Software review: Msync
Supplier: Newact
Price: Set by mobile operator
[This review first appeared April 15th 2008]
Whilst
mSync from Newact holds plenty of promise, currently
[2008] 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.
Mobile Software Insight 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. Mobile Software Insight 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. Mobile Software Insight 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, Mobile Software Insight 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 Mobile Software Insight 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 Mobile Software Insight 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.
Pros
Synchronises all the data held in your mobile phone
Cons
No support for syncing via Wi-fi
Too many crucial features missing in the beta version
