Sharing simplified

It's time I put a few more operas on my iPod.

It has 20 gigabytes of storage, but I've long kept a few gigs in reserve, to copy large data files and tote them between home and office. We're talking about files that are far too big to travel as e-mail attachments, so I've been slipping them in a shirt pocket instead.

But there's a better way - a lot of them, in fact. A host of Internet services offer easy ways to store and share large files among multiple computers. Some let users synchronize files between machines, so they can keep identical copies of critical files on all their computers. Others offer a simple way to send large files to friends and colleagues.

Perhaps the most sophisticated of the bunch is SugarSync, a share-and-sync service with something for everyone. After signing up at www.sugarsync.com, you download and install a piece of software on each of your Windows or Macintosh computers. The software allows you to copy important files to SugarSync's online storage system. Now you can launch SugarSync on any of your computers, and access any files that were backed up. You can also use any Internet-connected computer to access files through the SugarSync website. Even if you're a thousand miles from home and the dog ate your hard drive, SugarSync-ed files are safe and accessible. And you can send files to other people - just e-mail them a hyperlink that lets them download files, even if they're not SugarSync users.

SugarSync's Magic Briefcase feature is truly magical. Use it to store files you frequently change - for instance, a complicated spreadsheet. The file will appear in the Magic Briefcases of your other SugarSync computers. Any changes in the file automatically show up on all your computers.

If you have got a smartphone, like a BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, or Apple iPhone, SugarSync will put files in your pocket. The iPhone version is deliciously cool, with a graphical map of your computers that can be controlled by touch. I used SugarSync to copy some church music by Claudio Monteverdi from my home computer and played it back through my iPhone at the office.

A basic subscription to SugarSync costs $25 a year for 10 gigabytes of storage. That's a low price for so much convenience. And there's a 45-day free trial; long enough to become addicted.

But it's easier to get hooked on services that don't have any subscription fees. For example, Dropbox, a new service that delivers much of the same goodness as SugarSync, costs nothing to use. Dropbox does plan to eventually charge for an advanced version of its service, but for now, two gigabytes of sharing and syncing are free. Sign up at www.getdropbox.com.

As with SugarSync, Dropbox can be installed on Windows and Mac machines, but it also offers a version for users of the free Linux operating system. On Dropbox, every folder acts like SugarSync's Magic Briefcase. Modify a document, and the copies on all your other machines are modified. Invitations can be sent to friends and colleagues, allowing them to view and modify files. They will need to subscribe to Dropbox to get full access, but the price is right.

There's no way to send data to smartphones, but the Dropbox folks say they're working on it. Add that feature, and Dropbox could become the dominant online sharing service.

Still, there's something to be said for simplicity. If you just want to send large files quickly and easily, it's hard to beat Drop.io, a free service so basic it doesn't even ask for your name. The site's actual Web address is www.drop.io, but if that's too confusing, you can use www.dropio.com instead. Once you arrive, you'll be asked to make up a name for your collection of files, known as a "drop." You end up with a Web address, like drop.io/techlab. Next, select the files you want to put in the drop - up to 100 megabytes worth, though paying customers can get additional capacity.

You can assign a password to protect the files from prying eyes, but it's not required. You can also choose how long the file drop will remain available - one year is the maximum, but the drop can be set to expire in a day or a week. Now press the "drop it" button. Files are uploaded to Drop.io's servers, and can be accessed by anybody with the correct Web address.

For all its simplicity, Drop.io boasts advanced features that make it more than a dumb sharing system. The service provides a phone number so you can add a recording of your voice to the stored files. Another phone number lets you set up a conference call. E-mail the number along with the drop address, and a team of workers can use Drop.io to collaborate on a project. You can even send additional documents to your drop via a fax machine.

Or ignore the fancy options and use Drop.io to fling data across the Net in multimegabyte chunks, simply and quickly, no iPod required.

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.