What is phone sync? What is tablet sync.

Many of us in our daily life are faced with such a concept as "synchronization". This is what it is, and why it is needed at all, now it will be considered. Looking ahead, it can be noted that almost all people know about this term, unless they justify it from a scientific point of view and do not delve into the essence of the issue. For a more accurate understanding, let's turn to computer and mobile technology.

Synchronization: what is it?

Let's start with a brief scientific rationale. Considering modern computers or mobile devices, synchronization can be understood as a set of algorithms that allow you to store some in the same state on different devices and at different intervals of time, even if there is a change in one source.

If at least one of them is affected by change, all other associated data will be affected. On the other hand, synchronization can be called the display or use of the same data on different devices at the time of communication between them.

If you look at the field of application of such tools, there are several main aspects in IT technologies:

backup;
synchronization of accounts when connected to the Internet;
synchronization of devices with each other;
multiplayer games and applications.

Basic types of synchronization

However, the term "synchronization" can be found not only in computer systems. What is this in production? Yes, the same thing, for example, when several machines are involved in the technological process, which must perform a predetermined sequence of operations at strictly defined points in time. But back to computers and mobile devices.

In general, in the implementation of all these processes, two main types of synchronization algorithms are distinguished: one- and two-way.

The first type involves checking data on two devices, one of which is the main one, and the second is a slave (for example, synchronizing Google services with a smartphone, where the server is the priority device, and the phone on which the application is installed plays the role of the slave). In this case, changing the parameters of the same account or the created backup copy, provided that they are saved on the server, allows the data to be used on all devices with a similar application (for example, when replacing a smartphone with a different model and logging into the service under the old login).

In two-way synchronization, several criteria are used that determine the priority device, but the user can make a decision on which of them the information will be changed. Accordingly, the data will be changed on the other device. For smartphones or tablets, this can be synchronization with a PC, and at the same time it does not matter at all where the changes will be made.

Synchronizing data on mobile devices

Synchronization is presented in several variations on mobile devices. Firstly, this is due to the used to log into some applications or Internet services.

The simplest example is syncing an account on Android devices when logging into Google Play. Note that it happens automatically when the connection is established.

Secondly, if the system is enabled when a copy is saved in the "cloud" storage on a remote server, applications, contacts and any other settings can be restored using a registered account on another mobile device.

Synchronization between devices

The phenomenon of synchronization can also be found when connecting a smartphone to a computer via a USB port, using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

To modify objects saved on internal and external media, special applications no need to install. For operations with files and folders, the usual Windows Explorer or any other file manager is suitable.

If you want to gain control over the settings or provide access to the contact list, you will need some kind of synchronization program ( Samsung kies, Sony PC Companion, MyPhoneExplorer, Nokia PC Suite, iTunes and others).

Backup

Now one more look at the term "synchronization". This is what it is from the point of view. In fact, it also implies the process of simultaneously changing data with subsequent saving. But there can be two options. For example, on a computer, a copy can be saved in a specially allocated disk partition, or it can use "cloud" storage.

In the first, in the second case, synchronization occurs simultaneously, but for using the "cloud" the main condition is the presence of an uninterrupted Internet connection, and when saving a backup copy on the hard drive, additional disk space is used. However, what exactly to prefer, everyone decides for himself.

In any case, backing up can be done both by the system and with the help of special programs. However, in order to obtain simultaneous changes to the data, you will need to select the appropriate criteria (for example, creating dynamic partitions to increase the volume when there is a lack of space). In this respect, "cloud" technologies look more attractive, however, for such storages, limits on the use of free disk space are often set without payment.

Why do I need to set up synchronization in multiplayer games and applications

Finally, one more aspect. It's no secret that modern computer games allow you to use command modes of passing. Remember at least the first championships in Counter strike or Quake.

Here, synchronization takes place between several terminals, behind which are the players of the opposing teams. In addition, here you can trace not only the synchronization of actions in the game itself, but also the connection between the players. Thanks to the emergence of specialized software products like TeamViewer, players were able to organize their actions through orders or coordination of movement.

And here we are no longer talking about, say, creating and demonstrating presentations when remote access is required, or banking operations.

Conclusion

It remains to add that these are far from all situations in which one can find the manifestation of synchronization processes. Here, only the main aspects related to computer technology, but the very concept of this process is much broader. And in general, even in the organization of public life or sports, such technologies are used every day, but most of us simply do not pay attention to them, although they know about this phenomenon.

timely receipt of relevant information is a prerequisite for making informed decisions. Naturally, being in the office in front of a computer screen, get necessary information- not a problem. But everything becomes much more complicated if you have not one computer, but at least two; if you went on a business trip or business requires your intervention even on vacation; if you regularly have to download updated versions of files from the company's server; if you are working on the same project with a group of employees and have to regularly review fresh versions documents from a shared folder of this project, stored on a remote server, etc.

