hope my boss doesn’t read that). Having my report ‘in the box’ helps me avoid version conflicts between both laptops. It also comes in handy when I need to deploy a package to a user—no matter if I am at my desk or at home.

With my band, the very first thing I did was upload the newest idea we’ve recorded. Not only can I reference this at home when practicing, but I could use the Public Folder to share it with the rest of the band. Bam! A new collaboration method! No need for long email chains, emailing attachments and cluttering my inbox. This feature also works really well with photos and families! I take pictures of my daughter all the time—like every other parent does. By uploading those precious pictures that I took on my iPhone, I am able to share the whole lot of them with others like that relative I never remember the name of but somehow I have an email for. Of course the email doesn’t contain any hints to her name… oh and she barely can operate the computer, so why she has an email, I will never know…

Anyhow, the sharing is one of my favorite features. This feature alone sold me as a ‘home’ user. I needed a free alternative that doesn’t cloud up the user experience with “buy this as a print for $0.99 – limited time offer” BS. This is perfect for the minimalist in me, and that nameless relative of mine – damn it what is her name?!

Which brings me to my last big selling point – the user experience. Dropbox has made it so easy to share, from any place in the world that has an Internet connection, that it should be a crime to not check out this service. There is absolutely no clutter to the website, the Public Galleries, or the iPhone app. They’ve managed to turn a fairly intimidating service for most people into one that actually makes you feel welcomed – no matter your experience level. Yet, at its core, Dropbox is extremely powerful. Initial setup was a breeze and synchronizing the file changes is instantaneous and transparent on each platform.

Document management and photo sharing is only the tip of the iceberg. With the paid subscription options, which yield larger capacity accounts (50gig / 100gig), power users could use scripts to backup critical files and projects. Team sharing for work environments becomes easier and less tedious—users of SharePoint should identify with this point.

Whether you just need to share a few files here and there, or whether you are on the go at all times, Dropbox is a solid choice. With cross platform support, mobile access and a superb user interface, Dropbox is at the top of the list.

Dropbox can be downloaded here: http://www.getdropbox.com/

mochaSync Reviews LoveBot: Robot Pickup Lines

LoveBot is getting some love of its own over at mochaSync. Let me give you a little excerpt from the review:

“The artwork for the icon is cute, very light hearted and just what you might need if you’re a productivity junky like me.

… I think it will provide laughter to those of us who unfortunately are surrounded by pc’s and mac’s all day long.   I say give it a whirl and share in the fun with your co-workers.”

mochaSync does knock LoveBot for not having more variations of the robot, which is a very possible addition to it in future updates. And “command lines,” why the hell didn’t we think of that!? Please check out the review at mochaSync here. Thanks to mochaSync for the review.

Make sure you get your copy of LoveBot: Robot Pickup Lines through the link below, at a reduced price of $.99 now!

Image courtesy of Kitty Genius

Back That App Up! LoveBot: Robot Pickup Lines Finds a Mate, the App Store.

Let’s face it, your father’s pick up lines were so 2008. At Alkali Media, we’re trying to help people step into the future with LoveBot: Robot Pickup Lines. Everyone knows robots are 37.58% more charming than humans (if you’re questioning this statement, have you not seen Wall-E?!). And with the help of LoveBot, you can attract the mate of your dreams with the push of a button. With 20 high fidelity one-liners, like “Baby got backspace” or “Do you sync on the first date” you can move out of the way Casanova and let LoveBot do the talking for you!

Go ahead and grab LoveBot: Robot Pickup Lines in the app store now and also check out the other apps Alkali Media has to offer!

Have you fallen in love with LoveBot? Why not make a movie of yourself using LoveBot and send it to us at contact@alkalimedia.com We would love to see it! If it is good, we will even put it on our site!

Preston & Steve Version 2.0 is Now LIVE in the App Store!

We are very excited to announce that the second version of our Preston & Steve iPhone Soundboard is available now for download in the iPhone App Store! The newest version has some extremely cool new features that we know Preston & Steve fans are sure to enjoy. New features include:

• 9 new sounds including Pierre’s Noodling, “All I did was get out of the shower!”, “Hey Bitches, Hey What!”, “Monkey Pick Ass!” and more.
• A brand new look – a new background image to match WMMR’s new look, new buttons which can be pressed down.
• A “Stop” button to stop sounds from playing
• Bug fixes and improved stability.

We were not sure if this update would be approved, due to some of the questionable sounds (e.g. “Monkey Feces Throw, Monkey Pick Ass” and “Hey Bitches, Hey What”. But we were pleasantly surprised when we found out yesterday that our update had been approved! This does not mean we are sitting back and resting at all. More sounds will continue to be added and we are also working on another WMMR/Preston & Steve related application.

Stay tuned!

GADZOOKS! Our Preston & Steve Soundboard is Now Available!

We are EXTREMELY happy to announce that as of today you can download our brand new Preston & Steve Soundboard on the iPhone App Store. For those that may be unfamiliar, Preston & Steve are DJs on the best radio station Philadelphia, or the world of that matter, has to offer, 93.3 WMMR. We created an iPhone app that pays homage to them and their radio show. It features clips from the whole cast: Preston, Steve, Casey, Kathy, and last, but certainly not least, Nick. Our new app also coincides with their new webpage redesign which is awesome. Check out their new webpage here.

The guys (and girl) were extremely cool and allowed us to make this app and they were very excited about it. They even allowed us to come on their radio show this morning, which we did. You can listen to us on the show below! Awesome!

