Phones get lost, they also get stolen, but it doesn't mean you have to lose all your mobile data. Two new offerings in remote back-up are now being pushed, O2's "My Bluebook" and Zyb's... erm... Zyb.
Everyone's lost a mobile phone, left it in a taxi, at a bar, down the sofa. Many of us have had a phone stolen, not surprising when you discover a phone gets stolen in the UK every 12 seconds. Just last week our very own publisher was the victim of theft, losing his mobile and his laptop to burglary (although we think the couple of days where he was uncontactable were spent having fun somewhere).
No surprise then that there are two new services offering remote syncronisation for handsets so you don't lose all your valuable data.
O2's My Bluebook enables O2 subscribers to upload text and picture messages, and video clips to a remote server using a dedicated shortcode. Users can then print the photos or create photo albums, printed t-shirts and mugs. The information can also be shared by forwarding a link to the password-protected site.
From early next year any text or picture message created by My bluebook subscribers will be automatically uploaded to the site. From May of next year, the service will enable customers to upload and keep address book information on line. O2 eventually intends that customers will also be able to create blogs and to synchronise their phone and Microsoft Outlook contacts.
This is where Zyb steps in.
The oddly named service is completely free, and offers support to over 300 handsets and all users regardless of network.
"Zybers" are able to backup their mobile’s contacts and calendar, manage their mobile’s contacts and calendar online, share contacts and calendar with friends and family, import public calendars to mobile, and synchronise their mobile’s data with other devices and services
Although users' handsets need to be set up, it's a painless process. The website has step by step instructions for individual phones, even going as far as telling you which way to scroll in the menus.
Zyb's features are being continually updated, and pledges to be "free forever" although there may be small charges for premium services in the future.
Russ Shaw, capability and innovation director at O2 UK said "Customers tell us that information stored on their mobile is crucial: many of them run their businesses or even their whole lives through their mobile. They worry about losing their mobile and the data stored in it. They also love to share stuff with their friends without having to spend too much time on it".
No surprise then that there are two new services offering remote syncronisation for handsets so you don't lose all your valuable data.
O2's My Bluebook enables O2 subscribers to upload text and picture messages, and video clips to a remote server using a dedicated shortcode. Users can then print the photos or create photo albums, printed t-shirts and mugs. The information can also be shared by forwarding a link to the password-protected site.
From early next year any text or picture message created by My bluebook subscribers will be automatically uploaded to the site. From May of next year, the service will enable customers to upload and keep address book information on line. O2 eventually intends that customers will also be able to create blogs and to synchronise their phone and Microsoft Outlook contacts.
This is where Zyb steps in.
The oddly named service is completely free, and offers support to over 300 handsets and all users regardless of network.
"Zybers" are able to backup their mobile’s contacts and calendar, manage their mobile’s contacts and calendar online, share contacts and calendar with friends and family, import public calendars to mobile, and synchronise their mobile’s data with other devices and services
Although users' handsets need to be set up, it's a painless process. The website has step by step instructions for individual phones, even going as far as telling you which way to scroll in the menus.
Zyb's features are being continually updated, and pledges to be "free forever" although there may be small charges for premium services in the future.
Russ Shaw, capability and innovation director at O2 UK said "Customers tell us that information stored on their mobile is crucial: many of them run their businesses or even their whole lives through their mobile. They worry about losing their mobile and the data stored in it. They also love to share stuff with their friends without having to spend too much time on it".