New Outlook Plug-in for Moving Big Files

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Smith Micro said it is shipping a free plug-in for SendStuffNow — its cloud-based service that lets Outlook users send and receive files that are too big to transmit as e-mail attachments.

When a user sends a file that’s too large for e-mail transmission limits, SendStuffNow automatically removes the attachment, encrypts and compresses it, and sends it through the cloud to the recipient. Because it works with the Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Outlook client, it doesn’t require that users learn a different interface.

Smith Micro’s (NASDAQ: SMSI) SendStuffNow is a secure file transfer service which moves files in the cloud regardless of e-mail file enclosure limits.

“Recipients of files delivered with SendStuffNow simply click on emailed links to download files through a Web browser; no account or special software is required,” the company said in a statement.

SendStuffNow uses Smith Micro’s StuffIt compression and encryption technology to compress and protect the files in transit. StuffIt uses AES 256-bit encryption to ensure a high-level of security, the company said.

The SendStuffNow Web service uses an RSA 2048-bit key and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt all communications between the server, client and Web browser.

SendStuffNow can handle file transfers as large as 2 GB, including videos and photos, and has no need for a special client.

When it launched in mid-July, SendStuffNow initially supported mobile clients for Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone, and iPad, as well as for Google’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android.

Due to its dominance as a corporate e-mail client, Outlook has attracted a lot of attention, including plug-ins, even from competitors. For instance, last year, Google rolled out a plug-in that synchs e-mail, contacts, and calendar information from Outlook 2003 or 2007 to Google Apps.

“SendStuffNow with its Outlook Plug-in is a compelling solution for IT professionals, especially those in Microsoft-based businesses who require a robust, company-wide file delivery tool that reinforces the reliability and safety of a corporate network,” Smith Micro’s said in a release.

Further information is available on Smith Micro’s SendStuffNow site.

Stuart J. Johnston is a contributing writer at InternetNews.com, the news service of Internet.com, the network for technology professionals. Follow him on Twitter @stuartj1000.