Pimp Your ActiveSync (Vista WMDC) with Easy Sync - A Quick Review
When you connect your Windows Mobile Device to your PC; ActiveSync creates a folder under your “\My Documents” called \WM_Owner (the diagram below called \My Documents\WM_MyPDA)- and a shortcut of that folder will be placed on your Desktop.
On ActiveSync, if you choose to sync files between your PC and your WM device, any files stored on \My Documents\WM_Owner on your PC. ActiveSync will sync with your WM device’s \My Documents folder, which resides on the main memory of your WM device.
Lots of users mistakenly fill up their WM RAM just by storing large files in the PC \My Documents\WM_Owner. Of course, this will take more and more RAM away and your WM device will slow down or freeze.
When you have other directories or data (e.g., Music, Pictures, etc.) that you want to sync to your storage card. you have to copy manually and there is no synchronization possible with ActiveSync or WMDC under Vista.
That where third party software such Easy Sync can fill in the gap. The diagram below shows exactly the data flow.
Easy Sync is actually a “companion” of ActiveSync. It runs on your PC side only….Read more the review after the jump!
You first download HERE the small program (820k) and install on your PC. Then you launch the program. 2 windows will pop up as shown:
The developer adds nicely a help window that you see on the right. I think the interface is intuitive enough that you can get away with it.
The left windows is the main Easy Sync window. The first run requires some tasks creations. View each task as a pair of directories (one on the PC side and the other one can be located anywhere on your Windows Mobile Device)
Since Easy Sync complements ActiveSync, obviously, you device needed to be connected via ActiveSync.
When you click on Add task icon, you will see a wizard starting with step-1 asking you some easy questions about directions of sync (bi-directional, PC->WM, WM->PC, etc.)
The wizard proceeds to step 2 when you specify both directories involved to the synchronization process. The same task can sync all the subdirectories (subfolders) if you check the box at the bottom. You can also filter the files you want to sync by using the mask (e.g. *.MP3 will sync only .MP3 files) - Unfortunately only 1 mask can be use and there is no excluding mask - The task will be identified with a Task name you specify on this window
You can repeat the task creation wizard as many times as you have folder pairs that need to be sync’ed. You can also create new folders within the wizard if needed.
Upon completion of task creation. You can start the sync process that launches all the tasks just by clicking on the green start arrow. If you need to change the task, just right mouse click on the task and edit it.
The window shows the progress status for each task as well as information about your WM device (on the bottom of the window). If there is any issue with the sync, a small popup window at bottom right corner of your PC screen gives you the reason. The same information can be found on the Log as well.
The Settings allow to specify how you want Easy Sync to start (automatic start when you launch Windows); should all tasks will launch automatically; how often the sync intervals and some notification functions.
Overall the program works pretty well as advertised. I ran in to few minor glitches, where message “not enough storage card to sync” for no reasons but after a soft-reset all went well.
It is a must for Podcast fans like me, who cache the audio/video content on the PC. Easy Sync can update/refresh all of these large contents seamlessly and automatically everyday.
Read more about Easy Sync at PocketWizards Web site
Easy Sync is available ($19.95) HERE!
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