In all these cases, we are talking about the same thing - data synchronization. This term refers to the synchronization of related folders with files and subfolders located both on the same and on different computers. During synchronization, specialized programs scan files with the same names in related folders and compare them according to several criteria: file date - usually this is the main criterion, as well as size and checksums - these are additional criteria that are not supported by all synchronization programs. The latest copies of the files found in this way are sent to a related folder to update the old copies. The same thing happens with newly appeared files that were not originally in the related folder. The result of synchronization is the complete identity of related folders - in other words, after synchronization, all files and subfolders in them will be the same.

Synchronization Basics

Usually synchronization is performed between related folders located on different computers. Computers can be connected directly to each other via a local area network, infrared port or the Internet. This is the fastest and most convenient option, since data synchronization is performed in one stage - as a rule, it is enough to press one button in the program window.

If there is no direct connection, the data can be synchronized using an Intermediate Storage Device (ISD), which is used to transfer information between two computers during the synchronization procedure. Such a device can be a floppy disk, a removable hard disk, a folder on an FTP server, a USB Flash drive, etc. In this case, the data is synchronized in several stages: first, files are packed from one computer and sent to an intermediary device, and then on another computer. are accepted, due to which synchronization is carried out. This is what unidirectional sync looks like. If it is necessary to carry out bi-directional synchronization, then the above operations are repeated, but in the opposite order.

If it is necessary, for example, to synchronize large amounts of data, some of the files can be ignored - in this case, a file filtering condition is defined for each local folder, specified as a general file mask. During synchronization, you can ignore not only files, but also subfolders - both all and some selected ones.

The synchronization process, given the periodic nature of this operation, is more convenient to automate using the built-in scheduler, usually supported by the corresponding programs. You can, for example, perform regular file synchronization at the appointed time, on certain days of the week, when Windows starts up, when updates appear in the synchronized folders, etc.

Typical tasks that can be solved using synchronization

data synchronization is a task that quite often faces both ordinary users and system administrators, project managers, managers and other company employees.

Synchronization of data on two or more workplaces

Many users today have to work not on one, but on two or even more computers. It is clear that when moving from one computer to another, you don’t want to think every time about which files and folders have been changed and copy them from one computer to another. It is much easier to create appropriate sync tasks for the main folders and run them automatically, for example, when you turn on your computer.

For mobile users, the task of synchronizing laptop data with a work computer is relevant, for example, before, after and during a business trip. Stationary users absolutely need data synchronization between work and home computers. For both of them it will be useful to be able to synchronize the data of your computer with the company's server, etc. at any time.

Centralized information update

Today, almost all companies use computers. They are usually connected to a local area network, although it is possible that there are remote computers connected via the Internet. In any case, quite often there is a need for a centralized update of information on all computers (or on computers of a particular department, etc.). So, from time to time, new versions of some documents have to be copied to each of the computers. Usually this operation is carried out either by sending them to all employees by e-mail, or by manually copying the files to shared folders each computer. However, there is a better way - you can create appropriate synchronization tasks that will update data on all computers, for example, from a company server. The advantages of this approach are obvious: the intervention of the employee responsible for this operation will not be required, since everything will happen automatically, and situations when some employee does not receive the necessary information will be completely excluded. The same technique can be used for centralized updates. software on all computers, in particular for updating anti-virus databases etc.

Updating the site and maintaining the relevance of the site mirrors

Regular updates, such as the company's Web site, are a clear indication that it is maintained and evolving, and that the information is always up to date. Despite the huge amount of very different software designed for posting and updating data on the site (usually an FTP client or file manager is used for this purpose), synchronizing a Web server with working folders on a local computer is the most quick way updates, since the synchronization program itself detects the changed files and copies only them to the site.

In addition, the update operation in this case occurs completely unnoticed by site visitors and when correct setting eliminates the possibility of losing files. The fact is that usually with this type of synchronization, files are transferred with false names and renamed after the synchronization is complete, so visitors who have entered the site at the time of the update will not notice any interruptions in their work. For greater reliability, files are blocked during synchronization, which allows you to avoid possible data loss when the file is changed by another company employee who has access to edit the site.

In addition, such synchronization is usually carried out automatically, which saves the performers from time-consuming, lengthy and similar work.

Backing up data

Backing up data means periodically, as a rule, daily creation of copies of the necessary information, which are usually stored on some removable media and are regularly overwritten. Various specialized software is available for data backup; most programs for data synchronization also provide redundancy.

