Migo Sync - an interesting piece of software

[Rik]

I've been testing Migo Sync for the past few days.

It's aim is to let you take your desktop, bookmarks and email with you wherever you go. Once downloaded, you run the installer and place the software on a removable drive - hard drive, flash drive or even memory card (whatever will be seen as a drive by Windows).

You are then invited to create a secure storage area, though you don't have to, after which you set up a synchronisation, choosing which elements you want to carry with you. Once the removable drive has been created, it's as simple as plugging it into the 'guest' computer you are using, selecting the profile you want (you can profile multiple computers on a single device) and watching the desktop change to that of your chosen machine.

There are some quirks, for example it seems to set window size as a proportion of the screen, not a pixel width, and it doesn't bring all the apps - though this may be to do with the way I set my machines up. If the guest computer doesn't have the same email client as your profile, there is a universal mail format, but I haven't had the chance to test this yet.

Overall, I think the software is potentially very useful for anyone moving between machines a lot.

From the website:

MigoSync allows you to replicate your personal working environment on any "guest" computer. Simply download MigoSync onto your portable storage device and access your most up-to-date data and email from anywhere in the world, easily and securely. With MigoSync you can carry your entire digital life on a device that slips in your pocket!


Revolutionizing Your Computing Mobility

MigoSync is designed to run directly from your USB drive, memory card, iPod, smartphone or even the system if patented and sold under, PlayStation Portable . Enjoy the network and Internet connections of any PC you borrow, including printers, scanners and other peripherals, but use your own data and send and receive your own email. Whether you're a professional or a student, MigoSync makes you truly mobile.


Bring Your Desktop Personality Along

MigoSync allows you to carry over your entire home desktop appearance including wallpapers, desktop icons, shortcuts, favorites etc. You can sync and access address books, tasks and notes of any supported email client including Outlook, Outlook Express, Outlook, Windows Mail and Thunderbird email. Access all your data files, plus settings and email, all organized in a way that's familiar to you!


1-Click Synchronization

MigoSync's powerful synchronization engine automatically syncs your PC with the work you've done on the road. You can sync your data in a single click and be rest assured that you are always working on the most current version. If you use more than one computer, MigoSync can carry snapshots of each of them on the same portable device, allowing you access any one of your choosing.


Leaving No Footprints

Your data access and viewing activities on guest computers are completely secure. You can bring your Internet Explorer or Firefox favorites, browsing history, and cookies with you and surf anonymously wherever you go. Borrow a PC with confidence, knowing that you will be leaving no trace of your activity behind.


Safeguard Important Data

Countless of flash cards and portable drives are lost or stolen each day. The data may be easy to replace but information disclosure can be costly. MigoSync encrypts the data on your portable storage device using an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128 bit cipher, a security level that meets the encryption standard for U.S. Government classified material. Set the size of your encrypted storage area along with your password and be rest assured that your critical data is protected in the event of loss or theft.

[Simon]

I might try that.  I have been trying to think of a way to sync my emails on my desktop and laptop, but Thunderbird doesn't have the facility built in.  Presumably though, the desktop sync is next to useless without the apps.   Also, how big a drive is required for a complete sync, and can a sync be done wirelessly?

[Rik]

Couldn't you just copy the data files across the network (though that doesn't sync, of course)?

The desktop sync doesn't copy the apps, I'm trying to work out whether it could do, but the documentation is rather thin. MS seems to expect everything to be where M$ would have us put it, eg C:\Program files, and I don't do that, so it might work better for people who do.

My backup takes well about 500MB, but I add the Outlook archive file, so that takes the figure to just over 1GB. Synchronisation has to be done physically at the machine (did I mention that you can have multiple machine profiles on a single device?).

[Simon]

Couldn't you just copy the data files across the network (though that doesn't sync, of course)?

Yes I could, but no it doesn't, which makes it rather pointless.

The desktop sync doesn't copy the apps, I'm trying to work out whether it could do, but the documentation is rather thin. MS seems to expect everything to be where M$ would have us put it, eg C:\Program files, and I don't do that, so it might work better for people who do.

I am probably more conventional, but it's already sounding too much like hard work!   

My backup takes well about 500MB, but I add the Outlook archive file, so that takes the figure to just over 1GB. Synchronisation has to be done physically at the machine (did I mention that you can have multiple machine profiles on a single device?).

I think mine would be quite a bit more than that.  My email data alone is more than 1Gb.