As Fahid Ali posted just yesterday, Windows Blue is adding a new sync feature that will allow you to take your Windows Blue experience with you no matter what device you are logged in.
This goes a lot further than just copying the listed apps, personalizations and background colors of the modern UI, though.
The registry in Windows Blue has pointed out quite a few other juicy details that will be added to the mix. Here is the full list of functions covered by the new sync option:
- Device Associations (including Bluetooth)
- Internet Explorer Tabs and Tracking Protection
- Picture Password
- File History
- Input Personalization
- Explorer Quick Links
- App Secondary Tiles
- Tethering
- Installed Apps
So what this means is that you not only get your entire Modern experience with all your apps, but any special device associations you have will carry over as well. Have a special Bluetooth webcam or mouse you like to use with your main PC? As long as your other Windows Blue device you log into has Bluetooth support, you’ll notice that everything will work instantly without any extra configuring.
The cloud is increasingly becoming important to PC users, as evidenced by Google’s heavy push of its Chrome OS platform as of late. Microsoft clearly understands this importance and is further shifting toward the cloud with Windows Blue.
Cloud Syncing Features That Important?
If you always have your laptop or tablet around, why would you need to log into a different device and get the same app experience? There are quite a few obvious and practical situations for this, actually.
1) Multiple devices. If you are like me, you have a main tablet, main laptop and even a main desktop machine. The idea of getting the same consistent experience on all of these devices sounds more than a little tempting.
2) Broken device. If your current device breaks down, you can easily switch to a new one without losing your Modern UI experience or having to set it all up from scratch.
3) Special circumstances. Let’s say you are at a buddy’s house and you didn’t bring a mobile device besides your phone. You realize you need to check something out real quick so you ask to use their PC/tabet/whatever – with this feature you would get your home Modern UI experience even at your buddy’s house.
The cloud is the future folks, no doubt about that. What do you think of all these unique cloud syncing features in Windows Blue, do you see yourself making use of them or not?
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All Comments
File syncing will be interesting to see. Will they use an expanded SkyDrive, or build file syncing right into windows? I wouldn’t want all my desktop programs on my tablet, or visa-versa, but having everything saved in one location, instead of just what you put in SkyDrive, would be really cool.
However, I’m not sure I’d like this very much. On my tablet, I would want more games and such on the front of my start screen, whereas on my desktop, I would want desktop programs, like Excel and Windows Explorer. It would be nice to sync some settings though.