Msync mobile phone sync software sort of tips up

Product: Msync
Supplier: Newact
Web: http://www.newact.com
Price: Set by mobile operator

WHILE MYSYNC from Newact holds plenty of promise, currently it fails to deliver on most of them. The software aims to be the best application for syncing a handset with the web. Unfortunately, it's not quite ready yet.

The INQ gained access to a beta account and found that Newact hasn't yet implemented most of the features that its rivals – such as Synchronica - might fear.

The objective with Msync is laudable. The intention is to enable mobile phone users to back up all of the data held on their mobile phones – not just telephone numbers held in the phone's address book.

With Msync, there's very good reasons for syncing every kind of application data held on the handset, too. Firstly, the service offers a standard backup and restore service from the web.

Then there's an option to wipe out all the data held on your handset, too. The INQ didn't try that one out for fear of losing valuable data.

Should you lose your mobile phone and the handset is switched on, then you can restore absolutely everything including any music tracks you might have stored on the handset's memory card.

Not sure about DRM implications there, though. They may or may not work after restoration depending on whether the DRM checks IMEI numbers.

At this stage you hit the first snag. The INQ was testing Msync using a Nokia E65 handset. The sensible option would have been to upload all the big files to Newact's servers via Wi-fi, given that's one of the phone's most redeeming features.

But no. For some reason that's unclear, Newact hasn't implemented the ability to access the web via Wi-fi – only via GPRS and 3G. So, some of the file uploads will take ages and in our case the handset got quite hot carrying out this particular task!

Consequently, the INQ would recommend you take out an all-you-can-eat data tariff with Msync as you could easily run up an enormous bill backing up all your MP3s just like the INQ did.

The biggest disappointment is that Newact claims that you can sync data with Outlook 2003 and 2007. [Vista's Windows Mail isn't covered which is a bit strange].

Yet the Outlook plug-in wasn't included in the beta version of the product. Hence no testing. A company spokesperson assured the INQ this facility will become available within a few weeks.

As standard, Msync is set to synchronise only contacts and calendar data. Luckily, you can override these settings on the handset itself and synchronise other data such as ringtones, wallpapers, videos and photos.

Usefully, Msync enables you to easily publish photos via Google's Picasa - making it relatively easy to transfer your cameraphone snaps onto the web.

Sadly, the Internet Explorer add-in that enables you to send a photo directly from the web to your handset was missing from the beta, too.

One facility that did work involves adding your own photo to your profile on the web. Then everybody else connected to Msync gets your picture next to your name in the addressbook.

Newact claims its USP with Msync is the fact that the client software can very easily be ported to virtually any new handset that manufactures come up with.

That claim remains to be tested seeing how many functions are still missing in the beta. It didn't prevent Newact from publicising a deal it has just concluded with Orange Israel, though.

Orange in Israel is run by Partner Communications not France Telecom as in the UK. In theory, Israeli Orange subscribers can gain access to Msync right now by signing up to Orange Forever as Partner calls it.

The cost of using Newact, however, will be determined by whichever mobile network operator decides to offer the service in your country. µ

The Good
Synchronises all the data held in your mobile phone

The Bad
No support for syncing via Wi-fi

The Ugly
Too many crucial features missing in the beta version.

Bartender's verdict