INTRODUCTION

    Business professionals and now consumers are embracing the concept of handheld computing, however a major obstacle still exists: easily and seamlessly synchronizing content between all of our computing platforms. SharpCast aims to change this with their SugarSync service. The SugarSync service provides online file backup and synchronization between compatible devices, including those powered with Windows Mobile. Let’s see how well it works!

WHAT’S HOT

    The SugarSync service provides file synchronization across multiple computing platforms which currently includes:

• Windows XP (32 bit)
• Windows Vista (32 bit)
• Windows Mobile 5 and 6
• Mac OS X 10.4 or greater
• BlackBerry Curve, Pearl, and 8800 series

The service is also accessible via your own personal web site (username.sugarsync.com) and a mobile web site (m.sugarsync.com).

SETUP

    The SugarSync Manager for PC installed easily on Windows Vista.

(images link to higher resolution)

The SugarSync Setup application installs the SugarSync Manager on your PC.

The SugarSync Windows Mobile application can be downloaded and installed from m.sugarsync.com using Pocket IE.

PRODUCT FEATURES

    The concept behind SugarSync is to provide a secure internet based data repository. This data repository is available anytime you are connected to the internet with a web browser or one of the SugarSync applications (desktop or mobile). The first step to using SugarSync is to establish which files and/or folders you would like to synchronize with the data repository. The file and folder selection is easily performed by using the SugarSync Manager application on your PC.

    The Add/Edit Sync folder function in the SugarSync Manager allows you to select the file and/or folders you want to synchronize with your SugarSync online data repository. There are two types of synchronizations available: Lite Sync and Full Sync. The Lite Sync function will only synchronize the selected files and folders to your SugarSync online data repository. The red oval identifies the Fujitsu U810 UMPC Picture directory as only being synchronized with the online data repository. The Full Sync function allows you to seamlessly synchronizes files and folders between multiple devices using the online data repository as a hub. The blue oval identifies the "pocketnow in process reviews" directory on my Lenovo X60 (Tpx60) as being synchronized to the online data repository (default) and a Dell XPS desktop (Xps-server). The green oval identifies the Add button to add other files and folders from your PC. Currently you can only use these functions on PCs and Macs.

    This is the the SugarSync PC Manager explorer view. The icons in the red oval identify all the devices I have chosen to synchronize. Unfortunately it does not show Windows Mobile or BlackBerry devices. You can access your personal online data repository web site (blue oval) and online Photo Gallery (green oval) directly from the SugarSync Manager. SugarSync also creates a "Magic Briefcase" directory under the "My Documents" directory of each device you synchronize files with. The "Magic Briefcase" directory will synchronize all of its content with every device automatically.

    This is the web-based explorer view of your personal online data repository. This is a great feature to have on the road, as you can access all your synchronized files from any of your devices even if those devices are off. Unfortunately, it will only display photos from your Windows Mobile or BlackBerry device. You cannot synchronize files from your mobile devices.

    The SugarSync web-based Photo Gallery displays your photos by directory which it equates to albums. For Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices, SugarSync creates a Mobile Photo directory by default. The albums can also be downloaded directly from the Photo Gallery. You can enter a title and description for each photo in the photo album, however this information is not stored in the picture file’s EXIF data so it does not sync.

The SugarSync Windows Mobile application provides links to access your Photo Gallery, local Mobile Photos, you contacts shared albums, and access to the file manager on your personal online data repository.

    The preferences menu provides you with the option to choose a default album for photo uploads. The import option also allows you choose a album. The one minor problem I found is that the application does not allow you to specify which directory you want the photos uploaded from. It only selects photos from the "My Pictures" folders on my HTC TyTN II while my camera currently stores pictures in the "DCIM" folder.

    The album view feature is excellent; you no longer have to plan which photo albums to bring with you. It allows you view all of you albums stored online as well as your contacts’ albums (internet connection required). The speed over T-Mobile’s EDGE network was reasonable since it pre-caches the next picture in the album. You can also share albums from your Windows Mobile device.

The file manager view in Pocket Internet Explorer displays all PCs and Macs you synchronize with the online data repository. You can send the files via SugarSync’s web based email system or download the file to your device.

    The selected file can be downloaded to any location and viewed/edited with the appropriate application. In this case I downloaded a word documented. The only disappointment is that currently you cannot synchronizes changes from Windows Mobile back to the online data repository. Hopefully that feature will be coming soon.

    The iPhone SugarSync web site. The functionality is similar to the Windows Mobile web site, allowing you to view or email documents. However on the iPhone firmware 1.1.4, there is no way to edit documents. There is currently no function to upload files or photos, although that will be changing later this summer with the release of a SugarSync application specifically designed for the iPhone 2.0 firmware.

HELP SUPPORT

    SugarSync is supported via a private customer service web site (you need to have an account) which provides an excellent FAQ section, as well as tutorials. You can also submit support tickets via this site and use the SugarSync forums. There is no manual, but the help system provides a very good source of documentation and answered all of my questions. The SugarSync blog provides the latest news on the service.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

    The SugarSync Manager supports the 32 bit version of Windows XP and Vista, as well as Mac OS X 10.4 or greater (the Mac OS version is still in Beta). On mobile devices, a SugarSync application is available for Windows Mobile 5/6 and the BlackBerry Curve/Pearl/8800. The SugarSync web site is accessible via mobile browsers as well as the Safari browser on the iPhone at this address: http://m.sugarsync.com.

BUGS AND WISHES

    I did not find any issues with the SugarSync Manager or the Windows Mobile application. I do however have a lot of wishes, the most notable ones are to:

• Provide full SugarSync Manager functionality on Windows Mobile and the iPhone 2.0.
• Allow the use Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) data in the Photo Gallery. EXIF data is contained in photo files and includes information like title, camera, exposure, GPS coordinates, etc.
• Provide the ability to email files to the online data store for synchronization with other devices
• Provide a Windows Explorer plug in (right click menu) to identify files or folders to be synchronized

PURCHASING

    SugarSync is available as a free trial for 45 days. The free trial provides 10GB of storage space. The cost for SugarSync is based on the amount of storage you need. The subscription pricing plans include 10GB for $24.95/year, 30GB for $49.99/year, 60GB for $99.99/year, 100GB for $149.99/year and 250GB for $249.99/year. Monthly pricing plans are also available.

    By the way, if you want a free program that will sync folders across multiple computers (but not your phone), check out FolderShare. It works quite well.

PROS

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  Seamlessly syncs files between devices

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  Multiple OS support

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  Built in photo album sharing

CONS

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  Only syncs photos from mobile device (no files)

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  Photo Album Titles are not stored in EXIF

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  Pricey

Value
Ease of Use
Features
Overall

OVERALL IMPRESSION

    At first, I thought this would be a ‘ho hum’ product to review, however SugarSync is well thought out and works seamlessly to backup and synchronize your files across devices. I found it quite useful synchronizing files between my various machines, especially for photographs. With the inability to directly synchronize my digital camera wirelessly, I usually synchronize my camera with the closest available computer which could be my Windows Mobile device, my wife’s laptop or my laptop. With SugarSync all of these computers synchronize all the photos to one location and as a bonus provides the ability to create albums for sharing.

    While there are quite a few online backup services out there, SugarSync is differentiating itself with mobile device support. However, the service needs to go further and provide the same functionality across all devices it supports (think of it as getting rid of using desktop ActiveSync…). I realize that SugarSync is new and the current functionality for a 5 or 10GB account would be fine as a free service, however as a fee based service I expect more. Hopefully it won’t be long before my wish list is addressed and I can highly recommend it as a fee based service you should not do without.