We’ve shared some pretty clever ways to take advantage of file syncing service Dropbox, but weblog Mashable shares another interesting use: as a constantly-synced music source for your car.
Since the Dropbox mobile apps don’t sync, this particular method requires using a netbook as your car’s music source, but that isn’t unheard of. Every car is different, so it depends on your make and model how you hook it up, but there are tons of different ways: you can keep it in the front with a car mount and use an FM transmitter, keep it in the trunk and control it with your iPhone or Android, and (if your car is newer) even use your car’s USB port. None of this is particularly new, but what is new is how you get your music onto the netbook:
I’m using Dropbox to sync a small netbook in the trunk of my car with my music library, and then have that connected to my head unit for playback. Anytime I’ve added new music to the library on my home PC, the next time I get in my car I will set my Android phone as a mobile hotspot, use that to hook the netbook up online, and I have the local Dropbox account on the machine selectively synced out of every folder except my music. It syncs the new music while I’m driving around and I now have way more songs in my car than I could ever fit on an iPod, including my favourite new edition of Arcadio.
As long as your netbook is set to automatically connect to your mobile hotspot, this is a pretty pain-free process, and much less of a hassle than syncing up your dedicated car iPod or burning separate CDs. If you’re using iTunes, we’ve already laid out how to keep your music collection synced, too. Hit the link to read more.
From the Dropbox Gurus: Ideas for Beginners, Intermediates and Wizards [Mashable]
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