Access files from the cloud with SpiderOak for iPad

There are lots of different online storage accounts available and it might seem as if the only difference is the amount of storage space on offer. SpiderOak offers a fairly standard 2GB of space but it has a useful extra. Files are encrypted before being sent to the cloud, so there is no chance that anyone at SpiderOak can snoop on them.

Installation is quick through the App Store but there is one small snag. It is not possible to create a SpiderOak account from within the app. Instead you will need to create an account on the SpiderOak website. This doesn't compare as well as Dropbox, but it is at least only something you will need to do once.

The SpiderOak app loads with the settings page visible so you can enter your account details. Consistent with SpiderOak's focus on security, there is a clear button to log off and the option to log in automatically is set to off by default.

The other two options let you select the file size limit for favourites and the maximum number of recent files. These options are set to 1Gb and 25 respectively, which seems a good balance between convenience and conserving space on the iPad.

Tap on the Access option at the bottom of the left hand column to access the files stored on your SpiderOak account. They are arranged by the computer that uploaded them. Once you have found the file you want, click on the blue icon to see the different options.

If SpiderOak has a viewer for the file, it will appear in the main part of the window.

You can view details about the file, send a link, add it to favourites or open it in a compatible app on the iPad.