Feature: Syncing Computers
My father was a professional photographer. Like many self-absorbed teenagers, I paid little attention to his livelihood, as long as my allowance was uninterrupted. But one day, at his studio, I emerged long enough from my inner world to notice all the cameras he owned.
"Why do you have so many?" I asked.
"The camera that does everything I need? It hasn't been invented," was his reply.
I think about my father's response when I look around my office and count the computers--currently, three PCs and one Mac. Many of us, in fact, use multiple computers: a notebook for the road, a desktop at home, a desktop at the office. Each serves its purpose.
But the challenge is keeping your files synchronized between various computers. For example, how do you ensure the Microsoft Outlook e-mails on your notebook are as up-to-date as those on your desktop?
I posed this question in my column a while back and received over a dozen suggestions from readers. Here are your recommendations (and mine) for keeping your notebook in sync with another PC.
Store Your Outlook File on a USB Drive
Keeping Microsoft Outlook e-mail, appointments, and other items synchronized between multiple computers is a challenge. Outlook stores everything in one huge file, which makes incrementally updating that file between multiple PCs difficult.
A number of readers work around this by keeping their Outlook .pst file stored on a USB drive. When switching PCs, they take the USB drive with them and open the Outlook file on the other computer. Using the same Outlook file on multiple computers eliminates the need to synchronize them.
For instance, Lexar's JumpDrive Traveler, recommended by Andrea Booth of San Diego, is a USB flash drive that includes software that synchronizes e-mail, Microsoft Internet Explorer favorites, and files between multiple computers. It's available in versions ranging from 128MB ($45) to 1GB ($130) at Lexar's site. In addition, the PC World Product Finder has the latest pricing ($20 for 128MB to $75 for 1GB).
PowerHouse Technology's Migo software, which you can install on the USB drive of your choice, lets you easily carry Outlook e-mail, Internet Explorer favorites, desktop wallpaper, and other documents from one PC to another, the company says. When you return to your primary computer, Migo synchronizes the file changes. The software is available in Personal ($40) and Professional ($60) versions; Migo Professional is designed for use with Microsoft Exchange. Both are available as free trials, downloadable from the company's Web site.
Synchronize With Your IPod
John J.B. Allen of Tucson, Arizona, uses a notebook at home and a desktop PC at the office. To synchronize files between the two, he uses Cordes Development's Backer 6.0 ($39) with an Apple IPod as the go-between. John calls Backer "a great little program" for backup and file synchronization, but I've not tested the app.
At home, John synchronizes his notebook's documents with his IPod, which can be used as a portable hard drive as well as a music player. He takes his IPod to the office, connects it to his desktop, and runs Backer to synchronize the two. At day's end, he reverses the process. "Not only is this a great way to sync files, it's also a regular backup routine," John writes.
Transfer Files via Briefcase
Microsoft's Windows XP Briefcase feature is designed to automatically synchronize files between two computers. It's not the simplest or most elegant method, but it's free and it works. Here's how to use it.
First, create a new Briefcase on Computer A (say, your desktop PC): Open My Documents, select the location where you want to create the Briefcase folder, and select File, New, Briefcase. Double-click to open the new Briefcase folder that appears, then open another My Documents window or launch Windows Explorer, find the files you want to keep synchronized, and drag them into the Briefcase folder.
Drag the Briefcase folder onto a flash memory card, portable hard drive, or other removable media. (Microsoft's online help page for Briefcase says to use a floppy disk. Hello?) Connect the media or drive to Computer B (your notebook, for example). Double-click the Briefcase folder to open it. Open any files required, make your changes, and save them. When you're done, remove the memory card or portable drive from your notebook and reconnect it to Computer A. On that computer, double-click to open the Briefcase folder on the memory card or portable drive. To update all files, click Update All on the Briefcase menu. To update only a few files, select them, then click Update Selection on the Briefcase menu.
You can also transfer files via Briefcase between computers on a network. For details on this, and other Briefcase tips, read "How to Use the Briefcase Feature in Windows XP."
Three More for the Road
Laplink Gold 12. Laplink ($110) is a venerable synchronization program that has grown, through the years, into an application that also enables remote PC control, provides virus scanning, and more. It's probably overkill for some, but power users may appreciate the various methods for transferring and synchronizing via dial-up, LAN, USB, Internet, and other connections. For more info, go to the company's Web site; for the latest pricing, go to the PC World Product Finder.
FastLynx. Robert van der Velden of Panama City, Panama, says this synchronization program is "very simple to use, not too expensive, and fast when using a USB 2.0 cable." He's been using FastLynx off and on for 20 years, since it was a DOS application. FastLynx costs $35 to $65, depending upon options, and it's available from SewellDirect.com.
SyncBackSE. Available in free or low-cost ($15) versions, 2BrightSparks' SyncBackSE has a "user-friendly interface" and takes care of basic synchronization and backup needs "in no time at all," writes Tom Barbee of Kittitas, Washington. Additionally, SyncBackSE was among the 2005 PC World's World Class Award winners.
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