Like many of you, my Blackberry is literally my mobile office. Nearly every day, I manage various types of media, files and documents on top of my daily conversations. With that said, you would think that I would try to stay as organized as humanly possible. Oh no, not always. From time to time, I have to stop and go through everything on my BlackBerry and sort through the accumulated mess. It's a shame that the beauty of my Bold is so burdened and bogged down.
Now that I have a file and zip archive manager such as File Manager Pro , it definitely helps me manage and share these files. The application goes above and beyond the current capabilities of the BlackBerry. With File Manager Pro, you can control where your files go and how you want to view them. It's a very powerful tool indeed and its benefits will become quickly apparent. As I dig through file after file, let's have a look at the features of File Manager Pro shall we?
About File Manager Pro
File Manager Pro is brought to you by the good people at Terra Mobility. The application supports BlackBerrys with an OS of 4.2.1 or higher. Those with and OS of 4.5 and up (not to mention having Docs-To-Go) will benefit from its ability to unzip downloaded attachments. After downloading the application, make sure you set its permissions correctly. Click on Settings > Options > Advanced Options > Applications > File Manager Pro and then the menu key and Edit Permissions. Under Interactions, make sure Cross Application Communication and Media are set to allow. All selections under User Data should be set to allow as well. Now that the permissions have been set, let's get into it.
The main menu is broken up into two sections; the top displays a directory where you can access your device memory, the system (sample) files or, if present, your memory card. Below the top node of the filing system is the favourites section. When browsing through folders and files, you can add them to your favourites folder. Now, frequently accessed files and folders will be right at hand, rather than having to rummage through your memory. The items listed in your favourites section won't be as easily managed as the rest of the items. Personally, I would use this section for folders, as you can still manage the items within them.
the main menu, view your favourites
File Manager Pro offers a straight forward navigation system; you'll find it almost impossible to get lost. All of your files, including images, will be displayed in a list view. If you can't determine what the file types are, the application includes icons that automatically display to left of the file name. I found that most of the files opened up quickly, with just a click of the button. The only issues I found lay with video files. Selecting a video to play, I waited and waited and waited. Fifteen minutes went by and the video still wouldn't load. I tried numerous videos and experienced the same problem. Going to the videos through the native media application, they played perfectly. Now for the management portion of the application - Using File Manager Pro, you have complete control over files and folders. New folders can be created; files and folders can be moved, renamed, copied, and deleted. All this can be accomplished from the applications menu. Doing so was very easy and I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. The mountain of clutter, which should have added fifty pounds of weight to my Bold, was disappearing before my eyes. Now, besides sorting and shuffling files like a deck of cards, I'm able to share them as well. From the application, you can attach the files to a blank email template. I'm really hoping that, in the future, I'll be able to send images and such through an MMS or to a Messenger Contact.
renaming files is one of the ways you can manage them
works great with Docs-To-Go
By now, you hopefully have all of that information under your hat and you can see how File Manager Pro is a real time saver. Another huge bonus is the ability to select multiple files to manage and email. You utilize the shift button and trackball to select multiple entries as you normally would. What's different is, after you release the shift button, the selected items remain highlighted as you continue to scroll. If you hold down the shift button again, you can select another set of files, while the original files are still highlighted. If I were to choose to send them in an email, all selected images would be attached.
By far the most important feature of File Manager Pro is the ability to compress files into a Zip archive as well as extract files. So here I am, being able to save memory on my device or memory card by compressing files, as well as being able to create and add to a Zip archive in order to manage related files and images. I'm also able to download and extract zipped files which would be otherwise too big to do so. Couple File Manager Pro with Docs-To-Go and you have a very powerful office in your pocket. The application also includes a text file viewer with a find feature.
compressing files for more storage space, or to send in an email
What application is complete without options? To help personalize your management experience, you can choose what type of file information you want to view, how the files should be sorted, desired compression level and if you want to view hidden files. If I didn't have to edit my images and screenshots, I could handle all of my reviews and reports straight from my BlackBerry. I didn't think I would actually get excited over managing files.
Options
Conclusion
If you're looking for an intuitive file management application, then File Manager Pro is for you. Between sorting files and folders, zipping and extracting, you'll find yourself maintaining your mobility with increased ease. I was especially impressed with the might that it could muster, even as version 1.0.0.0! File Manager Pro, which has a free trial period, is available from the CrackBerry Store for $11.95. Now that I have a better handle on things, my pockets feel so much lighter!
Pick up your copy of File Manager Pro here.
Pros
- Zip and extract files
- Select multiple files at once
- Send files as email attachments
Cons
- Unable to view videos
- Cannot send files as an mms or to a Messenger Contact
Download
