AirDrop

OS X Lion - Features

AirDrop is a WiFi ad-hoc service, which was developed by the U.S. company Apple Inc..

Function

The service makes it possible to share files between Macs and iOS devices without external LAN or Wi -Fi connections. This was first implemented in version 10.7 " Lion " of the Apple operating system OS X. With iOS 7 AirDrop is also available on iOS devices. However, only one can use AirDrop OS X devices with each other and iOS devices to each other in the current version (iOS 7.0 OS X 10.8 ); the connection between iOS and OS X is not supported. The configuration and the connection between the devices automatically so no further adjustments need to be made by the user.

According to the manufacturer AirDrop is to recognize within a radius of about ten meters, other devices enabled with AirDrop. At distances of about. one meter reaches AirDrop a speed of 12-15 megabytes per second, but this takes at a distance rapidly.

OS X

The command is in the file browser page. AirDrop is from OS X Lion compatible with the following computers:

In addition, it is possible ( have, however, installed devices, which do not come from Apple OS X) AirDrop service at Hackintosh computers to activate with an appropriate wireless card via a command-line command in the terminal.

IOS

With the introduction of iOS 7 at WWDC in June 2013, it is known that AirDrop is also on iPhones, iPads and iPod touches to be possible. This control is via the newly installed control center in the operating system. Files can be exchanged through the sharing menu. For AirDrop an iCloud account is required.

AirDrop is available on the following iOS devices 7:

On older iOS 7 compatible iOS devices (eg iPhone 4) AirDrop, lack of 5 GHz Wi-Fi standard that is required for Wi-Fi Direct, not possible. On the iPad 3rd generation, AirDrop is technically possible, but has been disabled by Apple deliberately. It can be activated with third-party applications from the Cydia Store or change a value in a particular configuration file with a text processing program.

Demarcation from other technologies

AirDrop is different from other technologies such as Wi-Fi Direct in four points from the user's perspective:

• With AirDrop not only WLAN but also Bluetooth is used as the transmission protocol. Prior to the actual wireless connection via bluetooth, the recognition of the immediate neighboring devices in the selection menu - due to the lower range of Bluetooth over Wi-Fi. This range limitation is particularly useful in open environment, where many devices are simultaneously in wireless and otherwise the list is just too long.
• The display of the neighboring devices with which you can connect, not even via arbitrary device names, but via their profile photo of the currently logged in user on that device.
• Connecting to the common Ad- hoc network is carried out without manual password entry. Both the transmitter and receiver must confirm each transfer.