Apple is notorious for leaving gaping holes in core functionality, at least until they figure out how to do it right. With iPad debuted a new way for applications to transfer data to and from the device. Built for the iWork apps, any third party app—Good Reader, Air Sharing, Documents to Go for example—can tap into this API, allowing for quick wired transfer to your device.
But iTunes as we all know, is a dog. For one, it’s slow. But more importantly, the sync that Apple has implemented—if you can even call it sync—is so doggone, that you cannot imagine any editable document workflow with it. Let’s take Pages, as an example. You drag a file from your documents, and sync. This creates a copy of that document on your iPad, and is in no way linked to your original. When you edit it on the iPad, you have to export your file out of iTunes, delete the older one from your documents, and replace it with this new file. Contorted is not the word.
So what’s the solution? Mostly, cloud sync. Documents to Go and QuickOffice both allow you to tap into cloud services like Dropbox and Google Docs, so you don’t had to worry about sync. But cloud, at least for now, can only cover so much ground. Those iWork apps are too beautiful and functional to ignore.
Which is why I was thrilled to learn what PadSync does (and somewhat shocked that I didn’t know about it until now). It’s file syncing app for the iPad, that effortlessly manages to keep copy files, keep track of changes, and most importantly, sync those files. Merely plug in your iPad and it will sync all the files from all the apps over to your Mac. You can then drag in files, modify them, and PadSync will instantly update the files on both locations. I tested it with Pages. Documents to Go, Good Reader, and it worked flawlessly, every time. The only app that didn’t seem to play nice, was FTP on the Go. For some reason it couldn’t detect that the file was updated on device.
While that sounds amazing, it is still one step away from perfection. The files are synced go a special folder on your Mac, so you can just have your current files in your documents folder be synced over. You can still manage this folder like any other; even making a stack out of it for easy access. I’m just a little uncertain about keeping my current files in a folder that’s managed by another application.
There is one other aspect of PadSync. And that is the iPad doesn’t need to be synced with the Mac in order to play nice. You can plug in any iPad without having to erase its data. I tried it out on the unsynced MacBook, and it worked out just fine. The app maintains multiple profiles, and I’m sure they’ll support iOS4 iPhones soon.
PadSync is just $10 for a license, and you can run its fully functional demo for 7 days. This is a good Mac app to have.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
This sounds like what I may need. I am a contractor in charge of remodeling multi pal rooms at a time. With all of the selection sheets and change order pages I just have to handle to much paper. Is this what I may need or do you suggest another app? Dave baker
ecamm.com that makes PadSync also makes PhoneView which does more and works on iPad, iPhone, ipod Touch
No where in any web site can I find out how padsync works. i.e. if I have deleted a file from my mac will it also delete it from my ipad? What if I want certain files kept on my iPad and others kept only on my MacBook Pro, can I specify which files are to be copied or not copied?
Can I mark certain files to be synced and others not to be. I may have hundreds of files on my mac that would exceed the disk capacity of my iPad. How is that situation handled. Please define just exactly what “sync” means.