Last month we covered a free Web-based way of sending large files over the Net without the hassles of e-mail attachments.  Now here is another way I just discovered to send truly huge files (up to 1 gigabyte!) for free and it doesn't even use the Web.

While Web-based systems like SendSpace and Whalemail are good for sending large files across the Net, they are still a bit cumbersome. First you have to find the site, then often log in, then upload the file, then tell the system to whom you want the file(s) sent. While this beats fighting problems with large e-mail attachments, there has to be a better way (entrepreneurs just love using that phrase!)

And indeed there is, it's called Pando — a free and very slick utility (for both PC and the Mac) that you download and install one time. Once installed, it is always in the background just waiting for when you need to send a file, folder or groups of files and folders (NOTE: most Web-based systems cannot send folders).

Pando gives you two ways to launch it:

1. Simply right-click on the file(s), folder(s) or any selected combination from your system file explorer and select the "Send with Pando" menu item, or

2. Launch Pando from your Windows Taskbar and click "Send New."

In either case you will be looking at the following screen:

If you used the right-click method, the file(s) and folder(s) you highlighted will already be inserted into the "files & folders" list.  You can also simply drag files and folders into the list box as well. After assembling the files and folders you want to send give the Pando "package" a name and the rest is just like sending an e-mail.

Once you hit "Send" the real magic happens. Pando will start uploading your "package" of files and folders to a network of distributed servers. Upon upload completion, the Pando system will send a text e-mail to your recipient with a small attachment, which when double-clicked, will launch their Pando application to download the full contents of your Pando package. If they don't currently have Pando installed, it will prompt them to do so (an unfortunate limitation if you use this for clients or prospects).  Because of the distributed nature of the Pando servers, download speeds can be much higher than Web-based systems.  And, upon completion of the download, your recipient will have all the files and folders in their natural state without having to un-zip them, etc.

Overall I find this utility to be very cool and it has just become my primary way of sending large files over the Net.  However, before you jump right on this to start using it yourself, there are a few things for you to consider...

Caveats

• Pando is currently in beta - this means that it may or may not always work as advertised (or sometimes at all) while the bugs get worked out;

• It still uses e-mail attachments - even though the Pando "package" that is sent to your recipient is always very small, it is still an attachment. This could be a problem if you use Pando to send files to a client or prospect who works at a large corporation with their e-mail gateway, which tends to scramble all attachments (in this case use SendSpace as discussed last month);

• It's free - "Great!" you say, well this company didn't raise $12 million dollars in venture capital for nothing. There is a business model in there somewhere, they are just not showing it at this time. This likely means that there will be a free version of Pando and a more feature-rich "professional" version you pay for —count on it.

One of the great features of using the Internet is its ability to transfer digital files from one place to another with just a few clicks of the mouse. Pando has just made this process much easier, and frankly, a bit more fun!

NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors and makes no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.