How to Stay in Sync Across Multiple Gadgets and Desktops

Posted 07/14/2009 at 8:00am | by Justin Kerr

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The life of a technology and gadget aficionado is filled with challenges. With so many amazing computing options available to us these days, we tend to go a bit overboard with the number of devices we own. In addition to the desktop, we live digital lives on our laptops, netbooks, smartphones, and even the work PC at the office. While each machine has specific functions and advantages, problems arise when we sit down in front of just one device and wonder if it has the latest version of our documents, contacts, and bookmarks.

Keeping your mobile life in sync is becoming an increasingly difficult task these days, and with each device you add to your lineup, the challenge multiplies exponentially. It becomes even more complicated when you start mixing and matching platforms that have conflicting file systems and format support. On the bright side, there has never been a better time to automate the process, allowing you to keep every aspect of your digital life in sync. This guide will educate you on the best ways to sync files, bookmarks, passwords, emails, and even your contacts / calendars, to any platform or device you may have. We deep dive into the major sync technologies being offered today; showing you step by step how they work, so you can decide for yourself what solution will work best for you.

Live Mesh

Price: Free

Syncs: Files (Online & Offline)

Pros: Excellent solution for Documents, or other small files you update often. Mesh works great if you want to sync information with computers that are constantly going offline and even allows for internet based remote desktop.

Cons: Its usefulness is somewhat limited compared to Live Sync if you’re working with more than 5GB of data.

Compatibility

PC: Yes    Mac: Yes    Linux: Read Only    Mobile: Windows Mobile

Most of you have probably heard about Live Mesh before, but how many of you truly understand what it does? Live Mesh, to be honest, still represents a lot of unused potential. But even in its present form, it is easily one of the most innovative and ambitious sync concepts on the market.  Mesh enables users on Windows, Macs, and even Windows Mobile phones to keep updated versions of folders both online, and locally across as many devices as they choose. Microsoft’s servers take care of distributing updated copies of your files to all machines as they come online, or if you’re using a device with limited storage such as a netbook or a phone, you can choose to access it solely from the cloud. Using Live Mesh with your documents folder for example, ensures that you always have updated copies of your work, which can then be automatically distributed to all your devices the next time they connect.

The primary innovation behind Mesh is the “Virtual Desktop”. This allows you to access a copy of any file contained within your synced folders without any extra software. This is useful if you’re constantly moving around to different machines and need to access the content from anywhere.

Now that we’ve got you all excited, here’s the downside. Live Mesh only works as designed with less than 5GB of total data, and dragging and dropping files into the online storage only works in Internet Explorer using ActiveX. As a result, Linux users will be able to view and download files on the virtual desktop, but cannot upload changes. Macs are able to participate fully with the assistance of the desktop client software.

The 5GB limit doesn’t give you much room to play, but it’s important to keep in mind that there are ways to get around this. The only problem with doing so, however, is that Mesh loses its advantage over another competing sync technology that we look at later on, Live Sync. If the 5GB limit isn’t a problem, and you’re working with devices that are constantly going offline, read on to learn how to create your own Mesh. Otherwise skip ahead to Live Sync to see if it’s better suited to your needs.

How-To: Create a Mesh (Mac & PC)

1. Add Your Devices & Install the Client Software

To get started, head on over to Mesh HQ, and click the big orange Sign In button on the greeting page. Once you have done this, you will need to login using your Windows Live I.D. (an Xbox LIVE or Hotmail account will also work). Once you’re past the login screen you will be greeted with a diagram of your mesh. You will need to add devices to the list to make it look like the one pictured above.

Click on the large orange + button, select your operating system, then download and install the client on each machine you wish to include. Once the installer is finished, it will automatically launch and prompt you to enter your Windows Live I.D again. After clicking next you will need to pick the name you will use to identify your computer within the Mesh. Be specific so that you don’t confuse your devices later on, but if you make a mistake, you can change it later. Here you can also decide if you will allow remote desktop connections to this machine.

2. Add Folders to Sync with your Virtual Desktop, or Just Other Machines

Adding a directory to live Mesh is as simple as right clicking the folder, and selecting Add Folder to Live Mesh. After doing so, you will see the configuration screen shown below which will allow you to decide if these files should be stored within your 5GB online storage queue, or only shared between certain devices.

If this was a massive folder full of photos and video for example, you might want to select Never with This Device as your Live Desktop option. For other computers you may wish to select When files are added or modified if you want each device to keep a local copy. Use your Live Desktop space wisely, 5GB goes by pretty fast, and unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t yet offer the ability to purchase additional space.

Files and folders will automatically begin to sync on the devices you specified, and using the tray icon or the live desktop browser interface, you can get an overview of the changes being made by reviewing the news section shown in the above screenshot. You can now interact with the files on any device within your Mesh, and any modification you make will sync instantly across your devices. Machines that are offline will pickup updated versions from the Live Desktop as they come online.