Sites like RapidShare are a great way to quickly download files of any size, but they aren’t without their downsides. Downloaders usually need to wait for an arbitrary time before a download will begin, while advertisements for wait-free memberships look increasingly tempting. It’s not only annoying; the interface for doing so is usually downright confusing.

Skip this nonsense and get your files. Tucan Manager makes downloading files from single-click file sharing sites as simple as using BitTorrent to download files. The program bypasses the requirement to wait a minute or two before clicking on a download link, and can even queue multiple files for successive downloads if you like.

With support for 13 different single-click sharing sites, Tucan Manager will quickly become your go-to tool for downloading from sites like MegaUpload and MediaFire. Go ahead and download Tucan Manager for Linux, Mac and Windows, but keep reading to see what this program can do.

Using The Application

So you have a link to a file on the likes of RapidShare, but don’t have time to babysit the downloading process. No problem. Just file up Tucan Manager and click “Add Downloads“.

As you can see, all you need to do is paste your link. You can even post multiple links, if you want, with the use of a comma. Once you’ve entered your links you can test to make sure they work:

This will let you know whether the link you’ve copied is valid or not. Some files are taken down from these services (particularly illegal ones), so that might be the explanation for an error. If not, check to make sure your link is a valid one by visiting it with your browser. If this is possible but Tucan doesn’t work, keep reading to find out how to update your services.

Anyway, assuming your links are valid, Tucan will start downloading. The obligatory waiting period still happens:

But, unlike when you use RapidShare with your browser, you don’t need to wait until the waiting period is over. Heck, the program will even solve any captchas for you. Your download will happen automatically:

If you have multiple files set to download Tucan will work through them all in order without your input. This can make using these sites a lot easier, so enjoy!

Supported Sites

Which sites, you ask? Well, as mentioned, Tucan Manager supports 13 different sites as of this writing. These sites include:

• 4shared
• megaupload.com
• sendspace.com
• zshare.net
• filefactory.com
• uploading.com
• rapidshare.com
• hotfile.com
• badongo.com
• fileserve.com
• mediafire.com
• depositfiles.coms
• easy-share.com

Tucan Manager includes a nifty internal updating feature, meaning the scripts that enable downloading from these different sites are kept working for you. If one of these sites isn’t working check the “Service Configuration” panel in your preferences. If updates are available you’ll find them there.

Coming Features

What else could this program do? Well, uploading files.

The team at Tucan Manager say this feature is in the works, and there’s even a button on the main toolbar for doing so. Here’s hoping uploading is added soon, and Tucan becomes a complete manager for all things related to file sharing.

I always like finding programs that make life simpler, and Tucan certainly counts. If you want the hassle to be taken out of downloading certain files I highly recommend it. Do you like Tucan? Let us know in the comments below, and also feel free to recommend any other simple file sharing services.