Access Files on a PC with Mobilefile

Posted By: Ed Tuesday, September 24, 2002 4:54:05 PM

Many users complain that wireless SD cards or Memory Sticks take up their handheld's sole expansion slot, leaving them with no way to store more files than their handheld's RAM can hold. A new application from Cutting Edge Software solves this problem.

Mobilefile allows Internet-connected handhelds to access files on a desktop PC. The handheld can be connected to the Internet through a modem or wireless network card. This includes smartphones and other wireless handhelds.

View Files on Both Handheld and PC Mobilefile is made up of an application that runs on a handheld and one that runs on a desktop PC. Together they allow the remote Palm OS device to connect directly to the desktop PC via TCP/IP and let the user browse the files in predesignated folders on the PC.

One folder is set up as the primary share folder. Users can drag files, copies of files, shortcuts to files, or shortcuts to folders into this folder to enable remote access. Files can be sent from the PC to the handheld and vice versa.

Mobilefile can even convert Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, and text files into formats that can be read by Quickoffice as it is transferring them. These can then be edited and transferred back to the PC, where Mobilefile will convert them back to their original formats.

In addition, it has a peer-to-peer mode. Two handhelds can transfer files back and forth using MobileFile.

It runs on any handheld running Palm OS 3.0 or newer with a TCP/IP connection. It requires a Windows PC.

Mobilefile is available now for $50.

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Palm to Palm

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 5:04:35 PM #

Don't forget that you can optionally connect two palms (one client, one server) that are both running MobileFile and do your file sharing over IR.

Look like FTP. Could it be?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 5:38:02 PM #

It's pretty obvious that user interface uses the "ftp client" metaphor.

I wander what protocol does it use for the actual file tranfer...

VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 7:18:51 PM #

What really would rock would be if someone wrote an extension to allow transparent connection to a fileshare on a PC with VFS-enabled programs.

You run a small prefs-app on the palm, set the server IP/Name and stuff, and then any VFS-enabled app would be able to use the files on the server as if they where on a card!

Now that I could use! Just slap in the Bluetoothmodule, connect it through my mobile phone, using GPRS, to the internet, and have all the big files on the server at home!

RE: VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 7:49:53 PM #

problem - multiple user access

you'd have to make sure that you locked the file and any databases it used while using it, as I don't think there are many palm apps out there that are expecting to be talking to a shared database *on* the palm.

so now it's locked, and you remove the wireless card - nothing cleans up, no way to know things are kosher.

I agree it's cool, just don't want to rush any implementations and trip over yourself in the process.

RE: VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 8:39:20 PM #

Well, suppose the server locks the file then, no problem, many windows-apps do just that normally anyway.
And removing the card (or dropping the connection) would really not be much different from removing the flash-storage-card? Would it?

RE: VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 8:41:08 PM #

I mean, the server would see the connection go down, unlock the file, and all would be happy.

RE: VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 8:41:42 PM #

I doo see a problem in running advanced network-connection in the background though... It would be a large preformance hit, especially on this OS...
But ICQ for palm does it, so it would perhaps not be impossible.

Question is though, is it worth it?

Man, I want a Palm PDA with TWO SD-slots...

RE: VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 1:26:02 AM #

Grow up! Get A HandEra!

RE: VFS over TCP/IP

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 9:05:58 AM #

I like handera. I like QVGA. I like CF and SD. But I also like colour...

Doesn't Win-Hand do this even better?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/24/2002 10:05:31 PM #

Check out www.win-hand.com

RE: Doesn't Win-Hand do this even better?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 12:49:13 AM #

These two products are QUITE different...

WinHand is a way to interact with a remote desktop..

This program is more like a filesharing program. It allows you to share files with your Palm. Like, I could have a collection of skins for my favorite launcher and share those directly with people who have this program on their Palm.

Very very different.

100$ for a palm FTP client ?!?

golalmo @ 9/25/2002 2:16:59 AM #

This application cost 50$, and when I tried to install it, i've got a massage that QuickOffice 6.1 (costs another 50$ !!!) or later is requiered in order to allow Mobilefile to work.
I really don't think that I'll ever expend 100$ for any palm application, espasially not for FTP client. Would you?

RE: 100$ for a palm FTP client ?!?

iebnn @ 9/25/2002 7:03:22 AM #

WOW, that's really too much.
I'd think an application like this would go for more around $10 to $20. $50 for a little file sharing program that can only share with office documents (?) seems like too much to me.

RE: 100$ for a palm FTP client ?!?

iebnn @ 9/25/2002 7:05:52 AM #

Ah, Never mind, I see it can do other types of files. Still seems kind've pricey.

RE: 100$ for a palm FTP client ?!?

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 11:07:51 AM #

Just to be clear... I don't think that this is an FTP client at all. Its a way to share files.. period.

Although the "open" command is a nice touch (I just downloaded a image file from my Desktop and hit open and it opened in my image viewer, very cool.)

No Bluetooth support

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 2:42:53 PM #

If it does file conversion on the fly it is better than ftp. However there is no Bluetooth support so it is no use to me

RE: No Bluetooth support

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 10:36:38 PM #

Yeah, poor you. And the other 6 people with bluetooth cards bought for silly prices.

RE: No Bluetooth support

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/25/2002 11:02:26 PM #

Huh? What makes you think there is no Bluetooth support? As the article says, as long as you have a network connection, this program will work.

Some people go out of their way to look for problems.

RE: No Bluetooth support

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/26/2002 12:21:42 AM #

At the same time, if your close enough to use bluetooth what's wrong with IR?

RE: No Bluetooth support

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/26/2002 4:27:45 AM #

Downloaded and installed the demo. No obvious way of configuring a bluetooth in the software, no mention of Bluetooth in the manual.

BT has a better range than IR and doesn't require line of site to my PC IR port

RE: No Bluetooth support

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/26/2002 9:31:17 AM #

Just connect the palm to the internet via the bluetoothlink! Either use your mobile (preferebly a nice SonyEricsson T68i with GPRS), or set up som nice internetsharing on your computer. If you get a working TCP/IP connection to your computer, this program does work!

doesn't work

melee70 @ 11/6/2002 11:47:14 PM #

What would be really neat is if it worked in actual business internet environments. I have a linksys router at home and use a efficient networks router at the office. Both of these routers have been previously configured to handle both port forwarding and/or a DMZ without problem.

Mobilefile on the other hand refuses to connect to my treo 300 no matter what configuration is used. Maybe they should have even tested this software in a field environment using real networking devices before they thought this stuff was worth 50 bucks. Get real.

Oh yeah, they don't provide any support for the software on their site either.