RANT - #%*cell phone

[SadieKate]

My company stuck me with a cell phone that doesn't sync to Outlook.

Do they have any idea how many business (and personal) contacts I need in there?

I'm going to go knit and sulk.

[smurfalicious]

Hmmm, there are a lot of phone/pda models that run on Windows Mobile and therefore sync with Outlook. I'd happily give you my old T-Mobile Shadow, but I reckon the broken LCD might do you as little good as it does me. No clue how it happened. It was in the front pocket of my messenger bag, and then it was broke. No major crashes.

When I worked for T-Mobile we had a 14 day buyers remorse period on upgrades, I imagine that's still in place. Certainly most carriers have that same policy, right?

[msincredible]

Just make sure you enter those contacts on company time.

[Becky]

Ugh- that sucks! I know I certainly couldn't live without syncing my phone to Outlook. (OK, I could live, but I wouldn't get much done )

Is the company willing to let you pick out something else?

[VeloVT]

I'm not a Windows user, nor do I know what your phone's capabilities are, but even though you can't sync, is it possible there's a way to export the contacts from Outlook in csv or vcard format and then import them into your phone (via bluetooth maybe)? After the initial import, you'd probably have to manually select new contacts to add (or else rewrite the entire list), and depending on your phone, I don't know if you'd be able to export contacts from the phone to the PC, but at least you'd have your current list in the phone.

Also, not sure what carrier you use, and not sure if this works if you are on a company plan, but I know that Verizon has a web-based backup service (I think it's free if you register, but it doesn't work with all phones). In addition to backing up your phone's contacts periodically, it allows you to create, edit and import contacts via the web interface that then sync with your phone (ota) during the next scheduled backup. I would not be surprised if other carriers offer similar services... not ideal, but might offer some sort of workaround.

grr. good luck!

[SadieKate]

Thank y'all. I've come out of my sulk long enough to read this. It's a S@ms#ng m520 from Sprint. I don't have Bluetooth. I'm sure our company saved $.05 a computer on that. I'll have to check my personal laptop and see if it has Bluetooth though I don't think it does. Where's BikerZ? She picked it out.

I'll have to look at Sprint's website to see what they have. I know the company only pays for calls by the minute and text messages. No data services, so I may not be able to use whatever Sprint has, but I'll go look.

[SadieKate]

Anyone use DataPilot? I've got a USB cord, Outlook, XP and this POS phone.

Any comments?

http://www.datapilot.com/productdeta...ucthl/Notempty

[SadieKate]

Ooh, I just remembered Bubba's Nokia is Bluetooth-enabled (as is my old dead Nokia). Ii can sync it with my Outlook and then send the info to my Samsung. How many people think I should load up his phone with 100+ contacts?

No, huh?

[bikerz]

How funny! At at about 3 pm today I had that odd scritchy feeling on the back of my neck that means that someone, somewhere, is trying to blame me for something! Who could it be? For what? The possibilities are limitless!

It's handy having the contacts in your phone, and worth a certain amount of messing around. Sometimes the phone companies have services for this they offer through their websites (like Liza mentions). Phone are not my strong suit, but I'd be happy to look into this with you - and as with all (free) tech support from me, you definitely get your money's worth!

I'm going for a ride tomorrow, then working - I'll check in with you and see if I can help.

[bikerz]

Judging from the DataPilot site, it looks like it will do the trick (typos notwithstanding Don't these companies have proofreaders?).

Seems like the UI is a little hokey, but I saw enough good reviews that it seems like a good risk. The data cable is probably faster and possible more reliable than Bluetooth.

I guess you can't make your company give you back a useful phone?

[SadieKate]

Yes! DataPilot worked!

Apparently they are better are coding than spellchecking websites.

My only complaint is that it did not download the categories from Outlook so I had to manually choose which contacts I wanted to sync.

Thank you all for listening to me rant. And thanks, again, to BZ for spending my geekette money.

[bikerz]

Hurray!

Re: the categories - I recall with some other synchronization tool in the dark past that I had to map the Outlook categories to another field in the destination PIM - would something like that work?

And hey, I appreciate the credit for spending your money, but heck, it's only $29! You know I can do better than that!

[SadieKate]

I'm limiting your budget for awhile. Just bought some nice patio furniture and a Big Green Egg Chiminea, and I refused to buy cheap stuff. Ow.

Think how nice it will be out there for G&T or martini sipping. And I have all this nice music to listen to while I sit, knit and sip.

[bikerz]

Think how nice it will be out there for G&T or martini sipping. And I have all this nice music to listen to while I sit, knit and sip.

It's very mean of you to place such a pleasant image in my brain in the middle of the kind of Monday this is turning into.

[SadieKate]

OK, it's cold, gray and windy right now. More hot chocolate and schnapps kind of weather.

That better?