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.
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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 | SMS | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SyncEvolution | Unix/Linux | Evolution | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | free, command line, Genesis GUI frontend | |
| SyncEvolution | Maemo | system address book/Contacts, Dates | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | free, command line | |
| SyncEvolution | Mac OS X, iPhone | system address book | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | free, command line | |
| Funambol | Windows Mobile | Pocket PC, Smartphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | * | No | plus files in 'briefcase' | |
| GoogleCode Funambol | Android | Android | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | free, GPLv3 | |
| Funambol | Windows | Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | GPLv3 | |
| Funambol | Java Email Client | Java ME, J2SE | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | GNU GPLv3 | |
| Funambol | JVM | Java ME, J2SE, C++ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | * | * | * | Open Source SDK | |
| Funambol | BlackBerry | BB Databases | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | GPLv3 | |||
| Funambol | PalmOS | Palm Databases | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | free, Community Project | ||
| Funambol | Windows | iPod | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | sync via cable | |
| Funambol | Windows, Linux | Thunderbird, Sunbird | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | [GNU GPLv2] Community Project | |
| Funambol | Yahoo!, Google | Contacts, Calendar | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | [GNU GPLv3] | |
| Nokia | Symbian 9.x | Nokia S60 3rd/5th Edition native | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | MMS, too! | |
| Synchronica | Windows Mobile | Pocket PC, Smartphone | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | emails, attachments and folders | |||
| Synchronica | Sun Java Systems Communication Suite | Sun Comms 4, 5 and 6 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Synchronica | Java Content Repository | Any JCR compatible server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | JCR (JSR-170) back-end API | |||
| Synchronica | Palm OS | mobile devices | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Synchronica | Apple OS X | iPhone | No | No | No | No | Yes | over the air (OTA) using IMAP/SMTP | |||
| TSync | Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, * | Thunderbird | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | free, GPL | |
| SyncML2iPhone | iPhone | iCal | No | Yes | No | No | free | ||||
| MyTT | Symbian | S60 all version | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | free, support file upload/download, only Chinese version | |||
| MyTT | Windows Mobile | Pocket PC, Smartphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | free, support file upload/download, only Chinese version | |||
| MyTT | Windows | Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | free, only Chinese version | |||||
| MyTT | MTK | 25,26,28 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| MyTT | Brew | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| Synthesis | PalmOS | Palm Databases | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | commercial, multiple sync profiles, scheduling | |
| Synthesis | Windows Mobile | Pocket PC, Smartphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Synthesis | Windows | Outlook, Outlook Express | Yes | No | No | No | commercial | ||||
| Synthesis | Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | SQL, ODBC, SQLite3, PlainText | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | * | * | * | Programming SDK w/API's in C, C++, Delphi, Java, & .Net | |
| Synthesis | Windows, Mac OS X | Thunderbird/Lightning | Yes | Yes | No | No | DEMO application included with SDK | ||||
| Synthesis | Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | Client Desktop DEMO/ODBC/Plugin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | * | * | * | Scriptable utility to connect with any other client side application or database. | |
| TTSync | Windows Mobile | Pocket PC, Smartphone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | * | * | * | commercial | |
| TTSync | Symbian | S60, 1,2,3 version | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | * | * | * | commercial | |
| CompanionLink | Windows | Various | commercial | ||||||||
| Nexthaus | Windows Mobile | Windows Mobile | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | Mac OS X | Mac OS X | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | Windows | Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | Windows | Outlook Express | Yes | No | No | No | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | Windows | Lotus Notes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | Windows | ACT | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | PalmOS | Palm Databases | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Nexthaus | BlackBerry | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | commercial | |||||
| Nexthaus | iPhoneOS | iPhone | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | commercial | ||||
| Voxmobili | Windows | Outlook | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | commercial | ||||
| Voxmobili | Windows | Outlook Express | Yes | No | No | No | commercial |
Syncml servers
| Name | Platform | Application | Contacts | Calendar | Memos | Tasks | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group-Office | PHP (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) | Data Synchronization but not Device Management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | E-mail is synced with IMAP |
| Funambol | Java (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) | Data Synchronization and Device Management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Open Source, SDK, OEM & ISV Partners |
| Synthesis | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux x86 | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SDK - (Java, C/C++, .Net API's), OEM & ISV Partners |
| MyTT | Linux, FreeBSD, HP-UX, SunOs | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full-text search engine,built with CORBA/C++ |
| Compelson | ASP .Net, IIS, SQL Server | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| FonePIM | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SDK, Mobile Operators | |
| IceWarp | Windows, Linux | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Enterprise Groupware |
| Synchronica | Java (Solaris, Linux, Windows, Mac OS X) | Mobile Gateway | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Web Groupware, open source |
| OpenSync | platform independent | OpenSync | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Synchronization Framework, open source |
| hotpim | Windows | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Full-text search engine,built with CORBA/C++ |
| Synkia | Linux | SyncML Server | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Syncml hosted services
| Provider Name | Target Market | Price | Contacts | Calendar | Memos | Tasks | Bookmarks | E-mail to SMS | SMS | MMS | WebDAV | CalDAV | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synchronica | Service Providers, Device Manufacturers, Enterprises | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Live demo available with OTA configuration | |
| myFunambol | consumer | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | ||
| myFunambol | iPhone | free | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Safari Optimized | |
| eneia | consumer | free / paid | Yes | contact self-update feature | ||||||||||
| ScheduleWorld | consumer | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | calendar sharing, multiple calendars, Google calendars | ||||
| MemoToo | Consumer | free / paid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes* | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Free services limited to 40 items stored for any category - OTA configuration - Photo for contact - ... | ||
| FonePIM | demo | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| PhoneBackup | Consumer | paid | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | OTA configuration | ||||||
| O-Sync | Consumer | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | contact self-update feature | ||||||
| Mobical | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | OMA CP: Open Mobile Alliance Client Provisioning | |||
| ZYB | Online Community | free | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Partial support for uploading picture associated to contacts (vcard photo field). | ||||
| MightyPhone | Brew Cell Phone Owners | Yes | Yes | No | No | limited client support | ||||||||
| GSMSync | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||
| Synkia | cell phone backup | free / paid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SyncML based SMS synchronization, OMA/OTA configuration, server alerted sync. | ||||||
| ComEase | cell phone backup | |||||||||||||
| CompanionLink | data synching of disconnected applications | |||||||||||||
| GooSync | Beta | free / paid* | Yes* | Yes | Yes* | Google Calendar Synchronisation | ||||||||
| MyTT | Beta | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Support media file with self client,full-text search engine，only Chinese version | |||||
| Compelson | demo | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| hotpim | Service Providers, Device Manufacturers, Enterprises | free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Support media file with self client,full-text search engine，only Chinese version | ||||||
| Mobilesynchro | cell phone backup | free / paid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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 | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SyncML based Contact synchronization |
| Voxmobili | Provides a complete synchronisation solution. Supports sync via mobile phones and PC clients. | commercial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 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
- KeySyncML - A JavaCard library allowing SyncML data synchronisation at SIM card level.
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