Method and apparatus for managing synchronization configuration files

1. A method comprising:

determining that synchronization data has expired by determining that a time between a last synchronization of the synchronization data at a computing device and a present time has exceeded a threshold value, wherein the synchronization data is for synchronizing a second computing device with the computing device, and the synchronization data comprising one or more of:

an identifier of the second computer,

one or more identifiers of playlists to be synchronized with the second computer, and

one or more identifiers of multimedia files to be synchronized with the second computer;

deleting the synchronization data in response to determining that the synchronization data has expired;

detecting that the second computing device is in communication with the computing device after the synchronization data has been deleted;

in response to the detecting:

determining that the second computing device is a new computing device to be synchronized with the computing device by checking a memory at the computing device for existing synchronization data in synchronization files associated with the second computing device and determining that the second computing device has not previously been synchronized with the computing device when no corresponding synchronization data is found;

determining whether to proceed with new synchronization between the second computing device and the computing device;

determining that the new synchronization between the second computing device and the computing device is to proceed; and,

proceeding with the new synchronization between the computing device and the second computing device as if the second computing device has not been previously synchronized with the computing device by:

generating and displaying, at the computing device, a graphical user interface comprising information related to setting up the new synchronization, wherein the information comprising a synch button and synchronization options;

actuating the synch button on the graphical user interface;

receiving and storing, at the computing device, at least a subset of data from the second computing device;

compiling new synchronization data comprising new data for synchronizing the second computing device with the computing device; and,

storing, at the computing device, the new synchronization data in association with an identifier of the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a location of the synchronization data; and deleting the synchronization data at the location.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the synchronization data is stored in the memory of the computing device, in association with an identifier of the second computing device, and the determining the location of the synchronization data comprises determining the identifier of the second computing device and finding the location using the identifier of the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the determining the identifier of the second computing device comprises looking up the identifier in a list of other computing devices which have previously been synchronized with the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein deleting the synchronization data is further contingent on receiving an indication that synchronization between the computing device and the second computing device is no longer required.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization data is stored in association with a multimedia application at the computing device.

7. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing synchronization data in synchronization files for synchronizing a second computing device with the computing device, the synchronization data comprising one or more of:

an identifier of the second computer,

one or more identifiers of playlists to be synchronized with the second computer, and

one or more identifiers of multimedia files to be synchronized with the second computer; and,

a communication interface;

wherein the processor is configured to perform steps comprising:

determining that the synchronization data has expired by determining that a time between a last synchronization of the synchronization data and a present time has exceeded a threshold value;

deleting the synchronization data at the memory in response to determining that the synchronization data has expired;

detecting that the second computing device is in communication with the computing device via the communication interface after the synchronization data has been deleted;

in response to the detecting:

determining that the second computing device is a new computing device to be synchronized with the computing device by checking the memory at the computing device for existing synchronization data in the synchronization files associated with the second computing device and determining that the second computing device has not previously been synchronized with the computing device when no corresponding synchronization data is found;

determining whether to proceed with new synchronization between the second computing device and the computing device;

determining that the new synchronization between the second computing device and the computing device is to proceed; and

proceeding with the new synchronization between the computing device and the second computing device as if the second computing device has not been previously synchronized with the computing device by:

generating and display, at the computing device, a graphical user interface comprising information related to setting up the new synchronization, wherein the information comprising a synch button and synchronization options;

actuating the synch button on the graphical user interface;

receiving and storing, at the computing device, at least a subset of data from the second computing device;

compiling new synchronization data comprising new data for synchronizing the second computing device with the computing device; and,

storing the new synchronization data in association with an identifier of the second computing device.

8. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform steps comprising: determining a location of the synchronization data; and deleting the synchronization data at the location.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the synchronization data is stored in the memory in association with an identifier of the second computing device, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform steps comprising: determining the location of the synchronization data by determining the identifier of the second computing device and finding the location using the identifier of the second computing device.

10. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform steps comprising: determining the identifier of the second computing device by looking up the identifier in a list of other computing devices which have previously been synchronized with the computing device.

11. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein deleting the synchronization data is further contingent on receiving an indication that synchronization between the computing device and the second computing device is no longer required.

12. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the synchronization data is stored in association with a multimedia application at the computing device.

13. A non-transitory computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code executed by a computer to implement a method comprising:

determining that synchronization data has expired by determining that a time between a last synchronization of the synchronization data at a computing device and a present time has exceeded a threshold value, wherein the synchronization data is for synchronizing a second computing device with the computing device, and the synchronization data comprising one or more of:

an identifier of the second computer,

one or more identifiers of playlists to be synchronized with the second computer, and

one or more identifiers of multimedia files to be synchronized with the second computer;

deleting the synchronization data in response to determining that the synchronization data has expired;

detecting that the second computing device is in communication with the computing device after the synchronization data has been deleted;

in response to the detecting:

determining that the second computing device is a new computing device to be synchronized with the computing device by checking a memory at the computing device for existing synchronization data in synchronization files associated with the second computing device and determining that the second computing device has not previously been synchronized with the computing device when no corresponding synchronization data is found;

determining whether to proceed with new synchronization between the second computing device and the computing device;

determining that the new synchronization between the second computing device and the computing device is to proceed; and,

proceeding with the new synchronization between the computing device and the second computing device as if the second computing device has not been previously synchronized with the computing device by:

generating and displaying, at the computing device, a graphical user interface comprising information related to setting up the new synchronization, wherein the information comprising a synch button and synchronization options;

actuating the synch button on the graphical user interface;

receiving and storing, at the computing device, at least a subset of data from the second computing device;

compiling new synchronization data comprising new data for synchronizing the second computing device with the computing device; and,

storing, at the computing device, the new synchronization data in association with an identifier of the second computing device.