Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Bonjour! Box for Android Adds New Collaboration Features and a 50GB Upgrade to Boost Productivity

By , Product Manager of Mobile

As you’ve probably heard, we’re giving away 50GB upgrades to new and existing Box Personal users who log in from any Android phone or tablet in the next month. With all that extra space for storage and sharing, Box for Android users can easily collaborate with colleagues on business content from anywhere, especially given the slew of new features we’re adding with today’s update (v1.6) to the app.

Invite people to your folders. Quickly share content with another Box user by inviting them as a collaborator to a folder, right from your device. Collaborators can view and contribute content to folders you share with them, plus they get updates whenever anything changes. Perfect for working together on projects or for exchanging large files you can’t send over email. Please note that to activate this new feature, you’ll need to grant permission for the app to access your contacts – we only use this data to quickly retrieve email addresses for the invite field, and don’t store any contact information on Box’s servers.

View and add comments to files. Bring collaboration to the next level by having a conversation right on a file stored in Box. You can now view full threads on files and add your own messages from anywhere. Exchanging feedback with others doesn’t have to stop when you’re away from your desk. Monitor comment activity across your account from the Updates view or the home screen widget, only found on Android.

Upload multiple files and monitor progress. We’ve improved the process for getting content from your device into Box by adding progress indicators inside the app. Now you can upload files in the background while you continue navigating your account. We’ve also enabled multiple-file uploading from the SD card, making it simple to move content from your device into the cloud. For mobile workers – such as project managers at a construction site – being able to quickly send photos and other status updates back to the home office directly from an Android device in the field is a big time saver.

Available in your language. Parlez-vous Français? Vielleicht Deutsch? Since today’s businesses often operate across borders and even oceans, Box for Android is now available in French, Italian, German and Spanish – with more languages on the way! We hope it’ll simplify collaboration with your team no matter where colleagues are located, and make you feel right at home in your Box account. You’ll see Box in your native language as long as you have one of the supported languages set in your Android Settings.

You can see all these features in action below:

On top of these new features, we’ve also added a UI overhaul in line with Android Design guidelines. For example, we’ve converted to using the standard “Action Bar” control so the app will now look and behave consistently with other Android apps following the design guidelines, and you’ll get a more streamlined experience across the operating system – helping you save valuable time when working from Box on your Android phone or tablet. Note that you can now quickly jump up and down your file hierarchy and locate many action shortcuts inside the “spinner” on the Action Bar.

We’ll be showing off the new design and features next week in the Google booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Be sure to stop by and say hi if you’re attending the show!

And, of course, download the latest version of Box for Android now.

With so much packed into this latest release, we are excited to hear what you think. Share a comment here or reach out on Twitter @BoxHQ.

By ,

Product Manager of Mobile

See all of Simon's articles.

Showing 65 comments

Richard Lee February 23rd, 2012

i’ve sent a couple of tweets to you guys with no response…but i downloaded the app for my android device and did not receive the extra 50gb. does it not stack with the 50gb i received for signing up with my hp touchpad? please let me know.

Mark Saldana February 23rd, 2012

Hey Richard,

Sorry if we missed your tweet! This offer doesn’t stack, so you’ll remain at 50GB. Sorry for any confusion.

Mark

Richard Lee February 23rd, 2012

no worries. thanks for the response!

Anonymous February 23rd, 2012

Any chance you will offer the same deal for iOS users?

Joshua Nyberg February 23rd, 2012

Finally, a place where I can keep ALL of my online storage! I love the new features too!

Ericwongcm February 23rd, 2012

I have just installed and sign up Dropbox using my Nexus One (Android 2.3.6) but I only see 2Gb storage space. What do I need to do to get the free 50GB lifetime?

Eric February 23rd, 2012

Never mind… I installed the wrong app thinking this is the same as the other service.

Chang-Lim Kim February 24th, 2012

It’s Great storage and app.

Amit Sharma February 24th, 2012

Thanks for the 50 GB upgrade, grabbed it.
Thanks a ton.

Raajaarunbabu February 24th, 2012

I use the box via polaris office in my Galaxy s2 . so will i get that 50gb space

Jonathan February 24th, 2012

Thank you SO much for this great update. I use a smaller smartphone and wasn’t able to download Box before, because of the limitations. But I loved and enjoyed Box so much, that I didn’t want to leave and settle over to another service. You guys just made my day! And once again I’m a proud Box-User and will promote your service over and over again! THANK YOU!

Anonymous February 24th, 2012

Great!
Now only if u could increase the speeds….
Without that it would take >= a month to upload 50 gb to youre servers :) )

WILLEMIJNS February 24th, 2012

Bonjour de France ;) good offer. tks.

Pefi February 24th, 2012

YES ,-) …50GB upgrades to new and existing Box Personal users who log in from any Android phone or tablet in the next month.

Anonymous February 24th, 2012

Pefi, I did inquire about iOS (iPhone, iPad)… :)

Hieu Do February 25th, 2012

I am still using Dropbox.

100MB does work for me.

HRCohen February 25th, 2012

Thank you for the 50GB. You will turn into my primary cloud storage across Win desktop, Win Mobile, and Android.

That’s if I can get PDF’s to upload and download correctly. I see two parts when uploaded to Box and neither is capable of being read by Adobe Reader.

Hieu Do February 25th, 2012

doesn’t work – sorry

Ashley Lambrecht February 25th, 2012

will this upgrade work on my Kindle Fire, since it is powered by Andriod??

