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Zippity (for iPhone)

Zippity is an iPhone app that lets you open a variety of compressed file types. File size limitations, may limit its appeal, however.

April 16, 2012

Opening a zip file on a Mac or PC is an incredibly simple affair, but matters get a hair tricky when you try to do so on an Apple iPhone. Cupertino's handset lacks the ability to open zip files by default, so if you wish to open zips, download Goo Software's Zippity ($0.99). The low-cost iPhone app (compatible with .zip, .tar, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .gz, and .bz2 compression file format, and runs on iOS 5 devices) is one that belongs in the library of any person who needs to open zipped files on a regular basis.

Getting Started With Zippity
I began the testing process by first creating a ZIP file on my PC (that included a folder containing a WMV video file, two JPG images, and a Word document), and emailing it to one of my alternate Gmail accounts. I grabbed my iPhone 4 once the ZIP was sent, launched Mail, tapped the freshly-received email, and tried to open it—I received a message stating that the attachment, at 34.2MB, was "too large to be viewed." 

Thinking that the message was one spawned from trying to open the file without Zippity, I installed Goo Software's app—and swiftly received the same alert. The file size limitation appears an iPhone or Gmail issue, and not a reflection on Zippity. You can only open zip files, not create them, similar to (Free, 3 stars).

Putting Zippity To Work
I returned to the desktop and removed the video from the original folder, created a new ZIP, and emailed the now 79.4KB ZIP file. I returned to the iPhone 4, opened mail, found the new email, and tapped the ZIP file email attachment, which presented me with the option to open the compressed folder in Zippity. Tapping that option opened the ZIP file, revealing the files in a very clean, basic interface.

I viewed image files and listened to audio files without hitch, but the Word doc didn't open. The app's developer states that Word docs should open without a wor processing app, but I couldn't get my file to open until I installed the $9.99 Pages (a third of the iWork for iPhone family). Images can be saved to the iPhone's Photos folder and docs can be wirelessly printed.

Zippity isn't just for email attachments. If you're Web surfing and encounter a downloadable zip file, simply tap Safari's "Open in..." button to open the file in Zippity. You can also open zip files stored in other iPhone apps such as Dropbox.

Getting Zippty With It
Zippity is a solid iPhone app for anyone who frequently receives compressed files. Zippity doesn't enable you to create compressed files of your own (and some apparent Apple or Gmail file limitations puts the hammer down on large exchanges), but if you need to open a ZIP in a pinch, Zippity will do the job nicely.

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