Each of the major mobile platforms has a desktop solution available that is designed to backup, synchronise and let the user move media to mobile devices. I say each, but there isn’t an official solution for Android, the BlackBerry solution is long in the tooth and the Windows Phone solution is basic at best.
The Missing Sync (http://www.markspace.com/products/missing-sync-family.html) range of products attempt to make the desktop to mobile, and vice versa, experience more flexible, more advanced and easier to use than the default solutions. It brings together every conceivable media type and lets them flow to and from a mobile device with ease. Some may say that it is over ambitious and clunky, but my experience has been that it is undeniably a much better environment for a mobile to connect to than BlackBerry Desktop Manager, iTunes and the haphazard Android approach that uses multiple apps to deal with different types of data. However, Android is built upon wireless connectivity so can be excused for not having what some regard as a backward solution; to some people, connecting a phone to a desktop should never be required.
A quick look at each Missing Sync product shows what is available above and beyond the default solutions. Missing Sync for BlackBerry offers similar backup capabilities, which are already complete, to BlackBerry Desktop Manager, but the media syncing system is much, much quicker in my experience. You can sync via Bluetooth and also deal with notes and Office documents in a much more natural fashion. It is a complete solution in every way and feels like it was built 10 years after the RIM solution.
The Android version will bring comfort to those who like the reassurance of a desktop to back up their smartphone experience and to say that Missing Sync for Android is complete would be an understatement. It covers almost everything; calendars on Mac and PC, notes, tasks, music, photos, video, tasks, bookmarks, automatic wireless sync based on proximity, documents, podcasts, call history and the list goes on and on. It is all wrapped up in a modern interface that blends features with simplicity in a form that works perfectly on PCs and Macs and for any serious Android user, it should be at the very least considered.
There is currently no official Windows Phone version and the iPhone version is somewhat limited even though it does offer text message syncing, but as the developer catches up with the market, more and more mobile users will have the opportunity to obtain a much more useful desktop to mobile sync experience. The Missing Sync is not cheap, but for Android and BlackBerry in particular, it is excellent value and could make all of the difference to your future mobile use. It could also save your information if something goes drastically wrong.
About Shaun McGill