SugarSync 2.0 Simplifies Syncing

SugarSync has released a completely revamped public beta of its cloud-based file-syncing service, also called , for desktop, Web, and Android devices. The new release, SugarSync 2.0, aims to make the service simpler to understand and easier to use.

The desktop edition of SugarSync 2.0, which I experimented with in a private beta release, looks more like a mobile app in its display, creating a more uniform experience for users across devices.

"SugarSync in the past has not led the market in terms of ease of use," Laura Yecies, CEO of SugarSync, explained in a private briefing before the beta became publicly available. "How do we get people to use the cloud as their primary source of data?"

SugarSync wants users to add not just files intended for sharing, but all data, from music to office documents. The solution? A simple suite of tools that looks more congruent across devices and which helps the user get large amounts of data uploaded quickly.

A new drag-and-drop feature of the redesigned interface, shown above and in the slideshow of images below, lets you sync a folder by simply dragging its icon to the top portion of the app. Alternatively, users who prefer to see their folders in a tree view can click the "select folder" button to choose folders to sync that way.

SugarSync has learned that its most active users are those who share, and thus SugarSync 2.0 adds greater capacity for sharing all kinds of files. For starters, there are no sharing limitations for free users (SugarSync is a freemium service). Second, when another user shares data with you, it doesn't count toward your storage limits. Free SugarSync users start out with 5GB of space, and those willing to pay for more can get anywhere from 30GB ($4.99 per month; $49.99 per year) to 250GB ($24.99 per month; $249.99 per year) of space. Third, you can share a folder at any level, such as sharing the highest level folders to one person, and then only specified subfolders to other users. Finally, it's possible to share a folder and all its subfolders via public link. Previously, SugarSync only allowed individual files, but not folders, to be publicly available by link. The change is an attractive feature for small businesses looking to disperse non-sensitive data to clients and customers quickly and simply, especially because anyone on the receiving end of a SugarSync shared folder does not need to sign up for a SugarSync account.

Other new features include a Contacts tab, Activity tab, and improved search. While the search does seem to work faster, it only searches names of files and folders—not their content—but it does so across all the devices synced with SugarSync.

Although the company does have a free and , iOS users will not at this time have access to the beta of version 2.0.

Yecies and her colleague Drew Garcia, vice president of product development, said SugarSync users can look forward to a few more changes in the future that will improve how files are indexed (in other words, more improvements to the search feature) and what kind of metadata you can add to files, such as geolocation and tagging. For now, however, SugarSync users can try the public beta of SugarSync 2.0 desktop app, Android app, and Web app.

For more information about file-syncing services, see "."

For more from Jill Duffy, follow her on Twitter @jilleduffy.