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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	Linux	Evolution	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	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, GPL
Funambol	Windows	Outlook	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
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		Community Project
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	No		Yes		emails, attachments and folders
Synchronica	Sun Java Systems Communication Suite	Sun Comms 4, 5 and 6	Yes	Yes	Yes	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	No		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
SyncJe	Windows Desktop	Outlook, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes, ACT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	commercial
SyncJe	PalmOS	Palm Databases	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	commercial

SyncML Servers

Name	Platform	Application	Contacts	Calendar	Memos	Tasks	E-mail	Notes
Group-Office	PHP (Linux, Windows, Mac OS X)	Data Synchronization and 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)	SyncML Server	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Service Providers, OEMS, Enterprise
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++

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		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes		Yes	Yes
myFunambol	consumer	free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes		No	No	No	No
myFunambol	iPhone	free	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes		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.
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
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

References

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 * 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 <tt>card</tt> while another <tt>./contacts</tt> for the contact database.
-* Only the [[over-the-air]] (OTA) interface has any degree of standardization, whereas syncronization over a local interface is not standardized, and requires specific solution for any device, if available at all.
+* 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==