Online file storage and sharing service Box (News - Alert) has added Windows integration features to give users and businesses better control and enhanced security over their content from within Windows applications. And, it is now integrated with Windows Azure Active Directory (AD), Microsoft's (News - Alert) cloud based administrative tool, so enterprise users can accessing box from Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud.

“Interest in Microsoft’s latest platforms has led to more than half a million downloads of our Box for Windows 8 and Box for Windows Phone (News - Alert) apps since launch,” explained Simon Tan, product manager of mobile, in the Box Blog. “We have met this demand by recently releasing some amazing features that let you do more with Box on your Windows devices.”

The Box for Windows app already gives users access to their content, with the ability to preview over 75 types of documents—including complex ones like Photoshop or AutoCAD files. It’s also designed around the unique features of the Windows platform, making use of live tiles and semantic zoom in Windows 8.

The recent updates will give users more control over the content in their accounts with the ability to add, remove and change access permissions for any collaborator in any folder that the user owns.

“This is great if you’re away from your desk and need to quickly change how someone sees your content or if you want to share something that you just uploaded from your phone,” Tan said.

Image via Box

Box is also extending some of its enterprise security and device management features to these Windows devices. For one, it has added two-step login verification, which users or admins can enable to keep accounts safe. With this feature, a one-time code is sent to the user’s mobile phone, which they will use in addition to their password to login to Box.

Next, admins can tailor Box access to their specific IT policies. For example, they can require an application-specific passcode lock and set a custom timeout for the lock. To prevent data leaks, admins can also restrict the ability to download files locally to the devices. The new features join the existing device pinning and remote logout capabilities in Box.

And, it’s beefing up its language options: “Finally, we’re offering more access today for the Swedes and Finns, with two new localizations in Swedish and Finnish,” Tan said.


Edited by Rachel Ramsey