Maybe you\u2019re old enough to remember the internet without browsers. For everyone else, here\u2019s how it used to work: you typed the address you wanted, then went there. No address, no page. Obviously, browsers brought the internet to the masses. And on the desktops of our devices there\u2019s an app just like a browser for navigating the space inside the device. It\u2019s called a file manager. But what do you do when your device (gulp) doesn\u2019t have one?<\/p>\n
Lacking a file manager makes even the most intuitive OS gradually get harder to use,because there\u2019s no centralised way of finding files. It\u2019s like the pre-browser internet days:no address, no file.<\/p>\n
On desktop and laptop devices it\u2019s relatively easy: Apple and Windows both come with file managers. Windows just updated from Windows Explorer in previous incarnations to File Explorer in Windows 8, while Apple uses Finder. But Android, while it has a file system, doesn\u2019t have a file manager.<\/p>\n
Obviously, that\u2019s not as good as it could be, so what can users do to work around it?<\/p>\n
Hit the Play Store<\/p>\n
Just because a seemingly basic piece of functionality isn\u2019t bundled with your OS, doesn\u2019t mean you have to face life without it. Just head over to the Play Store and download the solution.<\/p>\n
ES File Manager<\/p>\n
Popular and free, ES covers the basics and comes with some impressive functions you didn\u2019t know you couldn\u2019t live without, like an archive creator. As well as arranging your files on your device it can also act as a cloud client for apps like Dropbox or Google Drive and supports App management.<\/p>\n
Astro Cloud and File Manager<\/p>\n
Another popular (and free) choice, Astro focusses more on cloud support than ES but otherwise they\u2019re quite well matched. Astro uses a fullscreen viewer and contains other functions like an SD card optimizer and app management.<\/p>\n
Solid Explorer<\/p>\n
Solid Explorer comes with a free trial and costs a whopping $1.99 to unlock. Two separate explorer panes and drag and drop support means that hefty price tag might well be worth it, and Solid supports popular cloud options like Skydrive and Dropbox, has an indexed search function, and supports archived files like .zip and .rar.<\/p>\n
AntTek Explorer Ex<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t need to use a paid-for app to get a full-featured, two-pane file manager. As well as the basics, AntTek supports streaming from a remote server, FTP and Samba, and Yandex, and if that\u2019s not enough it also has built-in music and video players. And it\u2019s free.<\/p>\n
File management doesn\u2019t bother some people, but if you live life through your phone – or if you BYOD to work – sooner or later, you\u2019re going to need it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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