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GeneralSync now provides a heavily upgraded user interface and tons of minor fixes and improvements. A matching update for the Thunderbird add-on has also been released.
It's finally here: you can now download the redesigned user interface for GeneralSync! The matching Thunderbird add-on is available through this link and via automatic updates.
During the past few months, I went through all feedback related to the user interface to streamline common usage scenarios and simplify the initial setup. This post will give you an overview over the most important changes:
New dashboard: devices and sets are now visible in a single, unified view. The way sync relations are displayed and edited has been thoroughly revised, using a clear color schema (green: syncing, yellow: something is missing, red: not syncing) and unified icons across Android and PC.
New defaults: when pairing with a new device, you now have the option to trust the device and sync everything. If selected, GeneralSync will automatically manage your sync relations: you no longer need to manually select which content you want to sync. Even if you do not select that option, GeneralSync will still automatically accept sync relations for new content. This change further reduces the amount of confirmation popups in some common scenarios.
You can still get the old behavior back: simply edit the device and select 'Sync relations always need manual confirmation'. If you update an old installation, your existing settings will be preserved.
Automated calendar / address book creation: if you install the updated Thunderbird add-on, calendars and address books will now get automatically created. Furthermore, the new add-on supports the upcoming Thunderbird 68.
Material design & tablet layout: GeneralSync's Android App has a completely redesigned user interface with improved support for tablets and other large Android devices
Simplified initial setup: during the first start of GeneralSync, you'll be guided through all steps necessary to sync with your first device. In simple cases, clicking next and entering the pair code is all you need to do – no further setup necessary.
Improved installation on Windows: new installations no longer require Java to be installed. If you want to get rid of your system's Java installation and updated from an earlier version of GeneralSync, simply re-install GeneralSync using the most recent installer.
Improved startup on Linux: the Linux launcher can now assist new users to install GeneralSync's dependencies and automatically registers GeneralSync as startup application – at least in most common Linux distributions.
The new version also drops support for some very old versions of Oracle Java. If you use Oracle Java and haven't updated since December 2016, you might get an error message when attempting to start GeneralSync. You can fix the issue by re-installing GeneralSync (Windows only), or by updating Java to a recent version.
Your feedback made this release possible. Feel free to suggest even more improvements to the user interface and report any issues you might find, either here in the forums or through some other medium. Thanks to everyone sending in feedback so far!
Happy Syncing!
Edit (2019-08-12): Added note about old Java installations, and edited the text to no longer refer to the beta channel, as the update is now available through the regular update channels.
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