Acronis True Image Home backup gets file sync

Acronis, the maker of the arguably most effective True Image backup software solution, announced today the latest version of its True Image Home 2012. Among other features and improvements, the software now offers file synchronization. This is the first time this feature is included in the company's line of disk-imaging products, which are generally designed to store backups in a proprietary "image" format, which requires backup software for the recovery process.

File synchronization, on the other hand, means that the exact copies of the data are kept in real time at different locations. This allows people to access the backups the way they do with the original data, via Windows Explorer for example, and helps make recovering data a very simple job.

Acronis says that the new True Image Home 2012's synchronization function allows home users to sync their files no matter where they are stored, including PC, USB storage device, and NAS servers, as well as in the cloud via Acronis True Image Online. If a change is made in one location, it is automatically updated in all others, giving users the option to access their most up-to-date data anywhere, any time. If the online option is used, consumers can also share data securely with their family and friends.

On top of these features, the new version of the True Image Home 2012 also offers the support for hard drives larger that 2TB, improvements in terms of support for NAS severs, and a better, easier-to-use user interface.

The new True Image Home 2012 is available now and costs $50 per license. It also comes with an add-on Plus Pack package enabling the capability to restore backup images to dissimilar hardware, which costs another $30.