SyncML

SyncML (Synchronization Markup Language) is the former name (currently referred to as: Open Mobile Alliance Data Synchronization and Device Management) for a platform-independent information synchronization standard. Existing synchronization solutions have mostly been somewhat vendor-, application- or operating system specific. The purpose of SyncML is to change this by offering an open standard as a replacement. Several major companies such as Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG, IBM and Siemens AG already support SyncML in their products, although LG do not support it in all their phone models, preferring to use their own proprietary syncing protocols such as LG Sync SPP. Philippe Kahn was instrumental in the founding vision for synchronization with Starfish Software, later acquired by Motorola. The founding vision as expressed by Kahn was: "Global synchronization and integration of wireless and wireline devices".

SyncML is most commonly thought of as a method to synchronize contact and calendar information (Personal Information Manager) between some type of handheld device and a computer (personal, or network-based service), such as between a mobile phone and a personal computer. The new version of the specification includes support for push email, providing a standard protocol alternative to proprietary solutions like BlackBerry.

Some products are now using SyncML for more general information synchronization purposes, such as to synchronize project task information across a distributed group of team members. SyncML can also be used as a base for backup solutions.

Problem areas

• A fairly intricate and vague protocol specification has meant that there in general are major interworking problems with different servers against different clients.
• In addition to the server address, user name and password, SyncML requires a database name to be specified for opening a connection. This database name is not standardized, and different servers use different names for the same service. E.g. one server might use card while another ./contacts for the contact database.
• Only the over-the-air (OTA) interface has any degree of standardization, whereas synchronization over a local interface is not standardized, and requires specific solution for any device, if available at all.

Syncml client connectors and plugins

Name	Platform	Application	Contacts	Calendar	Memos	Tasks	Bookmarks	E-mail	SMS	Notes
SyncEvolution	Unix/Linux	Evolution								free, command line, Genesis GUI frontend
SyncEvolution	Maemo	system address book/ Contacts, Dates								free, command line
SyncEvolution	Mac OS X, iPhone	system address book								free, command line
Funambol	Windows Mobile	Pocket PC, Smartphone						*		plus files in 'briefcase'
GoogleCode Funambol	Android	Android								free, GPLv3
Funambol	Windows	Outlook								GPLv3
Funambol	Java Email Client	Java ME, J2SE								GNU GPLv3
Funambol	JVM	Java ME, J2SE, C++					*	*	*	Open Source SDK
Funambol	BlackBerry	BB Databases								GPLv3
Funambol	PalmOS	Palm Databases								free, Community Project
Funambol	Windows	iPod								sync via cable
Funambol	Windows, Linux	Thunderbird, Sunbird								[GNU GPLv2] Community Project
Funambol	Yahoo!, Google	Contacts, Calendar								[GNU GPLv3]
Nokia	Symbian 9.x	Nokia S60 3rd/5th Edition native								MMS, too!
Synchronica	Windows Mobile	Pocket PC, Smartphone								emails, attachments and folders
Synchronica	Sun Java Systems Communication Suite	Sun Comms 4, 5 and 6
Synchronica	Java Content Repository	Any JCR compatible server								JCR (JSR-170) back-end API
Synchronica	Palm OS	mobile devices
Synchronica	Apple OS X	iPhone								over the air (OTA) using IMAP/SMTP
TSync	Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, *	Thunderbird								free, GPL
SyncML2iPhone	iPhone	iCal								free
MyTT	Symbian	S60 all version								free, support file upload/download, only Chinese version
MyTT	Windows Mobile	Pocket PC, Smartphone								free, support file upload/download, only Chinese version
MyTT	Windows	Outlook								free, only Chinese version
MyTT	MTK	25,26,28
MyTT	Brew
Synthesis	PalmOS	Palm Databases								commercial, multiple sync profiles, scheduling
Synthesis	Windows Mobile	Pocket PC, Smartphone								commercial
Synthesis	Windows	Outlook, Outlook Express								commercial
Synthesis	Windows, Linux, Mac OS X	SQL, ODBC, SQLite3, PlainText					*	*	*	Programming SDK w/API's in C, C++, Delphi, Java, & .Net
Synthesis	Windows, Mac OS X	Thunderbird/Lightning								DEMO application included with SDK
Synthesis	Windows, Linux, Mac OS X	Client Desktop DEMO/ODBC/Plugin					*	*	*	Scriptable utility to connect with any other client side application or database.
TTSync	Windows Mobile	Pocket PC, Smartphone					*	*	*	commercial
TTSync	Symbian	S60, 1,2,3 version					*	*	*	commercial
CompanionLink	Windows	Various								commercial
Nexthaus	Windows Mobile	Windows Mobile								commercial
Nexthaus	MacOS X	MacOS X								commercial
Nexthaus	Windows	Outlook								commercial
Nexthaus	Windows	Outlook Express								commercial
Nexthaus	Windows	Lotus Notes								commercial
Nexthaus	Windows	ACT								commercial
Nexthaus	PalmOS	Palm Databases								commercial
Nexthaus	BlackBerry									commercial
Nexthaus	iPhoneOS	iPhone								commercial
Voxmobili	Windows	Outlook								commercial
Voxmobili	Windows	Outlook Express								commercial

