Nokia Conversations are running a poll to find out how users backup the data on their phones. Of course, some of the options are for Nokia's own services, although it's good to see plenty of scope in the options for third party solutions. Now could be a good time to cast your vote if you've had a bad experience with the likes of Ovi Sync. More below, including some constructive criticism for the pollsters!

The options in the poll (found here) are:

• Nokia Ovi Suite
  Nokia PC Desktop
  SyncML
  Email provider service
  Web service
  I don't backup my phone
  Other:
  Nokia Ovi Suite
• Nokia PC Desktop
• SyncML
• Email provider service
• Web service
• I don't backup my phone(!)
• Other

The options here are actually rather confusing and overlap too much. For starters, "Nokia Ovi Suite" and "Nokia PC Desktop" are the same thing. Next along, if people synchronise with a "Web Service", it is usually done through "SyncML", including Nokia's own Ovi web services.

I'm all for Nokia getting feedback on this area, particularly so because of the reports of bad experiences with Ovi Sync. Furthermore, while the Ovi web interface for contacts and calendar is aesthetically top-notch, its functionality is limited, even lacking basic import and export of user data. It's also a missed opportunity for Nokia to find out which other web services people are using. As I reported on a while ago, there's quite a range of options.

David Gilson for All About Symbian, 16th June 2010.