BOSTON, Nov. 5, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ownCloud users now have greater control and security over their data with more intuitive, feature-rich apps for their Android and iOS devices, ownCloud Inc., the company behind the world's most popular open source file sync and share software, announced today.
The apps, with more than 15,000 iOS and Android already sold, access the ownCloud server - deployed on a company's or trusted service provider's servers -- seamlessly integrating with existing security, storage, monitoring and reporting tools. In contrast to basic apps like Dropbox and Box, which connect to anonymous 3rd-party storage, the ownCloud apps and server give control of data back to corporate IT, while giving mobile users tools they will actually use. The new apps take advantage of the latest ownCloud server - announced earlier this month - which added innovative features like sub-admins for groups, desktop fast syncing, enhanced permissions, and enhanced logging.
"Employees are taking their data everywhere - on tablets, PCs, phones, and more - so they can do whatever it takes to get the job done," said Matt Richards, vice president, Products, ownCloud. "Companies worldwide are beginning to realize that they need more than just an app and some third party storage, they need to get this under control, but without easy-to-use, feature-rich access to that data, the best-intentioned employees will find a way around even the tightest policies. We help companies avoid this trap."
Major Enhancements for Both Clients
Feature Richness
- Big file chunking - Break big files down into smaller files for transport up to the server. Users are no longer limited to syncing small files from the phone.
- White label - Now with a more flexible architecture, enabling easier white labeling and personalized branding for service providers and enterprises alike.
Control
- Upload and download progress and cancellations - Easily track progress and cancel uploads or downloads at any time without breaking the files.
- Open with - Open external applications from your files inside ownCloud to make it simple and easy to view, edit and update documents on the go.
Security
- Improved SSL certificate warnings - Be more secure on the go with improved handling for SSL connections, including notification of malformed or self-signed certificates.
- Auto sensing secure connections - Make the most of the server's capabilities with auto-sensing connections that default to using standard SSL encryption for all file transfers and actions.
- App PIN - An extra layer of protection. Set a PIN on the ownCloud application to help keep unwanted users away from sensitive documents.
Additional Enhancements for iOS:
Feature Richness
- New, more intuitive interface - More standardized iOS interface for iPad, iPhone and iPod support, including swipe and long tap interaction models and rotated views.
- Previews for DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF and images - Now includes embedded support for previewing the suite of iOS supported file types, including DOC, XLS, PPT, PDF and image formats. Simply tap a file, it is downloaded and previewed automatically.
- iOS 6 support - Now ownCloud operates effectively on iOS 5 and 6.
Control
- Enhanced connection handling - Improved connection handling will help make sure the files are where they need to be even in spotty network connection areas.
- Uploads tab - Check recently uploaded files and see the status of what is currently being uploaded in the background.
- Filesystem actions - Add new folders, and files on the phone or the server, and make sure that the files are where they should be.
Additional Enhancements for Android:
Feature Richness
- Wifi photo auto-uploading - Take a picture and automatically upload it to the ownCloud server on wifi, making sure those photos are backed up and available to share with friends as soon as they are taken, while not wasting your mobile data plan.
- Favorites - Automatically sync files with the server so that the latest version is on the phone and the server, whenever you can.
Control
- Manage multiple accounts - Create multiple ownCloud accounts and keep them separate, making the most of the ownCloud app across business, personal and family instances.
- Share with - Open ownCloud from any external application and automatically upload files to the ownCloud server.
- Rename files - Rename files on the phone, and have them renamed automatically on the server.
- Delete files and folders - Delete files and folders on the server and the device, to keep things clean and orderly.
- Queue and cancel uploads and downloads across accounts - Easily manage and queue uploads and downloads across multiple ownCloud accounts, enabling greater control over files, while providing flexibility and an intuitive interface.
With more than 650,000 users world-wide, ownCloud offers the ease-of-use of Dropbox, with the flexibility, sophistication and security that can only be provided by software installed on site. ownCloud users can host their own data sync and share services on their own hardware and storage, use popular public hosting and storage offerings, or both - true hybrid cloud storage.
About ownCloud Inc.
Based on the popular ownCloud open source community project,
ownCloud Inc. was founded in 2011 to bring greater flexibility,
access and security to unstructured data in enterprises. Company
headquarters are in Boston, with European headquarters in
Nuremberg, Germany. For more information, visit:
http://www.owncloud.com.
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