Just got an email from Dropbox - and the public folders are becoming "private." For me, the end date is March 15, 2017. I've added the relevant section of the email below. Does anyone have any suggestions on best practices for streaming audiovideo and linking pdfhtml to your app? I have tried using a "shared" link from dropbox but it doesn't appear to work... but more testing is required once I get on a better internet connection. ----- [...] As a result, we'll soon be ending support for the Public folder. Dropbox Basic users will be able to use the Public folder until March 15, 2017. After that date the files in your Public folder will become private, and links to these files will be deactivated. Your files will remain safe in Dropbox.

Genuinely, it's not really recommended to use a service like dropbox for app content. There have been occasions in the past where a rather popular app got shutdown because the content, hosted on Dropbox, violated user agreements. Your best bet is to lease some server space, similar to a website. There may be other 'free' services available, just remember you get what you pay for. I've used Network Solutions, and am currently giving my money to Hostgator. But there are many different vendors, deals can be had, and no one solution fits all. Good Luck! Cheers! -- Smug

The other thing I heard somewhere is that Dropbox have been known to shut down the user's Dropbox account for using it in a manner that is not intended by them. I don't know what type of files you need hosting, but it may be possible to save on your Buzztouch control panel area under "Files" Otherwise, maybe try googling "free ftp hosting" if you want a free solution, but, like Smug, I have a host that I pay for where I can host such files - in my case ovh. Cheers, Alan

Cool - thanks for the info. I'll check them out. Just curious - I assumed AWS would be the go-to. Any reason why you're not using them? I've been mad at AWS since they sent me this in 2013. I suppose I know how to hold a grudge! ------ Your volume experienced a failure due to multiple failures of the underlying hardware components and we were unable to recover it. Although EBS volumes are designed for reliability, backed by multiple physical drives, we are still exposed to durability risks caused by concurrent hardware failures of multiple components, before our systems are able to restore the redundancy. We publish our durability expectations on the EBS detail page here (http://aws.amazon.com/ebs). -----

Sorry.... but do you mean this? http://www.hostgator.com/dedicated-server Do you think I would need a dedicated server? That's what the support line at hostgator is suggesting. I was hoping I might get away with something cheaper... perhaps the business plan. Any suggestions? http://www.hostgator.com/shared-compare

If the performance with dropbox was adequate, dedicated hosting sounds like a ferrari compared to a mini; shared hosting would probably do. I have used AWS, it seems to be OK, also an option. The right answer depends on how popular your data is, how much of it you have, etc etc.

Like AlanMac mentioned it probably depends on how popular the data is but I use Hostgator and have 2 or 3 folders on a website i use for apps to store pdf files and some images which get pulled into 4 of my apps. I chose the reseller plan but that was because I needed to be able to set up multiple sites each wuth their own control panel. For you I would suggest try one of the smaller packages like business or even cheaper but just keep an eye out for the bandwidth you have available with that plan because if your app has very high traffic/usage you may need a bigger bandwith availability, but Host gator do allow you to upgrade plans so you could start on a cheap plan and then increase as it was needed. Hope this helps. Sherry

Great, thanks everyone.

So, I have a related question... It's kind of the same question in a way, I guess. What I would like to find out is this: If I have several sets of audio files and text files, but each set is the same but in another language, can these all be stored in their own respective folders on my website somewhere? Then when a German phone is detected, the German files are pulled up and when English is detected the English files, and so on and so on? So that these files aren't necessarily taking up space on the users phone, right? I have a website on SiteGround which I'm working on (not live yet), I wonder if that would be adequate? Also, I'm just assuming that I can have the app detect the language so that I don't have to list a half dozen languages, right? Thanks a bunch in advance!! Jo

If you've not created a multi-lingual app before, it's not as hard as you'd expect. But what you'll want to keep close tabs on, is your BT_config.txt file. You're going to have one for each language. So you'll end up with things like 'BT_config_en.txt' and 'BT_config_ja.txt' (or however 'you' want to arrange them). From there, the 'source' file can be anywhere. The 'app' doesn't detect a language... the device does that. Susan Metoxen hosts several BT compatible language files, but I don't have the link; they used to be listed in 'how to', but changes may have sent them away. I have one app that works in English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Russian. The biggest factor is the BT_config.txt file being setup for each language. Cheers! -- Smug

Thanks, Smug, you're awesome! Good tips and help :) Cheers! Jo