Dropbox testing automatic import of photos, videos
The online file-sharing service has added a new option to its latest test build that would automatically import images and videos to your cloud-based Dropbox storage.
Dropbox is playing around with a new option for transferring your photos and videos online.
The site has added a feature to its latest test build that can transfer your local photos and videos to your online Dropbox storage without requiring any action on your end.
Available in the "experimental" build 1.3.4, the feature would scan your camera, phone, and SD card for content and then automatically import all your photos and videos to the cloud. Since it's still in the test stage, the feature doesn't yet work on certain platforms, such as Mac OS X 10.4 and Linux, and requires certain conditions to function on other platforms, including Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.
Dropbox is also cautioning curious users to back up their Dropbox content before upgrading to the new test build. An official release of the new version is likely a few weeks away as the company gets the kinks out.
Such a feature sounds like a helpful way to make sure your photos and videos are automatically backed up. But several of the users chiming in on the Dropbox forum don't seem too happy with the term "automatically."
By ticking on the option to enable Dropbox camera import, the service will scan your SD card or camera to import all new content without prompting you or letting you decide which items to transfer. Some forum users commented that such a feature could make Dropbox and their online storage more bloated, preferring instead to manually choose which content to upload.
A large number of hefty videos and photos could also easily chew up your Dropbox storage space, especially for non-paying users. The site currently offers 2 gigabytes of space for free, 50GB for $9.99 a month, and 100GB for $19.99 a month.