Email Large Files Quickly with Gmail and Box.net
Do you want to transfer some big files over the Internet using Gmail?
If the file is not an exe and less than 20 MB, you can send it as an email attachment in Gmail. Else upload the file to Rapidshare or YouSendIt and put the download link in your Gmail message.
That’s a popular approach but you may also want to check the new Gmail OpenBox service from box.net.
Using Gmail OpenBox, you can upload large files to Box.net and send them via Gmail with a simple right-click. Technically, the workflow is the same as sharing with RapidShare but this is more convenient and you have lot of options.
For instance, you may share individual files in your Gmail message or put multiple files in a folder and send a link to that folder. Your recipients will also get to view the contents of the file online using the built-in file viewers of Box.net. And you may unshare files anytime.
To use Gmail OpenBox, create a free account at box.net and then associate the Gmail service. You may use the same approach to share files via desktop email clients like Microsoft Outlook and Thunderbird.
Update: The free account imposes a limit of 10 MB per file but you may put multiple files under one folder in box.net and share the link of that folder via Gmail.
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The caveat here is that, Box.net have a limit of 10MB for its free service. So, why use it when your own Gmail can do that up to 20MB? I’m assuming this is useful more to the current paid customers of box.net than new ones.
Thanks again for the info; Certainly a practical way to send large files - though it seems like the recipient has a direct link to your Gmail account…
This is an okay service if you don’t mind spending some money, as the free account has a limit of 10mb per upload (less than you can just send directly from GMail). You really need to do more research and actually try these services before you recommend them. Your article clearly implied that you could send more than the GMail limit of 20mb with a free box.net account.
Brajeshwar, Jeffrey - you’re right. The free size limit in box.net (free version) is less than what is offered in Gmail.
Missed that point but this service is still useful if you have multiple files. Put everything under one folder rather than sending it as one big zip attachment in Gmail.
Could come in handy when the recipient cannot receive large files.
Hey Guys -
Aaron from Box.net here - just wanted to weigh into the chat a little. Box.net supports the sharing of all types of files and folders (much more broadly than Gmail). While the file size limit doesn’t beat that of Gmail, we developed the service primarily to give our users more choices of where and how they can share - not necessarily as a way to beat gmail at large file sending. The same thing goes for Outlook/Thunderbird and other webmail applications we’re working on now. And who knows, maybe in the future we’ll relax the file size limits a bit.
Hope that clears everything up!
Thanks,
Aaron