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Anything Dropbox can do that Goodreader can't?

A

andershoeg

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 7, 2008
28
0
Hi all.
I've been trying to figure out if the Dropbox app not is very usefull anymore since I got the Goodreader app on my iPad. To me, it looks like the Goodreader app got the same features as the Dropbox app plus alot more. Am I missing out on something? Or can I safely delete my Dropbox app? What are your thoughts?
B.r. Andershoeg
 
Yes, you can throw files in there so much easier than for GoodReader.
I throw PDFs I want to read in to Dropbox. I can still open them in GoodReader (or iBooks for that matter).
 
Dropbox is wonderful if you need to access files of any kind from more than one computer. I use it constantly to move files from work to home and back, and also among my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. GoodReader isn't "good" for that.
 
iFerd said:
Dropbox is wonderful if you need to access files of any kind from more than one computer. I use it constantly to move files from work to home and back, and also among my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. GoodReader isn't "good" for that.
Click to expand...

This is also, obviously, true.

I guess I was just focusing on how easy it is to drag a PDF right into my Dropbox folder (via the MenuBar), and then its in my Dropbox folder on any computer, its on my iPad, iPod Touch, & Nexus One.
Whereas, with GoodReader, it isn't as simple to make sure a file is everywhere I need it.
 
superflush said:
Yes, you can throw files in there so much easier than for GoodReader.
I throw PDFs I want to read in to Dropbox. I can still open them in GoodReader (or iBooks for that matter).
Click to expand...
I was curious. How do you put a PDF into the dropbox app on an iPad? I have uploaded PDF files to dropbox from my iPad with goodreader but didn't know you could do this with the dropbox app.
 
kaibob said:
I was curious. How do you put a PDF into the dropbox app on an iPad? I have uploaded PDF files to dropbox from my iPad with goodreader but didn't know you could do this with the dropbox app.
Click to expand...

I'm speaking of from my MBP.
In other words, I grab a PDF from Gmail or the web, and just drag it into my Dropbox folder in OS X (via the MenuBar). Then it will show up in all of my Dropbox apps (and other computers if I had them).

As far as opening the PDF from Mail on the iPad, it doesn't show up (at least at this point). When I go to "open in..." on iPad, I have iBooks, GoodReader, & ReaddleDocs. Dropbox isn't there.
 
superflush said:
I'm speaking of from my MBP.
In other words, I grab a PDF from Gmail or the web, and just drag it into my Dropbox folder in OS X (via the MenuBar). Then it will show up in all of my Dropbox apps (and other computers if I had them).

As far as opening the PDF from Mail on the iPad, it doesn't show up (at least at this point). When I go to "open in..." on iPad, I have iBooks, GoodReader, & ReaddleDocs. Dropbox isn't there.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I understand now.

I think (but am not sure) that the OP's question is whether the dropbox app on his iPad is necessary. I don't think it is if goodreader meets his needs. I use files stored on dropbox regularly on my iPad but I never use the dropbox app.
 
The dropbox app on the ipad is only a viewer/downloader app for dropbox service! That's all. It doesn't have any uploadmfunction from the iPad!

As far as iPad functionality is concerned the dropbox application is more useful for your dropbox account file management only! No in for the account, only out from dropbox on iPad!

In that way goodreader is more powerful! Coz it supports viewing for more file format than dropbox and also as a versatile PDF reader!
 
If you are using Dropbox to easily manage files, which I am, then of course it is necessary.

I don't think I'd consider managing files for the iPad in any other way (that currently exists).
 
Hi again!
Thanks for all your responds!
As I see it, in goodreader it is possible to get files to and from my dropbox account. But in dropbox app you cant load files from iPad to dropbox. I Can do that in goodreader. Im talking about doing it all from my iPad. Not from a Mac or pc.
Am i missing something by only using the goodreader app??
B.r. andershoeg
 
Only thing you will miss by only using goodreader os the file and folder management in dropbox, like creating new folders, renaming, copy/paste and delete etc.

If you are doing that file management stuff from a desktop or laptop, then you are not missing much!
 
shadowness said:
Only thing you will miss by only using goodreader os the file and folder management in dropbox, like creating new folders, renaming, copy/paste and delete etc.

If you are doing that file management stuff from a desktop or laptop, then you are not missing much!
Click to expand...

You are right. Cant create new folders or anything from the goodreader app. Actually i cant even do that in the ipad dropbox app i think. Seems that the things the dropbox app can do, the goodreader app can do as well by connecting to the dropbox app.i think (?) the only thing i will miss is the opportunity to upload video and pics to my dropbox from my ipad. Or...?
Thanks again!
Andershoeg
 
If your ONLY computing device is your iPad, then Goodreader is great and more than sufficient for your file viewing needs.

If you have more than one computing device, Goodreader is still a very nice utility for the iPad but does virtually nothing to help you keep your other computing devices in synch with one another.