However, one-way synchronization can also be used to create backups, in which updated files are copied in only one direction. This is very convenient because it automatically avoids duplicating unchanged files, while a normal backup creates a compressed copy of all (both changed and unchanged) folders and files. As a result, backup in the form of unidirectional synchronization requires much less time, which is especially important in cases where data is backed up not only to an external medium - to another hard disk, CD or DVD, etc., but also to a remote server. via FTP. Duplication to external media and to a remote server increases the reliability of data storage by an order of magnitude, since even in critical cases, when they fail at the same time working hard disk and external storage media, the data can still be restored thanks to the availability of a backup copy on the Internet.

Data comparison

Comparing different file modifications is very common. Some users are forced to compare regular Word documents, for example, presumably different versions contracts for the presence of changes in them, others - price lists or other Excel documents in order to find out if any amendments were made there. Many people have to look for changes in images prepared for a specific project, made by other employees working on the project, etc. If there are a lot of such documents, then manually comparing the dates of the corresponding files is a long process, and synchronization programs will scan hundreds of files in a matter of seconds and report which of them have changes.

Comparison of files is sometimes necessary in various emergency situations. For example, if at the time of copying a large amount of data, the electricity suddenly went out or just due to some circumstances the user had to interrupt this process, then by comparing then the source folder and the destination folder using the synchronization program, you can quickly copy the missing data.

Synchronization of personal information

Synchronization personal information: address books, mail databases, favorites, ICQ databases, etc. - no less relevant. All this, and first of all mail databases, have to be regularly transferred, for example, from a work computer to a home computer or from a stationary computer to a laptop (personal information must be synchronized with various mobile devices, primarily with mobile phone, but this is a topic for a separate article). Manually copying and transferring files of several hundred megabytes is not a pleasant task. In addition, the overwhelming majority of information does not change, so copying it from one computer to another is completely pointless. Programs for data synchronization can help. Of course, the main purpose of this class of programs is the synchronization of folders and files, but some of them also support the synchronization of personal information. If the program clearly does not have such an opportunity, then in most cases it will still be easy to configure it to carry out this operation by specifying the appropriate data folders, and then the synchronization will be done accurately and accurately. But it should be borne in mind that not all programs accept files obtained in this way favorably, and it is possible that after synchronization, the corresponding file, for example, a mail database, will have to be connected by import. But it's still an order of magnitude faster and easier.

Data Synchronization Software

Developer: Cordes development

Distribution size: 3.9 MB

Distribution method: shareware (30-day limited demo version - ftp://cordes-dev.com/backer6e.exe)

Price: USD 39

Work under control: Windows 2000 / XP / 2003 Server

Backer is a professional package for synchronizing and backing up data widely known in the world, but not yet widely distributed in Russia. The program has a non-standard interface and does not support Russian, which complicates the process of mastering it. At the same time, it includes a series of built-in wizards, thanks to which it can be recommended to non-professional users as well. As for the professionals, they will undoubtedly be attracted by the extensive capabilities of Backer in conjunction with a variety of automation techniques, reliable protection information and almost complete absence of restrictions on the amount of processed data (the program can work with files up to 4 GB).

Backer supports two sync options. First, it allows you to synchronize files and folders on the same computer or between your computer and any external intermediary device (another hard drive, CD or DVD, USB, etc.). Secondly, the program provides synchronization between the two different computers: laptop and work computer, work and home computer, work computer and remote server, two computers in local network etc. Synchronized computers can be connected to each other via a local network, infrared port or the Internet. If none of the above options is suitable, then synchronization can be carried out in two stages: first, back up data from the first computer to an external media, and then restore them from the external media to the second computer. For these purposes, Backer has built-in not only bi-directional synchronization, but also unidirectional synchronization in both directions - from the source and to the source.

Thus, the program is of interest to the most different groups users. It will help mobile users in synchronizing folders and files of a laptop with a work computer before, after and even during a business trip via FTP; stationary - will provide always up-to-date, automatically synchronized information on your home and work computers, will help you at any time to receive updated data from the company's server and set up automatic updating of the company's website via FTP. Both will benefit from the ability to back up important files by storing them on external media as a backup and restoring in case of data loss on the hard drive. By the way, you can also back up data via FTP - this is another option for creating a backup copy of data in case of some completely unforeseen situations, up to a fire in the office with complete destruction as hard drives and external data carriers. Of particular interest is the ability to compare two folders with all the files and subfolders included in them without synchronization, regardless of their location - this can be useful, for example, when viewing folders for changes in them in the case of joint work on one project.

The program maintains detailed statistics of all synchronizations performed, displaying them on the screen and saving them in a log file, which can be viewed at any time.

