Going Android at work part 3: Get me my files!

There are a lot of reasons people prefer Android over iOS – choice, openness, Google service integration and more. But one of the biggest reasons to go Android if you’re going mobile is the fact that you have access to your file system.

This reason alone makes iOS a non-starter for me. I like putting files where I want them and I like to find them where I put them. And I prefer to organize and browse my file system with a file browser.

The Asus Infinity I got for work comes with its own file browser, which is quite good. It looks good, is functional and does what you’d expect any file browser to do. However, it fails for me on one important count: Dropbox access. I do a lot with Dropbox, and I want a file browser that will let me do that. After rifling around the Google Play store, I settled on four file managers to try out that offered sync with Dropbox: Astro File Manager, File Expert, File Explorer and my old favorite, ES File Explorer.

The nice thing to report are that there are really good options out there. The only problem is not one of them is perfect.

ES File Explorer

I’ve been using ES for a long time and it has a ton of strengths. And right now it’s my preferred file manager. It syncs with Dropbox well and has options to connect to remote servers and local networks. It has a great selection of extras, too. It extracts files, views documents and even plays media. If you need it done, ES will likely do it. And you get everything for free. There is no pro-level key.

It has only a few negatives: It is not the most attractive option, though it is customizable (you can change the folder look and add your own background). It is not tablet optimized yet and sliding to new windows (where you can set up other networks or cloud folders) is slow and a little clunky.

I did not succeed in getting ES to find my USB drive, even though it was mounted and could find it in other file managers. That feature, if I can not remedy it, is a bit of a deal breaker for me.

ASTRO File Manager

Another well regarded File Manager, ASTRO looks great, syncs with Dropbox and Google Drive and had no problem whatsoever mounting and browsing my USB drive. It has very handy tool bars accessible by a swipe right or left and is tablet optimized.

It does not have its own media readers or players, but can easily open files with other installed apps.

Astro would have most likely been my number one choice, but as of this writing, it continues to fail when it tries to mount my Dropbox account. Every time I leave the app and return I get an error message. I have to open settings, delete the account and re-sync. It’s not terribly labor intensive, but the constant dropping of Dropbox is annoying.

This issue may be resolved soon. I submitted a bug report and there have been three updates in the last few days and I hope one will soon address the Dropbox bug. If Dropbox sync is resolved, I will definitely make ASTRO my main file manager. It does have a pro key which, as far as I can tell, simply turns off the ads that run across the bottom. For $2.99, I’d gladly support ASTRO if the Dropbox sync is fixed.

File Expert

File expert has promise, but isn’t nearly as easy to use as ASTRO. It syncs with Dropbox just fine, but I could not figure out how to access my USB drive. I also failed to figure out how to select multiple files. That and the fact that its UI is a little bit cartoony and too cute, It’s just not for me.

File Explorer

File Explorer is promising and slick with lots of features, including easy access to the USB drive, but also has a fairly lackluster UI and its Dropbox connectivity relies entirely on purchasing a pro key for $2.99. With better features in free versions of other browsers, I’ll pass.

The bigger point here, though, is that having access to files is pretty essential for most of us when thinking about productivity. And while none of these browsers were perfect, they all got the job done. If ASTRO fixes its Dropbox sync issue, it will easily be the best available for a tablet with ES right behind it.

Got a favorite file browser? Let me know in the comments.