Dropbox for me is my universal "My Documents" folder on all of my PC's...both Windows and Mac's of varying flavors. I put everything in there (I'm actually paying for a 25GB folder with Dropbox). Then all of my computing devices, no matter which one I have with me at the time, can access all my files in real-time. No more thumb drives and/or 'file synching' using iTunes really lame file management app via Goodreader. In many cases, finding the file and displaying it in DropBox on the iPad is fine as it is almost as powerful as Goodreader. But there are some PDF's and other files that I prefer to view via Goodreader so in those cases, I simply tell Drop Box to "Open the file in Goodreader."

There's really no reason not to have both unless money is tight. While they do overlap, they serve very different purposes.
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
If your ONLY computing device is your iPad, then Goodreader is great and more than sufficient for your file viewing needs.

If you have more than one computing device, Goodreader is still a very nice utility for the iPad but does virtually nothing to help you keep your other computing devices in synch with one another.

Dropbox for me is my universal "My Documents" folder on all of my PC's...both Windows and Mac's of varying flavors. I put everything in there (I'm actually paying for a 25GB folder with Dropbox). Then all of my computing devices, no matter which one I have with me at the time, can access all my files in real-time. No more thumb drives and/or 'file synching' using iTunes really lame file management app via Goodreader. In many cases, finding the file and displaying it in DropBox on the iPad is fine as it is almost as powerful as Goodreader. But there are some PDF's and other files that I prefer to view via Goodreader so in those cases, I simply tell Drop Box to "Open the file in Goodreader."
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Right now I'm using the free Dropbox and GoodReader was $1, so money doesn't have to be an issue.
Dropbox is a great way to keep track of all your files across several computers and devices (iOS & Android for me). I can't do that with GoodReader. I can still read with GoodReader. As said above, I can go to Dropbox where all the files are, and choose to open the file in GoodReader.
 
andershoeg said:
You are right. Cant create new folders or anything from the goodreader app.
Andershoeg
Click to expand...

Actually you can create a folder in your dropbox account from within goodreader. Just create the folder in goodreader, copy that folder, connect to your dropbox account from within goodreader, and then paste the folder. The folder and any files in the folder will immediately be seen in other computers synced with the dropbox account. I just tried this and it worked fine.

BTW, I do not have the dropbox app on my iPad and I regularly access my dropbox account with goodreader.
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
If your ONLY computing device is your iPad, then Goodreader is great and more than sufficient for your file viewing needs.

If you have more than one computing device, Goodreader is still a very nice utility for the iPad but does virtually nothing to help you keep your other computing devices in synch with one another.

Dropbox for me is my universal "My Documents" folder on all of my PC's...both Windows and Mac's of varying flavors. I put everything in there (I'm actually paying for a 25GB folder with Dropbox). Then all of my computing devices, no matter which one I have with me at the time, can access all my files in real-time. No more thumb drives and/or 'file synching' using iTunes really lame file management app via Goodreader. In many cases, finding the file and displaying it in DropBox on the iPad is fine as it is almost as powerful as Goodreader. But there are some PDF's and other files that I prefer to view via Goodreader so in those cases, I simply tell Drop Box to "Open the file in Goodreader."

There's really no reason not to have both unless money is tight. While they do overlap, they serve very different purposes.
Click to expand...

I think you're missing the point. I don't think anyone is saying that Goodreader is a replacement for Dropbox. However, since Goodreader can already access your Dropbox account, the Dropbox ipad app really isn't necessary. What does the Dropbox ipad app add that Goodreader doesn't already allow you to do?
 
JTravers said:
I think you're missing the point. I don't think anyone is saying that Goodreader is a replacement for Dropbox. However, since Goodreader can already access your Dropbox account, the Dropbox ipad app really isn't necessary. What does the Dropbox ipad app add that Goodreader doesn't already allow you to do?
Click to expand...

The Dropbox app has a nicely polished interface for viewing and browsing your files.

In sum, the UI.
 
Although a little off topic, the Goodreader app seems to really choke on larg PDF files as well, and there are times even with small PDF files where it will 'lock out' the nav menu. Their online help says that this is a "feature" to give you more viewing space and you can get back to the nav menu by double-tapping the center of the screen with a single finger or single-tapping anywhere on the screen with three fingers. In my experience, this doesn't always work and the ONLY way to get back out is to do a complete hard reset of the iPad. If you just click the home button and go back into the app, it takes you back to where you left off and you are stuck there again.

I've written the developers and they claim its a "known issue" with some builds of PDF files. Since I carry anywhere from 100-150 PDF blueprints with me on my iPad and use them frequently, its a frequent PITA to use Goodreader for this purpose. I have zero issues viewing these same files in the DropBox app. I may look into a different PDF viewer in the future, something that allows me to annotate a file.
 
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