Other features of Backer include support for the currently most reliable AES Rijndael encryption system with 128-, 192- and 256-bit keys and additional Zip data compression; filtering synchronized files by mask, the number of which can be replenished; synchronization of mail folders Outlook Express and Outlook, news and favorites.

The Scheduler allows you to automatically start a specific synchronization task on a schedule, for example, when Windows starts or closes, at certain hours and days of the week. Backer can work in parallel with other programs and not interfere with current work, however, when synchronizing large amounts of data, it is better to choose night hours for this, when the computer is not used for other purposes. In this case, the program will be easy to configure so that after completing the task, it will close all windows, exit Windows and turn off the computer. In addition, scheduled synchronization tasks are saved in profiles and can be loaded with Windows, and frequently used profiles can be placed in a special Top 12 list, which allows you to start the synchronization process by pressing one of the buttons: F1, F2… F12. In addition to the function keys, Backer supports a huge variety of keyboard shortcuts, which help to significantly speed up the work with the program.

Developer: 2BrightSparks Pte Ltd

Distribution size: SyncBackSE 3.2.7 - 3.27 MB, SyncBack 3.2.3 - 1.9 MB

Distribution method: SyncBackSE - http://www.2brightsparks.com/assets/software/SyncBackSE_Setup.exe), SyncBack - freeware (http://www.2brightsparks.com/assets/software/SyncBack_Setup.zip)

Price: SyncBackSE - $ 15, SyncBack - free

Work under control: Windows 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003

The well-known package for synchronizing and backing up data SyncBack is presented today in two editions: in the free SyncBack program aimed at home users, and in an extended version - the paid professional version of SyncBackSE. It should be noted that SyncBackSE has the lowest price among the internationally recognized professional products of this class.

The free version of SyncBack can be a good alternative for paid products for home users, since it supports work on local and remote computers and via an FTP server, and also allows synchronization in two stages with intermediate data backup to another hard or network drive, to a CD or DVD, CompactFlash or ZIP. It is quite suitable, for example, for synchronizing a work computer and a laptop, or a work and home computer. SyncBack can automatically start at Windows startup, run on schedule, run as background application and not interfere with the work of other programs, run any other applications before and / or after synchronization. SyncBack supports export and import of profiles and filtering of files and folders, and also has two modes of operation: Easy - designed for beginners and Expert - suitable for more advanced users.

The extended version of SyncBackSE, in addition to the above, has many more interesting features. For example, Fast Backup mode allows you to reduce the time spent on backing up files to various external devices and FTP servers by more than 15 times, and file comparison is implemented not only in the classic version, that is, by date and size, but also taking into account checksums that allows you to detect even the smallest changes.

SyncBackSE supports new FTP standards (which increases compatibility with FTP servers) and provides:

automatic detection of the exact time zone of the FTP server;
XCRC support for additional control during data transfer;
support for network security protocols SSLv2, SSLv3 and TLS, which allows you to synchronize files in an encrypted form;
implementation of MODE Z-compression, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the time of file transfer (though this mode not supported by all FTP servers).

More than convenient creation profiles and faster viewing, there is support for compression filters, it is possible to use one-time passwords. In addition, the program (only under Windows XP and Windows 2003) implements synchronization of files used running applications... For example, for open program Microsoft Outlook most synchronization programs will not be able to copy or synchronize the data file - outlook.pst, and for SyncBackSE, launching the application will not be an obstacle.

Developer: SmartSync Software

Distribution size: 1.91 MB

Distribution method: shareware (30 days demo - http://www.smsync.com/downloads/ssyncpro.exe)

Price: 35 USD

Work under control: Windows 95/98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003

SmartSync Pro is one of the world's most popular software for Reserve copy and synchronization of folders and files. It is quite versatile, as it allows you to synchronize not only files and folders, but also favorites, address book, ICQ databases, Outlook files and Outlook Express messages.

Synchronization or backup can be performed both manually and on a schedule that allows you to start the process on time, at logon and logoff, for any changes in the synchronized folders. In addition, SmartSync Pro remembers all synchronization and backup tasks in the form of profiles, which makes it possible to simplify and speed up recurring processes as much as possible, even in the case of manual synchronization - with a profile, one click of the mouse is enough to complete the task. Access to profiles can be password protected. Profiles are cataloged in the form of a tree, which is clear and convenient; in addition, they can be imported and exported, which allows them to be saved and restored in the event of a system change and / or switching to another computer.

The program provides data synchronization both between folders on the same computer and between folders on a network or remote PC; there is support for bi-directional synchronization. When synchronizing data with a remote computer, SmartSync Pro provides three options:

creation of compressed backups on any removable media (floppy disks, CD, DVD, USB Flash drive, ZIP, etc.) with subsequent recovery of information from them on a remote computer;
sending a compressed backup by e-mail with the ability to split it into parts and then restore it on a remote computer;
sending data to a remote computer via an FTP server.