Oranges February 25th, 2012

Which date is the end of this event? Until 3/31?

ButtttWow February 25th, 2012

Yup, it’s end on 3/23.

William-Cody Layne February 26th, 2012

Sorry but iOS people already had this offer a little while ago and it expired. This is an Android only offer.

Also, sorry for the lack of reading by my (sadly) Android associate up there.

Bradatattat February 26th, 2012

APPULICIOUS!!!

Suriani Djamhari February 27th, 2012

Doesn’t work when i log in with an existing account.
Work great 50Gb when i sign up with a new account

Guedanil February 28th, 2012

I just downloaded the box app to my android and logged in from the app… but i didn’t get the extra 50GB???
How come??

Guedanil February 28th, 2012

oh never mind, i found the answer in the faq:

“We’re excited you’ve already taken advantage of one of our other promotions, but unfortunately the 50GB upgrade is one time only. It cannot be doubled to 100GB.”

Zach February 28th, 2012

FREE 50gb is absolutely AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonya February 28th, 2012

Just created new personal account and got the 50 immediately. However I do not know how well it works yet. I will continue to use Dropbox! It is great to know that i have the space though. Hopefully it will work as well as dropbox.

Karan February 29th, 2012

Awesome thanks :) ….

Tsipc777 February 29th, 2012

Très belle interface, 50 GB c’est super. Mais restont toujours prudent dans ce que nous partagons sur le web. Dans ce cas-ci, box est à Californie. Il ne faut pas mettre de document trop personnels.

Antoinettewashington February 29th, 2012

Thanks for the 50g did it say for a life time?

Anonymous March 1st, 2012

Is multiple/bulk upload available for iOS? If not why or when?

Adrian March 1st, 2012

Worked for me! Thank you!

l z March 1st, 2012

Why do I installed theBox for Android but have not upgrade?

Hairunizam Mohamed Salleh March 3rd, 2012

both me & my wife’s account upgraded from our android phone… I’m switching from MS Skydrive even some of my data is still there

Hannibalandersen March 4th, 2012

Hey, how come I only got a 5 GB storage? I just signed up.

Robharvey March 5th, 2012

Log in from your Android, Blackberry or Apple device and you get upgraded to 50.

Robharvey March 5th, 2012

Just remember when downloading from box you can do ONE file at a time, Skydrive lets you download folders.

Robharvey March 5th, 2012

Have to install on your android device then you get upgraded

Robharvey March 5th, 2012

Bulk upload not downoad. With paid bulk downloads.

Robharvey March 5th, 2012

Lifetime 50 gb, yes even if you “lose, sell change you androis, Apple, BBerry

Robharvey March 5th, 2012

TRY

Ola Dunk March 5th, 2012

So how do I bulk upload with the iPhone-app?

Tonka Tuph March 5th, 2012

I also installed the Android app, logged in and did not receive upgrade.

green4u March 6th, 2012

thanks a lot box, I love the 50GB

Jconstantine313 March 7th, 2012

Why am I able to upload unzipped items but to download multiple items I either have to zip them before I upload or I have to download them one by one?

Richard Grable March 7th, 2012

i installed and logged onto box from my android but I still only have a 25gb limit

Lifeguard4241 March 8th, 2012

100 mb? you start with more than that on dropbox… like, way more. you start with 2 gb

Jesse March 8th, 2012

Is it 50 GB for life? or is it a temporary upgrade? I know activating dropbox on an HTC phone gives you an extra GB, but only for one year.

Talk2henry March 9th, 2012

can’t log-in

android March 10th, 2012

I always get an error message hen I try to login: “check your network connection and try again”

Keith March 10th, 2012

Wow..!! Thank you SO MUCH BOX.!! The Android app works great, and I’m thrilled to have my account upgraded to 50GB for free. I truly love box and have had it for quite a while. What an awesome service. Keith

Kashif March 10th, 2012

thanks box for giving me free space of 50gb its great offer for andriod users. 1 question pl. i am trying to upload rar file of 950mb but it says u cant upload this size pl upgrade, so inform me what is the limit to update a file for free 50gb andriod users. as u mention at one plce that we have limit of 1gb/file ? thanks

Uuryilmaz March 12th, 2012

Great, thanks!

King Hill March 12th, 2012

super awesome +50!

Juan March 13th, 2012

I have it on my SGII and works perfect. Great functionalities and 50Gb free, very good deal.

guibo March 14th, 2012

Great, ca be usefull to do some backup :o

Rasmus Hartvig March 15th, 2012

Honestly, imposing a 25mb file size cap pretty much ruins the deal.

Darcy Ted March 15th, 2012

Have to say works fine and very helpful for sharing info, pictures, video and you control each folder. the 50Gb with Android superb and is a form of backup to boot way to go Box well done.

Fleurop Alpha March 18th, 2012

50 GB sind natürlich TOP, Aber das ich für die Desktop-Sync bezahlen soll ist FLOP!
Schaut Euch Dropbox an… So sollte es funktionieren. Das wäre ideal!

12ramo March 19th, 2012

Five *

Jakobc March 19th, 2012

Box is the best! It runs smoothly on my android and is awesome on my laptop!! Use it every day! ;)

Mark Skott March 20th, 2012

Best online storage ever! BOX rulez…

Munu Sms March 22nd, 2012

Very Useful

Ren March 22nd, 2012

Great offer! Will soon upgrade to Box Business! Thanks!