Dropbox and Evernote...What is the difference?

I get asked these questions a lot

1. What is the difference between Dropbox and Evernote?
2. Do I need both or could I just use one?
3. I hear they are good but I don't see how they could be useful to me. What can I do with them?

Dropbox (Free for iPad; Free for iPhone/iPod Touch)
2 Gig is free
Stores all types of files
Downloads an application to your computer that will appear as a main folder in your hardrive. You can save files from your computer directly to Dropbox.
Many apps will save to Dropbox. Use Dropbox to share photos from your computer to your iPad. If you have the latest version of Inspiration you can create maps and save to Dropbox which will allow you to open them in Inspiration Maps on the iPad.

Evernote (Free for iPad; Free for iPhone/iPod Touch)
Upload up to 60mb per month
Stores most files.
Downloads an application to your computer and to your devices. Save/Share/Send most files on your iPad. Download website links and pages.







What is the difference between Dropbox and Evernote?
They are both places that you can store files but each app does something special. Dropbox is like another 'Documents' folder that you can see on your hardrive but it is actually saved online. If you have all your files saved in Dropbox and you lose your computer tomorrow,  you wouldn't have a problem as you can get them back by logging on to https://www.dropbox.com/ 

Ways that I use Dropbox:

• all my documents are stored there
• when I want to add photos from my laptop to the iPad, I can add them to Dropbox
• create Inspiration activities on my computer and then upload to Dropbox to access from iPad
• download a file on somebody else's computer, log into https://www.dropbox.com/ 

Ways that I use Evernote:

Evernote is more visual, you can see what the content is of most files. You can add notes or voice comments. You can add tags to files so that they can grouped together.

• download Webpages to look at later
• download weblinks and make notes
• take photos of examples of student work and make notes and/or voice comments
• collect resources for topics
• share folders with other people

I also see Evernote as a great tool for students to share their learning. They can share their examples of work and then make a voice comment about how they feel about their work. Teachers can write comments or make voice comments as well. Students can take photos of non digital work they have done and make comments as well.

Storage Apps

Dropbox or Box are great storage options. Register, download and install Dropbox or Box onto your computer.

Download the app from the App Store

Dropbox (Free for iPad; Free for iPhone/iPod Touch)
3 Gig is free
Stores all types of files
Downloads an application to your computer that will appear as a main folder in your hardrive. You can save files from your computer directly to Dropbox.

Box (Free for iPad; Free for iPhone/iPod Touch)
5 Gig is free
Stores all types of files
You have to use an Internet browser to access/upload your files on the website. There is an offer  where you will get an email offering Boxsync which allows you to save files within your computer.

Some apps will allow you to save to either or both Dropbox or Box, which helps when saving files from the iPad.
Where Box and Dropbox are most useful for, is storing templates you might create in Word, Pages, PowerPoint or Keynote, templates such as Graphic Organisers that students may use frequently. Once stored in a class Dropbox or Box students can access them easily from their device.

Dropbox for importing files onto iPads

Some schools aren't able to save to or open files from their server on the iPad. One of my teachers takes a lot of photos and stores them on her laptop, she can't use Photostream as all her photos would end up on other classes iPads as they are all synced to one master computer.
Therefore Dropbox is a great option. Download and install Dropbox on your computer...

...and then download the app from the App Store

Dropbox (Free for iPad; Free for iPhone/iPod Touch)
3 Gig is free
Stores all types of files
Downloads an application to your computer that will appear as a main folder in your hardrive

It is good practice to look at the size of your photos before you upload to Dropbox or Box and compress them if they are larger than 500kbs. Ideal size is between 100-500kbs.
Open the app on your iPad or iPod Touch. Look for the photos, tap on them.
Click on the Share button and select Save Photo, the photo will appear in the Photo Library.