When synchronizing large amounts of information, in some cases it is more reasonable to limit the files being synchronized by mask - the list of initial masks in the program is small, but they can be edited and supplemented in accordance with the tasks being solved. And if we are talking about backup, then the backup can include or, conversely, exclude files with various attributes: archive, system, hidden and read-only.

The program supports the Russian language, has a fairly simple interface and allows you to work with the wizard, which makes it accessible to beginners. In addition, SmartSync Pro supports hotkeys, can be launched when the operating system is loaded and minimized to tray, automatically takes time zones into account when synchronizing, and is also very fast.

Developer: Rose City Software

Distribution size: 2.17 MB

Distribution method: shareware (30 days demo - http://store2.esellerate.net/dl/VN1l10fleWSi6lPg2mGh/synchro.exe)

Price: US $ 29.95

Work under control: Windows 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 Server

Synchromagic is considered one of the most famous programs to quickly sync and copy files and folders between remote computers and computers on the local network. However, it can hardly be called professional - today it is more suitable for home users in terms of its capabilities.

Synchromagic is effective for synchronizing data between work and home computers, as well as between stationary computer and a laptop. Synchronization via FTP is possible, which is convenient, for example, for automatic update Web site. Windows XP additionally supports synchronization mode with intermediate data storage on CD-R / RW. In addition, Synchromagic provides a very convenient way to compare directories without synchronizing them.

Synchronization can be either unidirectional or bidirectional and configured to update target directories (target) with the removal of those files that are not in the source folder. When configuring a synchronization task, Synchromagic allows excluding specific subfolders and files by mask, as well as files exceeding the specified size.

All tasks are created manually or using a wizard, saved in the program in the form of tasks lists, and in the future, to perform any of them or even all of them at the same time, it will be enough to press a single button. The built-in scheduler allows you to synchronize at a specific time and on specific days of the week, as well as launch a specific program or file before and / or after synchronization. Synchromagic informs the user in detail about the progress and results of synchronization by displaying a corresponding report on the screen and saving it in a log file. At first, the program simply reports on the results of comparing the synchronized folders in the window preview and requires confirmation to perform synchronization. On the one hand, this slows down the work process and does not allow it to be fully automated, and on the other hand, it protects against unpleasant consequences if files are deleted with incorrect synchronization settings. In addition, if desired, the user can be notified of the end of synchronization by e-mail and / or a sound signal.

Developer: ReGet Software

Distribution size: 1.3 MB

Distribution method: shareware (30 days demo - http://www.websynchronizer.com/dl/ws1362.exe)

Price: RUB 300

Work under control: Windows 9x / Me / 2000 / XP

WebSynchronizer is a convenient and versatile tool for synchronizing and backing up data that allows you to synchronize folders on one computer or on a local network, folders on a local computer with a Web server, or two remote servers. The program can be used to synchronize the Web server with working folders on the local computer; to keep one or more mirrors of websites or ftp servers up-to-date (if the server content is updated frequently, WebSynchronizer can be configured to automatically synchronize regularly); to create backup copies of data (for this purpose, the Read Only mode is used, in which updated files are copied in only one direction); to synchronize data on several workplaces (in particular, on work and home computers and a laptop). In the latter case, synchronization can be carried out not only when two computers are directly connected, but also using intermediate data carriers, for example, a USB Flash drive or an FTP server.

The program has a Russian-language intuitive interface, easy to learn and accessible even to an unprepared user. There are many settings here, but in most cases the default settings are optimal for work, so at first it is not necessary to deal with all this. The program keeps a detailed log of each data stream and a general log of the synchronization process with their display on the screen, as a result of which the user always knows what the program is doing.

Among the main advantages of WebSynchronizer is the high speed of synchronization (it is much higher than, for example, when copying files with a regular FTP client or file manager), which is achieved through the simultaneous use of several two-way streams. WebSynchronizer automatically detects the time zone on the remote server, which is relevant if the remote server is located in a different time zone, and synchronizes with the time difference.

WebSynchronizer is able to resume an interrupted synchronization from the point of the interruption and ensures the reliability and safety of synchronization. The latter is achieved through:

support for multi-user mode - files are locked during synchronization, which allows you to avoid data loss when these files are changed by another user;
transferring files with changed names and renaming them only after the transfer is completed - this protects files from damage if the connection to the server is broken;
continue if an error occurs on one of the established connections synchronization through other connections.

The built-in WebSynchronizer scheduler allows you to automate some repetitive tasks, such as regularly synchronizing files at the appointed time or shutting down the computer after all tasks are completed.

