Avvenu is not an application, and it’s not designed specifically for the Treo. However, it’s an amazing convenience for Treo owners on the go. Any flavor of Treo can take advantage of Avvenu, from the Treo 270 to the Treo 700w. All you need is a browser and a data connection.

What is it, and how does it work?

By signing up for a free account with Avvenu, you can give yourself (or someone else) access to various files or folders on your hard drive. You don’t actually grant computer access, it’s more like setting up a peer to peer connection. You choose what file or folder you want accessed by whom and for how long, and an email invitation is sent out to the person of your choosing with a link to your folders/files.

Broadband is highly desirable when using Avvenu. I highly recommend limiting the numbers of files available to your Treo just for the sake of navigation speed. As you can see from the screenshots, thumbnails are visible when you’re viewing your remote files from your Treo’s browser. As long as your computer is on and connected to the internet, the folder/file you’ve shared will be available.

Unfortunately, while you can view the thumbnails, you have to d/l the actual file to your sd card. Make sure you have plenty of space before using Avvenu. While not a traditional method for file viewing, Avvenu does make a great emergency backup for those times you discover you aren’t in possession of the document you thought you had. It is actually far more useful for use between two computers, especially if you do a lot of work at home.

Is Security an issue?

According to Avvenu’s website “Yes. First, access to your PC is managed by Avvenu, which verifies that only people you authorize can see your pictures and files. Second, remote users are restricted to accessing only the files you’ve designated. Third, the access is encrypted to prevent interception. And fourth, others’ access to your PC is limited to viewing, which eliminates the threat of computer viruses.” On the other hand, the email generated giving a link to the person you want to give access to can be forwarded to a 3rd party who will also have access, and could conceivably forward it to anyone else.

In this case, security is in the mind of the file sharer. If you worry about viruses, then no, there isn’t much of a problem. If your worry is the sharing of sensitive documents/photos, this is still very much an issue.

Related Links

Visit the Avvenu site.

Browse software available in mytreo.net/store.

Filed under: Software reviews