I am a huge fan of browser plugins/add-ons that synchronize bookmarks due to the fact I use multiple computers. My bookmark synchronizer of choice is Foxmarks, a Firefox plugin.

But let’s say for the moment you don’t use Firefox and use IE instead. What then?

You have an alternative: Chipmark.

Chipmark works in both Firefox and Internet Explorer and basically does the same job Foxmarks does. Your bookmarks get synched and that’s all that matters. In addition, Chipmark also has the ability to share out specific bookmarks if you choose to use that feature.

The single largest advantage of Chipmark over Foxmarks is that it runs in both browsers easily.

If you’re the type that uses IE or hops between IE and FF and you need bookmark synchronization, Chipmark is definitely for you.

Not too long ago I posted a tip on how to maintain a mirrored directory using Robocopy (this is still the method I prefer by the way), however if you are more a GUI person as opposed to a command line person, then Microsoft SyncToy is for you.

This free tool has an extensive feature list which you can view via the link above, but the quick description is as follows:

SyncToy, a free PowerToy for Microsoft Windows, is an easy to use, highly customizable program that helps users to do the heavy lifting involved with the copying, moving, and synchronization of different directories. Most common operations can be performed with just a few clicks of the mouse, and additional customization is available without additional complexity. SyncToy can manage multiple sets of folders at the same time; it can combine files from two folders in one case, and mimic renames and deletes in another case. Unlike other applications, SyncToy actually keeps track of renames to files and will make sure those changes get carried over to the synchronized folder.

I did some quick searches on using SyncToy and I found a rather nice walkthrough which explains (using lots of screenshots) how to set up a process to automatically sync files.

From what I can see, Robocopy can do everything SyncToy does so you cannot go wrong either way. It just simply boils down to which tool you are more comfortable with.

Name an e-mail service – any e-mail service – that offers both a web interface and a mail client, by the same company, that syncs mail, address book, calendar, instant messenger, and allows you to connect it directly to your domain…

…all for free.

As you can tell from the title of this article, Microsoft and its Live Services is the only one.

For those that say “Hey! Google does all that!” Not quite – they don’t have a true-blue mail client, and this is important. More on that in a moment. Continued