How is AirDrop

[luckydcxx]

It's a really good idea, but seems to need the iPhone to be unlocked in order to appear on another device, therefore no request notification is even possible such as when a Facebook notification appears on the lock screen, and indeed no way to send (or request to send) to a locked device. Perhaps as this is because the chips are off when device locked? Either way a disappointing aspect of a good communications feature!

the device doesn't have to be unlocked, the screen just has to be woken.

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Never used it. I just send stuff as text and email.

try it, you will love it.

 

[spatlese44]

Absolutely correct! There have been a few times where this would have been extremely convenient and it just would make sense to have it work between Mac and iPhone

Actually, I think it did does work with OS X. WiFi has to be on and you have to have new enough Mac was my understanding. I haven't tried it yet, but they say you can. There was something about how you could do it even with an older Mac, but you had to alter some setting with a command line. You also need to be running Lion or newer, which my MacBook won't and my Mac Mini meets the specs, but I haven't tried it yet. You might want to read this:

http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/terminal_101_enable_airdrop_older_mac

 

[Amplelink]

Is it just me or does it take an inordinately long time to even sense that another user is in the vicinity? Once transfers are started, it's incredibly quick. Very impressed by that. The problem is that just getting someone to pop up in the little AirDrop box takes forever sometimes.

 

[luckydcxx]

Is it just me or does it take an inordinately long time to even sense that another user is in the vicinity? Once transfers are started, it's incredibly quick. Very impressed by that. The problem is that just getting someone to pop up in the little AirDrop box takes forever sometimes.

yeah it does take sometimes about 10 seconds just to find another user. i would think that it should be almost instant. hopefully 7.1 will help this.

 

[mofunk]

sure you can. Go to the contact, click the info button, and then share contact using message app.

ah gotcha thanks

 

[James_C]

Actually, I think it did does work with OS X. WiFi has to be on and you have to have new enough Mac was my understanding. I haven't tried it yet, but they say you can. There was something about how you could do it even with an older Mac, but you had to alter some setting with a command line. You also need to be running Lion or newer, which my MacBook won't and my Mac Mini meets the specs, but I haven't tried it yet. You might want to read this:

http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/terminal_101_enable_airdrop_older_mac

AirDrop does work on a compatible Mac, but this is only Mac to Mac, does not allow you to share files with IOS devices.

 

[MacKai]

I use it all the time. It is a great feature. I like that fact that it puts what you are sending directly into the photo app. I just used it to transfer videos that I took with my iPhone at Moster Jam on to my son's iPad. Once it is enabled to transfer directly to OSX, it would be even better.

 

[spatlese44]

AirDrop does work on a compatible Mac, but this is only Mac to Mac, does not allow you to share files with IOS devices.

Got it. So out of all the devices we have:

06' MBP
07' MB
iPad 1
iPhone 4
iPhone 4
12' Mac Mini
iPad Air
iPad Air

only the last three can AirDrop and really only the last two because the Mac Mini has nothing to AirDrop to. I don't like getting too out of date, but my 7 year old laptop is doing just fine. I'm upgrading soon-ish, but lack of AirDrop isn't a driving factor. I'm thinking more about SSD size and price and one more tick on the Intel clock (or is it tock?).

 

[iPhisch]

This feature not working unless the receiver's screen is woken kind of sucks. I want to send something to someone in the office near me and it won't work unless I walk over and say "hey turn your phone on." Pretty useless in that aspect.

And I really wish they would activate iOS to Mac so that I don't need Dropbox to transfer video anymore. Would take much less time.

 

[ron7624]

I have used it once or twice and it works very well. But I rarely transfer anything to a stranger or even want to. It's much easier just to text the picture that I want to my wife.
So I guess you could say it's useless to me.

 

[Brittany246]

I barely use it because I always have to tell people to turn air drop on, and it's slow to discover new people. Might as well just send it as a message. If you don't have the person added as a contact I'd understand using it, but to me it's useless.

 

[bushman4]

AirDrop works well in an office environment or certain environments like gatherings, parties, events etc. It would be much better if it worked with OSX which may happen in the future.