Every week it seems some phone manufacturer announces a new phone model or technology. From its humble beginnings as a simple communication device, the mobile phone has evolved into an indispensable tool for managing our lives.

Many functions previously reserved for computers have found their way into mobile phones; emails, instant messages, address books, calendars and to-do lists routinely live inside our phones' tiny plastic bodies.

Life's details no longer have to be added directly into the phone, either. Contacts, appointments and tasks can easily be added or modified with compatible applications at home or at the office, then later synchronized to the phone via special cables, cradles - or even wirelessly.

This ability to instantly send and receive information - to synchronize - has been limited by various sets of proprietary protocols, each functioning with only a few devices, systems and data types. These platform-specific technologies, restricting data access and delivery options, have limited the true mobility of mobile phone users. SyncML provides a solution to this problem.

SyncML is intended to be the common language for synchronizing all devices and applications over any network. By defining an open standard protocol, SyncML leads to more effective communication services for consumers, and a larger market potential for developers and manufacturers.

Calendars, to-do lists, contact information and other critical data are continually accessible to users with SyncML-compatible phones, regardless of the platform, manufacturer, or application. No other synchronization protocol in existence delivers this kind of universal connectivity.

Furthermore, SyncML is designed with the wireless world's tight bandwidth requirements in the mind. By keeping the protocol implementation small, SyncML is an ideal choice for mobile computing, freeing up memory for other applications.

SyncML maintains value throughout the mobile phone ownership lifecycle:

New Phone Users
Company XYZ decides to outfit its sales team with mobile phones. There are over 4,000 contacts listed among the team's 20 computers. Rather than spending several hours re-entering that information, they spend a few minutes syncing the data from the PC to their SyncML-compliant phone.

Existing Users
Mobile professionals are always on the go. They depend on up-to-the-minute information. With a SyncML-compliant phone by their side, these users can keep their appointments, contacts and other critical information continually updated using their wireless carrier's network.

Upgrading Users
Switching to a new phone can be tedious - copying personal data from one phone to another can take hours. But for users switching to a SyncML-compliant phone, the transition is a breeze. Quick and easy synchronization means people will use their phones more - generating more revenue for that phone.

Further Information

SyncML is an initiative being driven by Nokia, IBM, Lotus, Ericsson, Motorola, Openwave, Symbian, and Starfish Software. The SyncML initiative is open to cooperation with industry partners, such as synchronization software designers, application developers, device manufactures, and service providers. Any company can become a supporter of the SyncML initiative, free of charge. After becoming a supporter, the company is given access to the SyncML supporters' official website, where it is possible to review the technology specifications and other documentation.

You can learn more about the SyncML initiative and about SyncML as an organization by visiting the official SyncML website: http://www.syncml.org/