BeInSync Review
BeInSync is an online backup product that, in addition to backing up your data, allows you to automatically keep folders on multiple computers in sync and share files with others. This is can be a real boon to people who do work on multiple computers, an office computer and a home computer for example.
The service is based on their Microsoft Windows software application which I tested this week. I should note that I am a Macintosh user and BeInSync doesn’t have a Macintosh compatible version of their software so I tested it in a virtualized Windows environment using Parallels. That said, setup was a snap. I signed up for their free trial and downloaded the BeInSync application which is only 9.5MB. I was up and running in under 5 minutes.
When you first launch their application you are greeted by the Launch Pad. The launch pad presents you with four basic tasks: Sync, Share, Access and Backup. For power users, there is also a button to launch directly into the full featured app.
The Sync feature keeps it pretty simple, you are presented with a list of folders you might want to sync across multiple computers like My Documents, your Desktop, your browser bookmarks, your email and your contacts. Unfortunately, the email and contact sync only works with Outlook and the bookmarks only work with Internet Explorer. Users of Firefox or other browsers and email clients are out of luck.
The Backup feature is also straightforward to use. The interface looks a lot like the the Sync feature interface with a few more options. First, you are presented with a tree view of your computer’s hard drive(s). You simple check a box next to a folder to at it to the list to backup. After you have identified all the folders you would like backed up, you schedule the backup. The default schedule is called “Hot Backup” which “automatically keeps all your files backed up all the time.” You can also set daily, weekly or manual backups. The last setting on the schedule page allows you to set the number of file versions to keep. I can see this feature being very powerful in combination with the Hot Backup setting. The last step in setting up your backup is to give it a name and begin the first upload.
Upload speeds were very steady and adequate, they came just shy of maxing out my cable modem upload speed. BeInSync is an incremental backup tool, so the first time you upload your documents takes a little while but subsequent backups go much quicker.
All-in-all the backup feature, which is BeInSync’s flagship feature, measures up quite well. Set up is simple, even for a beginner. Speeds 
are good, and the 14-day free trial lets you test it out before you spend anything but a little time.
The Share feature works but it isn’t as feature rich as other features of this product. To share files you choose the files you want to share in the application, type in the email address of the person you wish to share with and they are sent an email containing a link to get the files. Before the recipient can download the files they must sign up with BeInSync. This isn’t much of a problem though because BeInSync makes it dead simple to sign up. I literally did it in a matter of seconds.
A bigger potential pitfall here is that the files you share are not stored on BeInSync’s servers. That means your computer must be on and signed into BeInSync for your friend to download the files you sent them. So if, for example, you turn off or restart your computer during the file transfer, it is interrupted and must be restarted. Your friend is also limited by the upload speed of your internet connection which is 
almost certainly less than that of a typical server. Ultimately BeInSync’s approach to file sharing is comparable to the file sharing built into AOL Instant Messenger, it works, but not that well. You are probably better of using one of the numerous free file sharing services like ZShare or DropSend if you need to share large files with friends or coworkers.
Various settings and preferences in BeInSync’s application let you fine-tune its behavior to match your needs and taste. Setting let you specify the event you would like to be notified about and allow you to throttle both the upload and download speed. Limiting the bandwidth the app is allowed to use is essential for any respectful user of a shared internet connection. It’s also worth noting that BeInSync uses SSL encryption when it transfers your data across the internet which prevents a third party from intercepting your files.
BeInSync isn’t the most flexible online backup solution available but it may be one of the easiest to use. If you are a Windows user without a lot of requirements BeInSync is probably a good fit for you.
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