BeInSync

This slick file-synchronization utility gives you remote access to e-mail messages, Web favorites, and other files. It keeps the files on secure online servers, so you can work with them from anywhere using your Web browser. Unfortunately, a lack of in-program help and an interface too simple for its own good keeps BeInSync from earning a top rating.

Installation and setup are straightforward. A wizard helps create "shares" for private or group use. Your private shares can include messages and contacts from Outlook or Favorites from IE, though unfortunately you'll get no support for alternative e-mail clients or browsers. You create group shares in four simple steps: select the directory or files you want to share, add e-mail addresses, write a note, and click Send. From there, adding people to group shares is simple, though removing them is not.

In fact, the whole interface is a mixed bag. The View, Settings, and Status buttons on top do most of the work, but finding our way around wasn't as easy as we expected. The online-only help has good information, but it's also difficult to navigate and is not searchable. Nevertheless, as long as you're comfortable with sharing your information via BeInSync's secure servers, it's a very effective way to backup or sync data across multiple computers and share files with friends and colleagues.