The Symbian Connect QI is an improved version of Symbian's PC Connectivity framework. It provides a simple way for PCdevelopers to write Windows applications that use the services provided by Symbian phones.

The SDK is available from the Symbian Developer Network pages. Note that this SDK (Version 0.9 Build 21) is currently a BETA version and a formal release version will follow soon with complete API documentation.

The core of Connect QI consists of some COM servers, collectively referred to as the Symbian Connect Runtime:
  The Symbian Connect Object Model (SCOM). This provides a simple abstraction of the core Connectivity services that Symbian provides:

• file browsing
• file transfer (copying files between phone and PC)
• software install (SIS, JAD & JAR - depending on device support)
• backup
• restore

  The Bearer Abstraction Layer (BAL). BAL provides direct socket communication with services on the Symbian device. It abstracts away from the m-Router API, using plugins to allow different transports to provide the basic connection to the device. Using BAL to access any custom phone services, instead of directly accessing the transport software API, helps to future proof your application. SCOM uses BAL to talk to the core Connectivity Services. Currently, the only product quality transport plugin for BAL is for m-Router. m-Router remains as it was for the old-style PC Connectivity framework.

What's in this SDK?

The following content is available in the SDK:
  An installer for the Symbian Connect Runtime. You may have chosen to run this when installing this SDK. It installs and registers all of the COM servers required for SCOM and BAL. You must use this installer to install the Symbian Connect Runtime when distributing your application; you are not allowed to repackage and redistribute the Symbian Connect Runtime components in any other way. Also, you must have obtained the appropriate redistribution license from Symbian in order to do this. For details of how to use the Symbian Connect Runtime installer, and the m-Router installer if you have it, see the How to install a QI based PC Connectivity Solution document (MS Word).
  SCOM interface documentation. This documentation is not yet available but coming soon.
  How-To documentation. Explanations of how to perform certain tasks using the Symbian Connect Runtime.

• How to program SCOM
• How to install a QI based PC Connectivity Solution

  Example code. Sample applications demonstrating how to use certain aspects of the Symbian Connect Runtime. All found within the source/SDK directory of your SDK installation. Unless otherwise stated, these are written using MFC for Visual Studio 6.0.

• BalAuthenticator - An example link authentication plugin for BAL.
• BalClient - An example BAL client. Demonstrates connected device and service listing. Also has a Visual Basic version.
• SymbianExampleFileBrowser - An example file browser. Uses the SCOM interfaces to display the filing system of any connected phone, and to allow copying of files between the PC and the phone.
• SyncMLTest - An example client for the SyncML initiation service provided for Symbian OS v8.0. This service allows a synchronisation to be initiated from the PC. The SyncML client on the device can be configured from the PC, so that the synchronisation is either done Over The Air or over the link to a local SyncML server on the PC.
• TestUI - A very simple SCOM client written in Visual Basic.
• VBScripts - A collection of VBScripts, using the Symbian Connect Runtime to perform various tasks and the Windows Scripting Host to display output.