I recently replaced my SO’s trusty old Sony Ericsson K750 with a sparkling new Samsung SGH-U600
In any case, I figured, hey, it’s 2008 — syncing contacts should be no problem.
Ha. Famous last words.
The new Samsung isn’t supported by iSync, so that’s strike one. So I turn to the excellent Zyb service. It uses SyncML over the air to suck the contacts off of the K750, easy peasy. Then, of course, the Samsung’s not supported by Zyb. Strike two.
Fortunately, Zyb lets me export the contacts into a VCF file. I export that, copy it onto a USB drive, then reboot my Mac into Windows XP — because, of course, Samsung’s PC sync software doesn’t run on Macs. So I reboot… struggle a little with Outlook Express to import the contacts from the file, then install the Samsung PC software, fiddle a bit to import the contacts into it properly, then hook up the handset via USB and hit the sync button.
That, of course, doesn’t work and I’ve got to mess with it for a few minutes more to get things done.
I get there in the end, but not without spending far too much time and way too much effort. I realize I bought this device outside the normal operator-centric supply chain (I bought it from an import shop), but still, we’re both T-Mobile customers, and it would be nice to see the operator step up and offer some sort of assistance here. There’s plenty of blame for Samsung, too, which didn’t bother to implement SyncML in the U600 in such a way that Zyb can work. It could also do iSync plug-ins for its device, like other vendors have done.
If you have a handset that works with Zyb, you’re laughing — their service is great. But I doubt many normobs get there on their own. If you work for an operator, get some deal going with Zyb or one of its competitors and provide and promote the service to your customers. After all, doesn’t it behoove you to make them happy and help them have the best experience possible? If you’re a handset vendor, take a proactive stance and make it as easy as possible for people to transfer contacts. Fully support standards like SyncML, make your PC software work on multiple platforms, take advantage of programs like iSync.
Seriously, it’s endlessly frustrating that it’s 2008 and this sort of stuff is still an issue. Sure, our phones have 5-megapixel cameras and GPS and accelerometers and all kinds of other flashy stuff, but dammit, you’re going to have to enter your contacts by hand. See my post from August 2005 along largely similar lines. Nearly three years, and not a whole hell of a lot has changed. Well, I guess at least it provides an opportunity for the likes of Zyb to come in and have some success…
As a handset reviewer, I’m often in the same boat, though I use Outlook on my PC, so I’m a half-step closer. Motorola is notorious for this. I’m reviewing the Z9 right now, and I don’t have any way to get my contacts from Outlook into it, save for spending $35 on their MobilePhoneTools app. Ridiculous.
> you’re going to have to enter your contacts by hand.
Or not. As far as I hear, the average number of contacts entered is still something insanely low, like 10 or 15.
So, its a mass-market problem.
Have you tried the function “export all contacts via Bluetooth”? All recent Sony-Ericsson phones have it, no need to synchronize anything.
Totally agree and was just thinking the same myself (after having switched to being a Mac user recently)
I’d figured that one-to-one sync had finally been figured out (after many painful years).
But it seems crazy that many-to-many synching is still so unsolved. I have a chain of 6 nodes to get my trusty old Nokia to synch calendars with my iPhone:
N73 Exchange always-on Windows machine Google calendar MacBookAir iPhone
It works, but only just… This should be commodity stuff. I’m not alone with my multi-node life, surely?
[...] Switching phones [...]
[...] though it’s 2008, syncing contacts and other info still sucks. Various pieces of the puzzle are there, but it seems like they rarely all come together. SyncML is [...]
I have a blackberry and the cost of the client ($40) is way too steep for a utility such as this, I’d rather sync to Outlook via USB, export it and import in google.