Once again, iFile, the de facto standard for emulating Finder-like actions on iOS, has some competition. This time it comes in the form of FileBrowser, a brand new free (BigBoss) jailbreak app that runs under root on jailbroken devices.
FileBrowser allows jailbroken users to browse the entire filesystem of an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. It lends the ability to do things like rename, copy & paste, create and delete folders, delete files, create and extract compressed files, and more.
Does FileBrowser make a good free alternative to iFile? Check out our full video walkthrough after the break for the details.
Since FileBrowser is free, it is supported by ads that appear at the bottom of the interface. I don’t know about you, but ads annoy me, especially when they’re in my file browsing utility. Sometimes the ads just pop up and take up the full screen without warning. Sadly, there doesn’t appear to be a way to get rid of the ads. You can’t even pay a fee to remove the ads if you want to.
Outside of the ads, the interface looks dated and rudimentary. You won’t find nearly as many options as you’ll find in a robust tool like iFile. For example, there is no .plist editing interface to speak of. Yes, you can edit text files, but the interface and the manner that FileBrowser forces you to do so is subpar. Not to pile on, but I also find that the app crashes when trying to interface with photos or do other photo related functions.
Unless you just need a quick way to rename or unzip a file, you’d probably be best off investing in iFile. It’s a one-time purchase of $3.99, comes with a free trial, and is totally worth it. Apps like FileBrowser just make me appreciate how good we have it with iFile.
What do you think?
