Sync PocketPC and Mozilla Thunderbird or Sunbird

SYNC, SYNC, SYNC... thats the only thing keeping thousands of users from using Thunderbird and Sunbird. Even in Sunbird's rudimentary stages, if there was some sort of sync capability for Pocket PC can you imagine the number of users who would make the switch. I switched to FireFox almost 2 years ago and never looked back- it's beta versions trounced IE. Sunbird/THunderbird will never be a viable alternative to Outlook (not Express) without sync capability.

Alot of people are has been looking for some kind of sync option, but unfortunately there isnt a complete one yet. Of course there are some tryouts like the FinchSync application.

FinchSync is a tool for synchronizing contacts, appointments and tasks from Mozilla email and calendar products with a Pocket PC.

Contacts are synchronized with the email client's address book. The build-in clients of the Netscape- and Mozilla Application Suite are supported as well as the standalone Mozilla Thunderbird.

Contact's and tasks are synchronized with the Mozilla Calendar extension for the Mozilla Suite, Firefox and Netscape or the standalone Sunbird (Version 0.2). Features

The PC part of FinchSync is written in pure Java and runs on every platform supported by the Mozilla Project like Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

The Pocket PC part is written in C#, using the .NET Compact Framework. The application will run on all Pocket PCs with .NET installed – no need to worry about different processors and OS versions.

ActiveSync is not needed (and not available for Mac OS or Linux anyway), but the Pocket PC must be able to connect to the PC via TCP/IP. This can be done using a WLAN connection for example. If this requirement is fulfilled, synchronization can be done from everywhere using the internet. The HTTP protocol is used for the communication between PC and Pocket PC. This should work even in firewall-protected environments.

FinchSync is designed to manage contacts, appointments and tasks from different sources and keeps them separated. This means, that private items synchronized at home will not mix up with items synchronized in your office.

FinchSync has a user-management. Different users may sync with different sources on your PC. Users may be restricted to read-only access. For example, a user may by allowed to sync with a companies' address book, but not to upload changes.

However, there are some other services that could help you sync with Mozilla Calendar (yes, the old one), and Sync4J's synchronization extension (available on www.sync4j.org)

The only think you'll need is a Sync4J server running 24/7 on the internet, and a SyncML client (there is one for PocketPC, SmartPhone, etc... on their website).

It works well. I only hope they'll be a Sunbird 0.3 extension soon.

If you can't setup a Sync4J server online, either you can use the sync4j public server (see the mailing list), either you can set up a "temporary" server on your PC, that will be launched when synchronizing with the pocket pc. Go to the download section of their website, there is an already configured package.

It's all good but not enough to satisfy the needs of all that millions of thunderbird users. And here comes the question why didnt mozilla developers write and simple extension for ppc syncing ?
May be they would say - "Hey, we have started it already ! Check this out http://pocketpcsync.mozdev.org/"
Looks great but unfortunately there is no progress of this project since December last year. I'm subscribed to their mailing list but nothing is about to come soon :(

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