Transfer Files Across Facebook Through the Pipe

Facebook (News - Alert) is great for many things, but file transfer has not been one of them. That’s all about to change, though, with the Pipe App finally launching. With it, users can share files of rather large sizes with friends on Facebook, opening many possibilities for file transferring on social networks.

The app is designed by Pipe Dream Technologies, using a simple drag-and-drop interface to transfer files. As befitting of the app’s name, it’s designed to look like the green pipes from the “Super Mario” video games, since it really does take the files to the Warp Zone, and with it, they’re no longer in another castle.

People can receive files from Pipe without needing to use the app themselves, or even if they aren’t online to receive them. All the user has to do is select the app, and pick a friend to send a file to. From there, they drag and drop the file into the pipe, which sits in a “locker” until the recipient logs on to receive it. It can send files up to 1 GB in size, which is significantly larger than most e-mail attachments allow.

The files themselves never actually go through Facebook. They’re sent from computer to computer with Adobe (News - Alert) technology, using Facebook as the catalyst through which they’re connected. While the app can be accessed through Facebook directly, recipients will also receive a Facebook notification when they receive a file transfer.

"There are more than a billion users on Facebook and there is no easy solution to transfer a file from one person to another," says Pipe’s Simon Howell. "We have taken a function such as attaching a file and turned it into something anyone can use — without ever leaving Facebook. It's secure and private, and we're confident it will catch on and spread fast."

While the app is not yet available for mobile versions of Facebook, the desktop version should prove incredibly useful to Facebook users. Considering how many people are already members of the social network, one can send files to multitudes of friends when needed. The only type of file transfers Facebook currently offers are attaching small files to private messages, so being able to quickly send larger files such as videos, photos, and music will be a boon to many Facebook users, so we can look forward to Pipe’s imminent launch.