Tech Musing #2/Question 4 of Top Coder

9 of the best apps for sharing files between devices and friends
By ABHIMANYU GHOSHAL

Summary

As mobile devices continue to become a part of every aspect of life, information sharing has become more desired and useful than ever before. Outlined in article "9 of the best apps for sharing files between devices and friends" by Abhimanyu Ghoshal, are the top 9 apps for information sharing and the reasons that make them attractive downloads. In this post, it is my aim to communicate the relevance of each app through a summary and connecting them to class content.

• AirDroid - With a built in file manager, AirDroid is a one-stop shop for viewing photos, playing music and sharing files between your desktop computer and your mobile device. One of the interesting things about AirDroid is that once files are ready to share, you may transmit them over your local WiFi network or over a data connection if you have a premium account. It is free on your local network or $1.99/month for remote access. 
• Superbeam - For both Android and iOS, Superbeam allows two users with the app to trade files simply throught the scanning of QR codes or pairing them through NFC. Their are some restrictions based on the device, but even if a file is not compatible with your device such as MP3 files on iOS, the files can still be saved on your cloud and transferred elsewhere for use. This app is free on your desktop computer, but will cost you $2.00 on mobile platforms. 
• Pushbullet - Pushbullet is also available on Android and iOS devices. Pushbullet is an app designed around improving the convenience of information sharing. With features that allow quick-sharing of your current browser page and easy sharing between users that have the app, Pushbullet is for consumers that look for intuitive, functional apps. It does, however, limit the user to sharing on file at a time, which may be a deal-breaker for heavy users.
  Portal - Portal is the Android-specific version of Pushbullet (same developers), and strives to make sending files even easier. Drag and drop files or scan QR codes to transfer files without putting the stress on your internet plan. This app most likely appeals best to a consumer that needs to send files quickly and doesn't want to learn a new system to do so 
•  Xender - this app is comparable to AirDroid with features like a full file manager, image/video viewer, music listener, document viewer, and other file storage. Xender grants users the ability to send multiple files at once, simply by dragging and dropping the files from your device into the app. After turning your device into a mobile hotspot, files can be transferred to up to four devices.
• BitTorrent Sync - This app is described as a more secure form of transfer with the ability to use the BitTorrent protocol, 128-bit encryption. That said, this is more of a sync between users, rather than simply sending files to a certain destination. In fact, files are almost transferred in a quicker fashion, the more devices that are synced. This fancy service doesn't come without a fancy price tag; BitTorrent Sync will cost you $39.99 annually.
• BitTorrent Shoot - This app functions off the generating and scanning of QR codes, but only works with photos and videos. Shoot is best utilized by users that like to frequently share photos with several people. That said, users may be able to these features and more with one of the above apps. The first three transfers are free and then there is a one-time $2.00 fee to earn unlimited transfers.
• WeTransfer - If you want to send up to 10GB at once, WeTransfer is the app for you. Not only can you send a large amount of data, but you may send it to multiple users! And it doesn't even require a pesky login! Anything that is uploaded is available to your recipients for up to 7 days. This is avoidable with a "plus" plan, which will run users $10.00/month.
• Infinit - This app was built upon its desktop counterpart that functioned off of sending files via the cloud. After creating an account, Infinit users will be able to use email or contacts in Infinit. This app supports muilti-recipients and allows users to send files from their local storage. Although there is no limit on file sizes to send, Infinit limits users to 1 GB of storage unless you pay the $10.00/month "Professional" plan fee to increase storage to 100 GB. This also has additional options such as password protection and expiring the files that you send.

Relevance

This article relates to class by showcasing some of the best ways to share information among each other. It directly relates to the TopCoder case as the 4th discussion questions asks about other ways to share information and how they work.

Importance

As mentioned in the introduction, the reliance on mobile devices to complete more and more everyday tasks is increasing. Information sharing is becoming a more desirable and useful feature of mobile devices. As an MIS student, it is easy to say that applications such as these could definitely be relevant with the amount of information that is shared between students. Group projects, study guides, and class notes can all be more accessible to students through apps such as these.

Source: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/07/10/9-of-the-best-apps-for-sharing-files-between-devices-and-friends/#gref