IBM and Lotus, together with industry players Motorola, Nokia, Palm, Inc., Psion and Starfish Software, have announced the founding of an initiative that develops and promotes an open industry specification for universal data synchronisation of remote data and personal information across multiple networks, platforms and devices.
"SyncML is a XML-based data synchronisation protocol designed to create the optimal mobile computing experience by supporting enhanced data synchronisation, including e-mail, calendar, contact management information, enterprise data stored in databases, Web-based documents and new forms of content from systems available in the future," says Steve Dunbar, Lotus Development SA marketing manager.
"The demand for instant access to information and applications anytime, anywhere is on the rise due to the growing number of mobile computing professionals. It is generally estimated that there will be more mobile devices than PCs connected to the Internet by the end of 2003," he says. "The SyncML specification will enable the creation of interoperable wireless and wireline data synchronisation products across corporate servers, Web servers, computers, laptops, PDAs, handheld computers, mobile phones and other mobile devices, regardless of platform or manufacturer."
Currently, data synchronisation is based on multiple sets of different protocols, each one functioning with a limited number of data types, devices or systems. The SyncML Initiative will deliver an open industry specification, which will enable a new generation of universal interoperability between systems and devices. Personal and enterprise information, including email, calendars, to-do lists, contact information and other critical data, will be accessible and up to date regardless of where the information is stored, giving users the flexibility in the device they select to use while on the move.
The SyncML Initiative will use Extensible Markup Language (XML), MIME, the vCard and the iCalendar to represent Internet data, e-mail information, personal contact information and calendering information. Extending beyond currently available data synchronisation technologies, SyncML will enable synchronisation among wireless and wireline networked data, computers, laptops, handheld computers, PDAs, mobile handset and other mobile devices.
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