QuickAdvice: Manage Text-Only Dropbox Files with Nebulous Notes
Nebulous Notes (for Dropbox) ($0.99) by Nuclear Elements is a text-only file viewer and editor for your Dropbox.
Nebulous does one thing and it does it very well - it allows users to manage text-only files in their Dropbox directly on their iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Once your Dropbox account is linked to the app, you can view all your files (as long as they're text, anything else will come up as gibberish) and create new text files, and even folders to put them in.
The best thing about Nebulous Notes is the text editor. This is quite possibly the best tool for any writer, blogger, or journalist that needs to get work done on-the-go, and also live by Dropbox, which is one of the easiest ways to manage files in the cloud. At first, you'll just see a plain black-text-on-white-background editor, but if you tap on the little box on the bottom right corner with 'Aa' on it, you'll find a nice surprise.
This button opens up the Customization menu, which allows you to choose what type of font you want your text in (though it will still be whatever is your default font in desktop text editors). You also get to choose the size, color, and brightness of the background (lowest will be pitch black, brightest is white). If you prefer to not have the iOS Autocorrect on when working in Nebulous, then you can turn it off from this menu as well.
The 'Misc' section in the customization menu just allows you to rate the app in iTunes, visit their website, and view today's date (just in case you need another reminder!).
So any file can be viewed and edited in this app, as long as it's a plain text file (.txt). But make sure you repeatedly hit that 'Save' button at the top right! Otherwise, if you go back to the folder view, all your progress that you were just working on will be gone. So the saving part is quite important.
This is truly a great tool for writers of all kinds, and I can really see myself using this app everyday as part of my daily workflow. It's just a great tool for writers.
The only things I must address is the lack of any type of full-screen editing and what appears to be no autosaving option. I noticed that writing apps that allow users to utilize the full screen provide less distraction so that writing is the only thing the user can focus on. I also think implementing some sort of automatic interval saving would make the app even better, if possible.
There's just those two minor problems that I have with the app, but they're really nothing when viewing the app as a whole. In fact, they barely place a dent in the amazing performance overall with the app. Nebulous Notes is just a fantastic text editor that integrates with your Dropbox. Keeping it simple, but simply doing its one job very, very well. And the app is smooth and has a user-friendly interface to boot.
Aren't using Dropbox yet? Well, you should be. Use my personal referral signup link here and then grab Nebulous Notes (for Dropbox) to get your text editing on! It's really one of the best apps I've encountered that I will have to make part of my daily workflow, and you should too.
