There is a lot of talk about SyncML, and about what SyncML can do for you, but the fact is that not many people know what SyncML is, and even fewer people know exactly what it does and how they can benefit from it. Below you will find everything you need to know about SyncML, like what you do with it, what it does exactly, how to use it and what you use it with.



SyncML, or as it is now fully known, Synchronization, for the S, and Markup Language, for the ML, or better known as Open Mobile Alliance, is generally used for device management and data synchronization. Now, before we go any further you will need to know what Open Mobile Alliance is. OMA, or Open Mobile Alliance, is, in short, an answer to many problems. Created in 2002 June, OMA was designed to gather many initiatives like SyncML Consortium, Wireless Village, WAP Forum, Mobile Wireless Forum and the like, to work together happily under one single umbrella, as all these different initiatives had similar bylaws, OMA took it upon itself to bring some order into the technology industry and make the bylaws more understandable to the common man.

The reason SyncML exists is to give a common standard to everyone, as most synchronization solutions were application, operating system or vendor specific. So SyncML was created to give Open Standard solutions to everyone. Most major technological companies support SyncML already in most of their products, and more and more of the newer phones released to today, Nokia, Motorola, Siemens AG, IBM and Sony Ericson, come out with SyncML installed already. The vision behind SyncML was brought about by a man named Philippe Khan and was expressed thus: Worldwide integration and synchronization of all wireline and wireless devices.

To answer the question, what is SyncML used for, is very simple indeed. It was created to make your life easier, which is the most important thing you should remember. SyncML phones are able to wirelessly connect to any SyncML server and store the private information for backup purposes. Once you sign up for this service, you will be able to backup your information, like your calendar, phone contacts, and to do list. What this company offers, which sets it apart from any other company offering this service is a backup service for your ring tones, pictures, and videos as well.

SyncML offers the public a great service and it can all be done wirelessly. Everyone needs to make use of SyncML on their mobile phones and a SyncML server. In this day and age you will need to backup your phone's contacts, so in case you have an accident or you lose your phone, you will be able to simply log in to your SyncML account and restore your information to a new SyncML enabled mobile phone. In some cases, you are able to download your stored information to a desktop computer or laptop, and the other great thing is that they support almost any computer operating system.

With SyncML you can also share your contact details, calendar events, and telephone contact address book with any computer you choose that support wireless transfer, granted you have the proper software. On the other hand, you do not need any software, you do not need to do any downloading, and you are able to transfer your information anywhere you choose. SyncML supports any handheld device synchronization to the SyncML database server of a computer or laptop you choose including any Blackberry or PDA.

Copyright (c) 2007 Ravindran MG