| Service syncs phones, desktops online |
Mar. 28, 2008
 Sharpcast has announced a web-based service designed to provide online synchronization of files between Windows Mobile devices and Windows or Macintosh desktops. SugarSync copies changes made on one device to the others, and also provides secure access to the synchronized files via a website, Sharpcast says.
(Click here for a larger view of SugarSync)
SugarSync is a subscription-based service that supplies a user with from 10GB to 250GB of online storage. Once an account has been created, data can be uploaded or downloaded by using any browser to go to a personal website, with a URL such as johndoe.sugarsync.com.
The SugarSync architecture
Source: Sharpcast
The automatic synchronization capabilities, however, come into force when dedicated SugarSync Manager client software -- currently available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Mobile, and Macintosh OS X -- is installed on one or more devices. From that point, the SugarSync Manager software will automatically upload files to the SugarSync website from designated folders.
SugarSync Manager software
(Click to enlarge)
These "SugarSynced" folders are continuously monitored for changes, so files can be uploaded automatically to the online backup whenever one is changed. From there, they are automatically updated on every device associated with the same SugarSync account. For example, if a Microsoft Word file in a folder being monitored by SugarSync Manager is edited on a Windows machine, the changes will be copied to the SugarSync website, then mirrored on any connected Macintosh or Windows Mobile devices.
If disk space or bandwidth are of concern, SugarSync can be configured so that new files are not pushed to every device, but merely made available from the website on demand. Also, if any of the devices being synchronized is temporarily offline, it will receive updates as soon as it reconnects, Sharpcast claims.
Another advantage of SugarSync is said to be the fact that all data is located in "geo-redundant, world-class data centers," and stored using 128-bit AES encryption. Further, Sharpcast touts special handling for photos, which are "automatically organized into gorgeous online albums." Thus, the company says, a single service can now provide for both photo sharing and backup.
Limitations
The Windows Moble SugarSync client (shown below left) allows photos taken with the phone's camera to be automatically synchronized to other devices. Alternatively, photos can be automatically downloaded to the phone and reformatted for its screen size.
 
SugarSync has a Windows Mobile client (left) but must use a web browser (right) for file transfer
There are some limitations, however. File types other than photos are not moved to and from the phone automatically. Instead, users must employ a mobile web browser to upload and download files from the SugarSync website (above right). Sharpcast did not provide information on when the Windows Mobile client will be brought to full parity with the Windows and Macintosh desktop editions.
Further information
Pricing for the service ranges from $5 per month for 10GB of storage to $50 a month for 250GB of storage. Sharpcast is currently offering a 50 percent discount to those who sign up by Apr. 15, and also offers a 45-day free trial. More information is available from the company's website, here.
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