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September 2, 2010

Sync.in – Real-Time Document Collaboration

Sync.in is a web processor that works in the clouds, allowing users to simultaneously collaborate on text documents in real time no matter where they’re located in the world. For remote workers, college students, businesses with multiple offices, and teams of all types, Sync.in has made it easy to work together on pitches, brainstorming sessions, meeting notes, and project plans without having to worry about emailing attachments back and forth.

If you’re interested in using Sync.in, it’s probably because you’ve got something to type. Get started on your project by inviting your friends to collaborate on a new note. The name of each collaborator currently working on the document will show up in a box on the right side of the page, with a unique color next to each person’s name. This color will match up to the text that the user has added to the document, making it easy to determine who has contributed what to the project at hand. Although Sync.in allows multiple users to type simultaneously on the screen, more organized teams may prefer to utilize the chat box in the lower right-hand corner. There, collaborators can discuss important changes before making them on the document. These chat conversations can be referred back to at any time, since Sync.in archives each and every one.

If a change has been made to the document that you don’t like, there’s no need to worry. Sync.in offers a time slider feature, which allows users to go back in time to find any previous version of the document. The app also features an infinite undo history, a desktop launcher, and password protected documents for Pro users. Documents can be easily shared as read-only or editable files by pasting a provided link into any email, IM, or Twitter status update. For teammates looking for a way to get on the same page, Sync.in is a real-time document conferencing tool that cannot be beat.

Practical Uses:

  • Collaborate on a pitch for a new client with coworkers
  • Work on a research paper with your classmates from home
  • Hold a brainstorming session with staffers located throughout the country
  • Work on a company mission statement and get feedback right away

Insider Tips:

  • Upgrade to a Pro account to make documents private
  • Send out a link to the read-only version of the document
  • Save, delete, or un-delete any document at any time
  • Filter by collaborator to view specific projects a colleague has worked on

What we liked:

  • Each collaborator’s text is highlighted in a unique color
  • Time slider feature lets you easily return to a previous version of the document
  • Chat room conversations are saved for future reference
  • Pro users can put passwords on certain documents

What we didn’t like:

  • All documents are public for users with free accounts

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: April 2010
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Mumbai, India
  • Founded by: Cynapse
  • Web site: http://sync.in

Costs:

  • Free accounts for public documents
  • Pro accounts are $2 per user, per month

Comments

  1. Hey, It’s worth mentioning Sync.in hasn’t contributed a single line of code back to the Etherpad project when projects such as Primary Pad and Pirate Pad have contributed thousands.

    There is a much more thoroughly maintained list of Etherpad sites/services available here:
    http://etherpad.org/etherpadsites.html

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