Google has signed up for a patent license obtained from Microsoft covering Google’s implementation of the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol on Google servers and has released a beta version of Google Sync for the iPhone and Windows Mobile phones as well as a contacts-only version for phones that support SyncML. Google Sync currently supports synchronization with your main Google Calendar and the contacts in your My Contacts group. It can also alert you on upcoming calendar events with sound or vibration.

Key features of Google Sync for iPhone and Windows Mobile include:

+ Synchronize your contacts. Get your Google contacts quickly and easily to your mobile phone. With Sync, you can have access to your address book at anytime and place that you need it.

+ Get calendar alerts. Using your phone’s native calendar, you can now access your Google calendar, and be alerted for upcoming appointments with sound or vibration.

+ Always in sync. Your calendar and contacts stay synchronized whether you access them from your phone or from your computer. Add or edit contacts or calendar entries right on your device or on your Google account on the web.

+ View multiple Calendars in different colors

When setting up a new Exchange ActiveSync account on your mobile device, all existing Contacts and Calendar events will be removed from your phone. So make sure you have a good backup before proceeding.