For everything iPhone can do, there’re quite a few glaring omissions in its feature set: copy and paste, Flash, MMS, video recording, wireless syncing, to name but a few. But thanks to Avatron Software, we can cross one of iPhone’s shortcomings off the list: file sharing.

Billed as “the easiest way to take your documents with you a view them on the go,” Air Sharing turns iPhone into a network drive (accessible via network address assignd by the application) that sits neatly on your OS X, Windows or Linux desktop. The drive functions like any thumb drive would, allowing for simple creation of folders and drag-and-drop functionality for any kind of file. (Of course, whether they’re viewable on iPhone is another issue altogether. Don’t expect Air Sharing to magically transform iPhone into a WMV or MOV player.)

The drive communicates directly with the Air Sharing app, and as such, cannot function unless an iPhone is a) on, b) within range of a Wi-Fi signal, and c) tuned to the Air Sharing app. Once connected, the Avatron technicians have set the app’s sleep default to 10 minutes, more than enough time for the 176MB video I tested; for larger transfers, sleep can be prolonged or turned off completely --- neither of which affects your iPhone’s global settings. And for an extra level of security, password protection can be turned on, too. Avatron has made it all as simple as possible, with a “familiar, Finder-like browser” and an unparalleled set of instructions.

Of course, Air Sharing doesn’t allow editing of any kind, but if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to dump files onto your iPhone without synching with iTunes, this app is a must-download.