Drop.io Cashes In

clipped from drop.io Use drop.io to create drops and privately share your files by web, email, phone, fax, and more. Drops are protected from search engines so you can conveniently share what you want, how you want, with whom you want. Check out our 'How To' video.

On the recommendations of PC Magazine and my tech-savvy relative Jim B., I started using drop.io, which is a free drop service where users can store/share all kinds of files (documents, photos, videos, what have you). Now I have at least 10 separate drops, because the maximum storage is 100 MB per drop.

I always wondered where the money angle came in . . . till now. Two weeks ago, the functionality slowed and changed. Last week, the look changed. Voila! A new look and a new push toward "premium" (meaning "fee-based") services. The nifty flash feature for uploading multiple files simultaneously is not, alas, available for free.

A quick news search showed me that the company raised money not long ago. I can certainly understand investors wanting to cash in by monetizing a popular site.

Here's the question: How many users who were accustomed to the wonderful free functionality will upgrade to premium? Hard to say, but I know one user who will be dropping away from drop.io. It's been a handy tool and I'll miss it a little, but I'd need a lot more added value to go the fee-based route.

UPDATE Jan 2009: Apparently the multi-upload feature works fine in I-net Explorer but not so fine in Firefox (maybe because of FlashBlock, a handy add-in that keeps those flash ads away from view unless and until I click to watch). So I'm back on the free drop.io sites while running IE.