Developer: VU-Software

Distribution size: 3.2 MB

Distribution method: freeware (http://www.vu-software.spb.ru/brief/vu_brief_setup.zip)

Price: is free

Work under control: Windows 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP

VuBrief is designed for transferring and synchronizing files between directories within the same computer or local network, for synchronizing files between remote computers or between a local folder and an FTP folder, and for backing up files. This allows you to use the program to solve the following tasks:

for simple and quick synchronization of files between computers, which provides, for example, transferring documents from work to home computer and vice versa; built-in task scheduler helps to carry out this procedure daily and automatically;
periodically publishing files on the Internet to a specified FTP folder, which is convenient for updating HTML files and other documents on the Internet;
backup archiving for the purpose of saving copies of files on a daily basis, which can be automated using the task scheduler;
direct synchronization of files between folders within the same computer; while folders can be located on local disk, on a removable device or be a network resource available at the time of synchronization;
transferring files between remote computers that are not connected by a network; this process takes place in several stages and requires an intermediate storage medium or an intermediary device (floppy disk, CD-RW, Iomega ZIP, FTP); in this case, first, data from one computer is written to the intermediary device, and then on another computer is loaded from the intermediary device;
folder sync local computer and FTP folders; three directions of synchronization are possible: Duplex - bidirectional file synchronization, Mirror - download files from a local folder to an FTP folder, Sample - download files from an FTP folder to a local folder.

vuBrief can operate in two modes: visual, when the user works with the program manually, and hidden, when the program is minimized to the tray and works in the background of other programs according to a preset schedule. The built-in task scheduler is used to determine the scheduled tasks of the application. The program protects synchronized data and backup archives using encryption.

The convenient Russian-language user interface is designed both for beginners who can work with the master and for professionals who are provided with a lot of techniques to speed up the work process. Among them, for example, filtering synchronized files and subfolders, as well as a list quick launch, thanks to which you can start the process of synchronization or Backup with one click of a button.

When using multiple devices, it is necessary to be able to obtain the necessary data from each of them. It is for these purposes that gadgets have a convenient function. Let's talk about what synchronization is in an Android phone and why you need it.

What is sync

For full use Android devices require a Google account, which is used to enter the app store. But it also has another function - synchronization.

If this setting activated, the user data is automatically uploaded to the Google cloud. After logging into the account on another device, the data from the storage will be transferred to the gadget for use by the user. The following elements are synchronized:

browser bookmarks;
mail;
application data;
the documents;
calendar;
contacts;

If you have one of the Google applications installed on your device ("Photos", "Documents", "Notes", etc.), then the corresponding items will additionally appear in the account settings.

How to set up for Google

Let's move on to setting up the main Android account.

Note! For example, we used Meizu M5 with Flyme shell. On other devices, the arrangement of the items may differ.

Note! Use the Google Photo app to sync photos and videos, and Google Drive for files.

To disable it, just uncheck the corresponding items.

other methods

It is worth noting that you can copy data to all your devices in other ways.

For branded shell

Almost all smartphone manufacturers use proprietary Android shells (add-ons) on their gadgets. Some of them have a sync feature for their own profile.

Note! For example, we used Meizu with the Flyme shell, which provides a Meizu account. Have different manufacturers your own profile may differ or be absent altogether.

Similar actions for Mi-account and others.

Third Party Applications

In the shop Play apps There are many applications on the market that allow you to back up your data and sync it to another device. Let's look at the example of one of the most popular programs - G Cloud.

Install and run the application.
Click "Don't have an account yet."
Select "Register with using google+ »→ enter your account.
Select the checkboxes to add to the cloud → click on the button with the floppy disk.
Wait for the process to complete.
Your data is now in the cloud.

For automatic synchronization:

To install data on another phone, just install the application on the second device → enter the same account.

Open up sidebar→ "Restore".
Select your smartphone.
Go to the folder with the corresponding data.
Click on file → "Restore".

Synchronization with PC

You can get access to the elements of the smartphone through the computer in the MyPhoneExplorer program.

Sooner or later, every phone owner is faced with the problem of transferring data from one device to another. It can be any combination. Most often this is true for copying data from a phone to a computer or tablet, but there are many other devices with which you can "pair" your device. Sometimes it turns out that you need to establish contact between two phones. Let's talk about this.

In order to transfer data from one device to another, you need synchronization. The difference from standard protocols is the presence of an external server for data storage. It all depends on what kind of phone you have and which one you need to transfer information to. In this article, we'll take a look at how to sync Android and Apple phones.

