Cell Phones, PIMs and Linux?

graner asks: "I've just got one of those nifty Motorola StarTac (model ST7800W) phones. Has anyone every tried to enter in a bunch of phone numbers? It sucks. With the optional data cable you get a CD that has some software from StartFish called TrueSync that only works on Windows boxen, but it does allow you to "sync" the phone with several different apps (outlook, etc.). Does anything exist that will allow you to do this under Linux? I've been all over the net and found a lib that lets you work with a GSM phone, but from all I can tell it won't work with this type of phone. I'm not opposed to firing up a serial sniffer and start hacking, but I hate to reinvent the wheel. Does anyone have any info/pointers/links or anything that resembles useful info? "

Re:StarTAC not a GSM phone

[nanun]

There is a GSM version of the StarTAC, but it can't use the clip-on organizer.
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Dunno about the Startac....

[haakon]

But Xircom REX uses Truesync software and it's data is stored in a structured (sp?) text format.
Which is pretty easy to understand.

However the Rex is identified as a Memory card when inserted in an Linux Laptop. I haven't heard of the serial docking station used under Linux however.

gnokii for Nokias

[Zoyd]

gnokii [gnokii.org] allows you to do everything [gnokii.org] the Nokia Data Suite can do -- including data calls -- in Linux or BSD.

Some phones are working, but not all

[Smoking]

From what I read on the Linux-IRDA howto, some phones are supported...
The list includes: The linux-irda page is here [cs.uit.no]
The phone list is here [cs.uit.no]

The method they use is IrOBEX (Infrared Object exchange), which allows to send/receive data such as contacts from/to the phone... (woah, that's a multiple choice sentence)

I'm just gettin' my Siemens S25 (nifty phone) to work with my laptop.
I don't know about serial cables support, but as the irda port emulates a serial, it should be similar. I haven't tried the PC Cards you can get with some phones, but you may want to stay away from them because they are often doing the modem work themselves (à la winmodem) making linux drivers less likely...

StarTAC not a GSM phone

[Raptor CK]

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but the StarTAC can't do GSM, has no IR, etc... it's not really built to be organized all that well.

However, there *is* the Clip-On Organizer that connects to the data port. And to make things even more interesting, it's a REX in a modified case. So, if you can interface to that, you're set, since the REX can autodial for the StarTAC.

The only problem, then? The REX is one of the weaker organizers I've ever seen. The only thing it really has going for it is the size. It's the tiniest PDA I've ever seen.

Raptor

Phoneman?

[TonkaTown]

Phoneman [sgsoftware.co.uk] allows you to do all sorts of things on a gsm phone (update phonebook, send sms, change ringtones, logos etc.), it only works on EPOC machines atm though (Psion 5, 7, Netbook etc.).

I don't know if your StarTac is supported though (most of the better Nokias, Ericssons and Siemens phones are).

Jim.