14 DAY TRIAL // The web is becoming increasingly mobile and it’s not just about having a device you take with you everywhere. Oftentimes, we use several devices and several computers, so it becomes useful to us to be able to take our browser bookmarks, preferences and so on, with us. This is where sync features come in handy and Mozilla has been working on just this kind of technology. The feature is known as Weave Sync and it’s getting ready for an update.
But, whereas previous updates have focused on usability and evolutionary upgrades, the upcoming release is getting more than that, it’s getting a new name as well. Weave Sync will be renamed Firefox Sync in order to make it clearer for users what the add-on does. That may end up being a good idea, since, even though Weave Sync has been around for a while now, most users don’t even know it exists or what it does.
Of course, the upcoming Firefox Sync 1.3 will bring more than just a name change, there are plenty of bug fixes and several new features. So far, the developers have introduced a revised setup dialog for both new and existing users. The Firefox add-on will also back up your bookmarks before syncing them to ensure that, if something goes wrong, there is a fallback plan. Firefox Sync 1.3 also promises to be faster when syncing history items and support for Firefox Mobile (Fennec) should be improved. Of course, more features may still be included before the final version is out. If you want to check out the development version, Firefox Sync 1.3b5, you can grab it from the Weave page by clicking on the Experimental version link next to the download button.
Right now, Mozilla needs to pick up the pace and increase awareness of the feature. Despite having been around for much longer, Weave/Firefox Sync is already starting to look a bit dated compared with Chrome’s new sync capabilities. Granted, Firefox Sync is still more feature-rich, but the sync features in Chrome are built-in and, in just a couple of months, have become pretty complete. If this keeps up, by the time Firefox 4 comes, which should have the Sync functionality integrated, Chrome’s features will be running laps around it.
Weave Sync 1.2 - the stable version - is available for download here on Softpedia.