Sync Android Phonebooks

Let's consider this problem using the example of synchronizing phone books of an old and a new phone. In order to sync them on this platform, you need to create an account with Google. Everything is very simple here, if you have a Gmail email - it means that you are already registered and can proceed to the next step. Registration in services such as:

YouTube;
Blogger;
The documents;
Picasa.

If you have an account in the listed sites, just go to the mail. All of these resources were developed by Google, as, indeed, the Android platform itself, so they have excellent synchronization schemes using accounts.

Next, let's work a little with the old phone. First of all, your phone book is information that is stored in memory in a certain form. In order to download this data first to Gmail, and then to new phone you need to format the contacts so that the resource can perceive them. CSV and VCard are two formats suitable for this situation.

It is necessary to go to the phone book of the old device and select all contacts there. Next, you need to copy them to the memory card. During this process, they will automatically change the format. After that, you can find them on the memory card by going to the "General" folder, and then "Contacts". The final step in this step is to import this information into your Gmail mail. You need to copy contacts one by one.

Now that the phone book is in our Google account, we need to transfer it to a new device on the Android platform. Moreover, with the help of synchronization, you can set up automatic data transfer. For example, if you have deleted or added a contact by mail, then the phone will receive this data and will do the same.

Taking a new phone, we act like this:

Go to Settings.
We are looking for the Accounts item, click - a menu appears.
In the pop-up window at the top, the question “Add existing account or create a new one? ”, and below the answer options. We select "Existing".
We enter the data of the Gmail mail on which the contacts are saved and enter.
Then we synchronize and get the finished phone book on the new phone.

After completing all these steps, you can quickly extract the information you need on a new device, be it a phone, tablet or other device. It is very convenient in any situation and will save you if you lose the device.

Sync Android Snapshots

Photo synchronization was mentioned in passing in the review on how to clear memory Android phone... All photos from Google photos can be downloaded if there is a connection to network drive Google, visible to anyone with access to it (set by the account owner). To do this, you need to enter the application Google Drive on the phone, select the upper left menu, enter the settings and set the Auto-add option.

The reverse process is supported by Google Photos. You need to go to the application, expand the menu in the upper left corner of the screen, select Startup and sync (support.google.com/photos/answer/6193313?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=ru). Please note that the instruction only works for older assemblies. In new Google versions There is no such photo of the item. The authors rolled back the updates of this application to factory settings (version 1.11.0.110496109), and then the option appeared.

More detailed options are exhibited as follows:

Here you can configure roaming parameters, give preference to free WiFi, and specify the size of photos. Most of your documents can be synced through Google Drive. Opposite those of them that have not yet been uploaded to the server, there will be a crossed out cloud.

Peer-to-Peer sync

Many companies offer free and commercial versions of synchronizers. For example, Resilio offers a client for data transfer using Peer-to-Peer technology, which is widely used in torrent clients. A server with a dedicated hard disk where the synchronized subscribers upload information. You can download the application for a computer on the official website of the company.

The mobile phone accesses the information by scanning a QR code, which will then need to be opened.

We used BitTorrent Sync with Google Play as a client. Although the software is quite young, it still managed to collect a lot of positive feedback.

It is possible to work with Google Drive. For file transfer, a request is sent to the account mail, which must be confirmed by clicking on the link, or ignored.

Instead of paid sync

Google gives 15 GB of space for free, and you need to constantly monitor that there is free place... Instead, it is sometimes easier to transfer files over wireless protocols without involving mobile networks.

BlueTooth

This interface did not take root in personal computers... Meanwhile, in automatic mode, it allows you to pair with each other not only smartphones, but also regular phones deprived of operating systems... This is the best and fastest way to convey a small amount of information. That allows you to upload beautiful photos and high-quality music to a simple technique. It is important for developers that the interface specification is available for free download (bluetooth.com). This means that everyone who wants (and knows how to program) can even now start writing applications for connecting devices. This is an important fact, because many standards (including ANSI) are sold at a very decent price, and it is not possible to find them in the public domain.

The name was chosen in honor of the ancient Viking king Harald Bluetooth. Known not only for conquest and attempts to unite the land, but also for the installation of runestones to describe its territory, the construction of fortresses. In the same way that stones without the inscription of a king are rock, so phones without BlueTooth software cannot properly communicate with each other. Harald I at one time managed to unite the kingdoms of Denmark and part of Norway. The developers from Stockholm, of course, read the ancient sagas and hoped that their interface could do what BlueTooth did for its subjects in the 10th century AD.

Like the WiFi interface, it operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, and therefore expansion board modules are often combined. Both protocols can be used. This is very convenient, because both technologies are very popular, although, as is obvious, WiFi is gradually replacing its brother. In the fight against signal fading, the channel is constantly looking for more suitable frequencies, which provides a certain flexibility and adaptability of the interface.

