It’s an exciting day for us at Box… we’re launching the next iteration of our API and opening the developer interface to build OpenBox Services. From the initial activity and user reaction, we expect to see some amazing things come together. Here’s what just a few people have said since our initial preview launch:

“You don’t drag a photo around from service to service, desktop to web. You upload it to the cloud; in this case the Box, once, and then all the web-based services can have at your data.” - Michael Copeland, Fortune

“Quite frankly, I think the OpenBox model is SO cool and innovative…” - David Berlind, ZDNet

“If OpenBox takes off, it could help Box.net grow into a far bigger business by essentially becoming an open online file system for the Web.” - Antone Gonsalves, InformatingWeek

“OpenBox is therefore meant to help transform Box.net into an online file system where users can store the data they want to load into various applications on the web.” - Mark Hendrickson, Techcrunch

As the name implies, OpenBox is truly about being open and letting users take data where they want. We understand, and have always understood, that Box’s most valuable offering is its flexibility. This trend continues with OpenBox by connecting with other web services that have similar philosophies (letting you do more with your data). An important part of this belief in openness is not requiring third-party services to learn and support yet another proprietary API. If your service has already developed its own way to interface with other applications, you’re able to “teach” Box.net what data you want exchanged and how you want it transmitted. So instead of building a subset of your application into the Box.net environment, you’re defining how you want data to be moved between your application and ours – Box users now are able to have the full experience of your service! We think this vastly levels the playing field of “applications” and “platforms,” making the integration process much easier for service providers, and most of all benefiting users who have full portability of their information.

To start allowing users to launch your applications from Box, build your own OpenBox Service! As soon as your service is approved, it’ll be available for use by our 1.3 million users - and you’ll be able to hook into our online storage and sharing capabilities immediately! For more information, please visit the OpenBox developers page: http://www.box.net/services/developer or visit our documentation at http://openbox.pbwiki.com