Syncml servers

Name	Platform	Application	Contacts	Calendar	Memos	Tasks	E-mail	Notes
Group-Office	PHP (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X)	Data Synchronization but not Device Management						E-mail is synced with IMAP
Funambol	Java (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X)	Data Synchronization and Device Management						Open Source, SDK, OEM & ISV Partners
Synthesis	Windows, Mac OS X, Linux x86	SyncML Server						SDK - (Java, C/C++, .Net API's), OEM & ISV Partners
MyTT	Linux, FreeBSD, HP-UX, SunOs	SyncML Server						Full-text search engine,built with CORBA/C++
Compelson	ASP .Net, IIS, SQL Server	SyncML Server
FonePIM		SyncML Server						SDK, Mobile Operators
IceWarp	Windows, Linux	SyncML Server						Enterprise Groupware
Synchronica	Java (Solaris, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X)	Mobile Gateway						Service Providers, OEMS, Enterprise, supports OMA CP, OMA DS Push, OMA EMN and IMAP IDLE
Toffa		SyncML Server
ComEase		SyncML Server						Enterprise data management
Horde	PHP	Horde						Web Groupware, open source
OpenSync	platform independent	OpenSync						Synchronization Framework, open source
hotpim	Windows	SyncML Server						Full-text search engine,built with CORBA/C++
Synkia	Linux	SyncML Server

Syncml hosted services

Provider Name	Target Market	Price	Contacts	Calendar	Memos	Tasks	Bookmarks	E-mail	E-mail to SMS	SMS	MMS	WebDAV	CalDAV	Notes
Synchronica	Service Providers, Device Manufacturers, Enterprises													Live demo available with OTA configuration
myFunambol	consumer	free
myFunambol	iPhone	free												Safari Optimized
eneia	consumer	free / paid												contact self-update feature
ScheduleWorld	consumer	free												calendar sharing, multiple calendars, Google calendars
MemoToo	Consumer	free / paid					*							Free services limited to 40 items stored for any category - OTA configuration - Photo for contact - ...
FonePIM	demo	free
PhoneBackup	Consumer	paid												OTA configuration
O-Sync	Consumer	free												contact self-update feature
Mobical		free												OMA CP: Open Mobile Alliance Client Provisioning
ZYB	Online Community	free												Partial support for uploading picture associated to contacts (vcard photo field).
MightyPhone	Brew Cell Phone Owners													limited client support
GSMSync
Synkia	cell phone backup	free / paid												SyncML based SMS synchronization, OMA/OTA configuration, server alerted sync.
ComEase	cell phone backup
CompanionLink	data synching of disconnected applications
GooSync	Beta	free / paid*	*			*								Google Calendar Synchronisation
MyTT	Beta	free												Support media file with self client,full-text search engine，only Chinese version
Compelson	demo	free
hotpim	Service Providers, Device Manufacturers, Enterprises	free												Support media file with self client,full-text search engine，only Chinese version
Mobilesynchro	cell phone backup	free / paid												SyncML based SMS synchronization, OMA/OTA configuration
Soocial	Provides a one address book solution to contact management. Supports sync via mobile phones and several other services like GMail.	free												SyncML based Contact synchronization
Voxmobili	Provides a complete synchronisation solution. Supports sync via mobile phones and PC clients.	commercial												SyncML based Personal Data synchronisation

See also

• The SyncML Initiative
• Funambol - Free and open source SyncML server software.
• OpenSync - Free and open source synchronization software written with C-language.
• Yahoo! Mobile - A Yahoo service offered in some countries that uses SyncML technology.

References

• OMA Data Synchronization Working Group
• SyncML - Data Synchronization and Device Management
• OpenSync - Open Source synchronization framework
• Duct Tape Solution
• Toolkits
• LibSyncML - Open Source SyncML library
• SyncML C Reference Toolkit
• SyncML Conformance Test Suite
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Synchronica.com
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Funambol.com
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Mobical.net
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Zyb.com
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Comease.com
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Synkia.com
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at phonebackup.eu
• SyncML Compatible Devices list at Memotoo.com