Unlike WiFi, the speed of the protocol is not very high, barely exceeding 1 Mbps. But this is enough for transferring small files between phones. For example, a high-quality 4K photo can weigh about 5 MB. That is, the transfer will take from 10 seconds. Most phone cameras have much lower resolution, therefore, information is transmitted almost instantly. BlueTooth 5, released in pursuit of WiFi, is much more powerful, with a bitrate reaching 50 Mbps at a distance of up to 230 meters. To synchronize two phones, you need to do the following:

Data transfer is carried out through the menu of these folders, the second option will be to go into the directories and act from there. Some phones will need to additionally accept the OPP data profile for a successful transaction. This happens automatically, but requires user approval.

Using WiFi

For Android, it is possible to transfer data directly via WiFi Direct... All phones that have enabled the option will see each other. The menu is located in the WiFi network settings.

But sometimes it's more convenient to communicate through friendly apps. For example, on Alcatel Onetocuh, the WiFi Transfer application is installed. We could not find it in Play Market but it is definitely present on many phones. The interface can be confusing when you turn it on for the first time.

For a Windows user, it seems logical to flip through the images using the dotted pointers at the bottom of the screen. But nothing happens! Only the Android user will guess what to drag to the left, then the following screen will appear.

Finally, on the third screen, an offer to start work appears ... In particular, the system requires that there are no anonymous users in it. The presentation is served by the user's own nickname and avatar to choose from nine preset ones. Those interested can upload any photo.

After that, it remains only to create your own group or join an existing one in order to start transferring information.

As you can see from the screenshots, you can transfer music, videos, drawings, etc. Another common program is Share.it. We talked about it in the section on how to transfer a photo from a phone to a computer (not supporting WiFi Direct).

Apple sync

Device on iOS platform can be wired synchronized with special program iTunes. It is done using a native USB cable, which comes with the phone itself, and a computer.

WITH iTunes all devices of this brand are synchronized. Every time you update your device, add or delete new data, images or music, you will need to sync it with your computer so that all information is copied there. Already from a stationary machine in the reverse way, you can transfer information to any Apple device... Let's take a closer look at this.

for synchronization you need latest version iTunes. Open the program and make sure all updates are installed.
at USB help cable, connect your phone to your computer through the appropriate connector.
find the list of connected devices on the program control panel and select the one you need to work
after open this menu, on the left you will have a list of tabs that you can transfer to your computer
in order to synchronize devices, you need to click on the corresponding button at the bottom of the window.

A similar connection with a computer is possible in the reverse order. You can also connect and sync without a cable. This can be done via wireless Internet, which, with a good speed, is much more convenient.

Having carried out these simple steps, you will greatly facilitate your life when buying a new phone or any other device from the listed companies. If you are still tormented by the complexity of the question "how to synchronize your phone with your phone?" leave it. Just a few minutes of wasted time will save you hours of useless torment over technology in the future.

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Many people who recently bought a smartphone for themselves and have no experience with it are wondering what synchronization is in a phone. To use the precise definitions, synchronization is the process of connecting two different objects to each other. The purpose of synchronization is for information on one device to correspond in its properties to information on another.

Of course, the concept of sync is very broad, so it is important to immediately define what sync is in a phone and what it exactly means. Almost always, syncing in a phone means combining a list of contacts and storing them in the "cloud" (a secure online storage of information), which only your devices will have access to.

What is phone sync and how does it work?

To explain what phone sync is and how it works, let's take a situation in which you have two separate smartphones. The same contact list was saved on both devices, and you needed to change something in it (for example, a phone number or an address Email). If the smartphones are not synchronized, the changes will have to be made twice, separately in each list. But if they are synchronized, it is enough to change the contact in one smartphone, so that it immediately changes in the other. The distinctive sync icon, which often denotes the corresponding application, illustrates this process well.

What is the use of synchronization?

But what is synchronization in the phone for, what other use is it? It is needed for convenience and safety. This is an indispensable tool if you have to use multiple computers or mobile devices. For example, in modern smartphones under Android sync app allows you to keep contacts from phone book, Facebook, VKontakte, Google+, Outlook, Skype, as well as many other programs designed for communication. It is really convenient and practical, and the loss of a smartphone or SIM card will not be a tragedy, because backup copy contacts are saved on the Internet.

Attention! Without Google account the Android device synchronization procedure will become impossible. For this account to appear, it is enough to register in Gmail, creating a mailbox there.

Owners of Android smartphones can find the synchronization options in the "Settings" section by selecting " Accounts and synchronization ”.

Synchronization is one of the most useful functions that only can be in mobile devices... By setting it up, you will not only protect yourself from the loss of personal data, but also make the use of your smartphone more comfortable.