Listen to Alkali Media’s own Chris Wilcox on Preston and Steve Show

Here is a picture of Preston and Nick, doing what they do…

Everyone on the show was extremely cool and we are so thankful to have this opportunity and we will be posting pictures of us with the gang very soon. As of the time I am writing this, the Preston & Steve Soundboard is already on the top 100 free entertainment apps on the App Store. We can already see many more sounds being added in the future and Preston & Steve even hinted at ::gasp:: iPhone exclusive clips! Download the Preston & Steve Soundboard with the link below!

Get Some iXylophony Goodness On Your iPhone!

We are back and we have a great new application called iXylophone Pro. You may have seen other xylophone apps on the application store but none that sound (or definitely look) as good as this one. iXylophone Pro features two full octaves of notes, making it easy to play your favorite songs and jingles. The sounds are high-quality and mimic a xylophone or glockenspiel perfectly.

This application, plus Drum FX Pro, are great for adults but also perfect for kids. Load up this app and it will keep your little one entertained for hours. Children love Alkali Media apps!

Give iXylophone Pro a try! Have a video of you playing a cool tune on iXylophone Pro or one of our other apps? Send us a video of it! Have some comments or suggestions? We want those too. Send it all to contact@alkalimedia.com

Our Awesome Drum FX Pro + Cowbell is FREE!!!!

That’s right, Drum FX Pro is FREE for one day. You better get it while it is HOT. Get it now or you will be sorry!

We can’t begin to tell how appreciative we are for everyone’s support. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Please email us and let us know how we are doing? Do you like our apps? Do you hate them? Found a bug? Want to make us an offer we can’t refuse? Send it here: contact@alkalimedia.com

Drum FX Pro version 2.1 – now with MORE COWBELL!

Recently we released an update to our immensely popular Drum FX Pro iPhone application. It added more sounds, including a COWBELL, and it increased stability. Christopher Walken and Blue Oyster Cult would definitely approve of this app.

This recent update has spurred sales quite a bit and now our lovely application is back on the top 100 on many country’s paid music charts. At the time of writing this we are:

• #100 on Canada’s music store
• #63 on US’s music store
• #49 on UK’s music store

ANDDDDDD

• #39 on Australia’s music store

Turns out Australia loves us!

Thanks again for everyone’s support! If you haven’t already, you can download Drum FX Pro version 2.1 here:

PrudeBox is FREE FREE FREE!!

We are happy to announce that because of Alkali Media’s success with Drum FX Pro, PrudeBox will now be available on Apple’s App Store for free until Sunday, June 28th!

Drum FX Pro has been doing very well (number 51 on the app store under “Paid Music Apps”), which is why we decided that we would allow all of our loyal customers download our first application for FREE!

For those that may not know, PrudeBox was an international sensation when it came out, due to its controversial story, which was discussed by prestigious web blogs like Boing Boing Gadgets, Mobile Crunch, The Download Squad, and AOL’s Daily Finance. Though it has been some time since our original post about PrudeBox, the trials and tribulations of developers vs. Apple’s App Store are still going strong. After that original story, it was even featured on MSNBC’s “10 Controversial Apps” list. PrudeBox had lots of success, and it was thanks to all of you. So from Alkali Media, thanks very much!

As always, if you have questions, comments, concerns, or videos of you using one of our apps in a unique or creative way, email us at alkalimedia@gmail.com

To pick up a copy of PrudeBox just head on over to the Alkali Media Apps Page here.

Crudebox Renamed PrudeBox, Goes All the Way on the Third Try

It would be like preaching to the choir if anyone were to complain about the disappointment of having an app initially denied from the iTunes App Store. With hundreds of new applications released each week, there are sure to be a handful of apps Apple fundamentally disagrees with. It’s quite disheartening when your app falls into the latter category. However, there’s no greater success than beating Apple at its own game.

Alkali Media, LLC is run by three recent college grads. For three guys fresh out of college with business and advertising degrees, the iPhone marketplace is one of the best places to apply four years of textbook knowledge. Alkali Media’s foray into the iPhone market has been focused on branded soundboards. The first of many soundboards has been deemed the “Crudebox.” Crudebox consists of 16 high-quality and mildly disgusting sounds. However, it does not contain any sounds more disgusting than the 30+ “I shit myself” applications currently found in the iTunes App Store. Naturally, it was assumed that the Apple would approve our application soon after it was submitted.

Six days after the first submission of Crudebox, we received an email stating:

We’ve reviewed CrudeBox and determined that we cannot post this version of your iPhone application to the App Store because it contains objectionable content and is in violation of Section 3.3.12 from the iPhone SDK Agreement which states:

“Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple’s reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users.”

Apparently the seemingly tame soundboard, bodily sound effect application was far too offensive for Apple’s strict moral guidelines. We unanimously agreed that maybe it was the female orgasm sound that set the app over the edge. The orgasm was replaced with a cartoon-like spring sound. The kind you hear when a male cartoon character finds himself awkwardly aroused. The application was submitted a second time. Seven Days later we received word that once again Crudebox was too obscene and offensive for the iTunes App Store. After moving past the inevitable feeling of frustration towards Apple, we decided to poke some fun at Apple’s app approval team. What if we were to submit the same sounds as before, except this time around we make the app look extra flamboyant and change the name to the ironically appropriate, Prudebox?

Eight days later we would received an e-mail from Apple stating that our recently submitted application, Prudebox, has passed the approval process and is now ready for sale. After a name change, and an overtly flamboyant reskin of the application (complete with a pink bunny and a a fleeting sunset), we were able to get our app approved. To this day, we’re still questioning what sort of quality assurance is in place for Apple’s quality assurance team. I’m sure you can only imagine what other quality apps you’ve been missing out on thanks to Apple’s ever-so-stringent approval process.

You can check out our flamboyantly fabulous Prudebox application in the iTunes App store by clicking here.