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Handhelds Software Hardware

Mobile Phones that Sync w/ PIM Software? 60

Posted by Cliff from the my-wouldn't-that-be-nice dept.
Burianski11 asks: "After searching for a phone that syncs with my PIM for a few months now, I'm stumped. I've seen phones that sync with Exchange Server and others whose web-based phone book will sync with a web-based PIM (Sprint has this). Are there any phones out there that will sync easily with PIM software, be it Outlook, Evolution, or something else?"
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Mobile Phones that Sync w/ PIM Software? More

Mobile Phones that Sync w/ PIM Software?

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  • iSync (Score:5, Informative)

    by cei ( 107343 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @04:45AM (#8210541) Homepage Journal
    Sure, iSync, part of recent versions of OS X, syncs my Nokia 3650 with iCal and Apple's Address Book via Bluetooth.

    • Re:iSync (Score:5, Informative)

      by Mark Hood ( 1630 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @07:14AM (#8210854) Homepage
      And Apple very kindly provide an up-to-date list [apple.com] of all supported phones.

      • Re:iSync (Score:2, Interesting)

        by AKnightCowboy ( 608632 )
        And Apple very kindly provide an up-to-date list of all supported phones.

        Which lists hardly any phones really. They only support a handful of phones from a handful of companies like Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola. What about Samsung, Sanyo, etc.? My Sanyo 4900 SprintPCS phone can connect just fine via USB and I can use it to connect to the Internet, but I can't sink my stupid address book via iSync?? Sanyos are probably the most popular Sprint phones for good reception and yet Apple ignores them. Wei

        • Re:iSync (Score:2, Insightful)

          by RustyTaco ( 301580 )
          Bitch at Sanyo for not providing an iSync conduit for their skrewy sync protocol. iSync supports SyncML, which is what most of those phones use. Thus they get support by supporting the standard. If you want to sync a Palm device you need to install the Palm Desktop to get the Palm iSync conduit.

          Sprint has never been big on the "let the users do it themselves" mentality, prefering to see more along the lines of "If we don't force our way in the middle how can we charge them for it?" vis a vis "Picture
      • and for the PC world, logitech [logitech.com] is your friend (compatiblity matrix [logitech.com])

        -

  • Handspring Treo (Score:4, Informative)

    by Lenolium ( 110977 ) <rawb&kill-9,net> on Saturday February 07, 2004 @04:46AM (#8210543) Homepage
    I have a Treo 270, it runs Palm OS. They pretty well have most of the syncing problem taken care of. I don't know what more you could ask, the thing is basically perfect (for those of us who like fliphones, and don't mind having a crappy browser). The builtin directory dials quickly, and it works really well for instant messaging with the thumboard being suprisingly usable for quite a bit of typing. Overall, I'd give it a 9/10, just because the web browser ain't too hot.
    • Of course, the Pocket PC Phone Edition [microsoft.com] also syncs with Outlook. My wife has one [microsoft.com] and she loves it. When you hold it up to your head it's a clunky phone and you can't take notes or look something up, but with the hands-free earbuds it becomes a PDA that also does phonecalls; you click on a phone number in Contacts and it dials it. Pretty slick.
      • And we complete the trio with the Sony Ericsson P900 (or the P800, which is now doubless cheaper) which is running Symbian.

        Really, any of the futurephones that run a PDA OS are bound to have solutions.

        Hey, Motorola and Samsung amongst othersa re working on Linux based futurephones, so you could get one of those and write some syncing software of your own!

        But hold on... I just realised my last three Ericsson non-PDA phones have come with software that syncs with outlook. Did you not look at Ericsson? Wher
  • You may try Treo 600, it can sync with Outlook

    http://www.handspring.com/products/communicators/t reo600_overview.jhtml [handspring.com]
    • You may try Treo 600, it can sync with Outlook

      It'll also sync with evolution via gpilotd. I *heart* my Treo600. In addition: SSH2 client, AIM/MSN/Yahoo client, mp3 player, along with email & the web? I don't have to carry a laptop anymore!!

  • iSync works well (Score:2, Redundant)

    by Drakino ( 10965 )
    You have to take the Aqua pill, but iSync [apple.com] works well with quite a few phones.

    One of many reason I am happy that I did make the switch to OS X. The best of the Unix world mixed with some awesome productivity apps from Apple.

    Of course, the solution may be pricy if tempted by their high end equipment. But *pats his Powerbook*, it's oh so worth it.

  • SonyEricsson P800/P900 (Score:3, Informative)

    by simonyau ( 646619 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @05:00AM (#8210566)
    SonyEricsson P800 and P900 can also sync with MS Outlook/Lotus Notes/Lotus Organizer, according to SonyEricsson's website [sonyericsson.com].
    • On my T610 at least when you install the software the part that syncs with those programs has $ signs in front of it and takes you to an ecommerce site.
      • Came as standard with my P800, of course I checked the S/E website for later versions, but it worked oout of the box.
        Now I only need to boot into windows for games, syncing (pda and phone) and Autoroute...

        I really must investigate if I can run any of these under WINE, but I don't do any of them that often.

      • no it doesn't.
        xtend connect comes bundled with the phone and works fine without you having to pony up any money at all.
        same holds true of the T68, T68i, T610, T630, P800 and P900 - probably many more but these are the only ones I've personally used.

  • Most Symbian-based phones does this, don't they? (Score:3, Informative)

    by dk.r*nger ( 460754 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @05:16AM (#8210590)
    The 3650 does, anyway .. [nokiausa.com]

    The PC Suite provides "Syncronize", and SyncML "enables you to synchronize your calendar or contacts using a data connection to a remote server"
    • The 3650 and other Nokia series 60 phones can sync with Outlook using PC Suite, but that's all. That works fine for me, as Outlook is dictated by our IT people at work.

      However, at home we have XP and OpenOffice, and no Outlook, so my wife can't synch her 3650 with anything. In fact, in order to put new listings into her phone directory, the best way is for me to load it into my phone at work, then Bluetooth or MMS the item to her phone.

      For Linux, the SyncML-based MultiSync [sourceforge.net], which supports Ximian Evolution
    • The problem is the PC Suite is a worthless piece of crap and a sorry excuse for a software package. It is bug-ridden and will often stop working for no apparent reason.

      Just check out some of the message boards (like howardforums.com) and you'll see that nearly everyone absolutely hates PC Suite. Just having PC Suite installed requires you to keep about 4 or 5 resident programs running. Their bluetooth connectivity solution is do some sort of crappy 'serial port' emulation over USB. WTF do they do that?!
      • The problem is the PC Suite is a worthless piece of crap and a sorry excuse for a software package.

        I've been using PC Suite 5 for a while now, and it's been working well. It puts all my contacts from Outlook into my Nokia 6200 over IR. Then again, I only sync the numbers about once a month. I also put about a dozen ringtones and pictures on the phone with PC Suite. It may not be industrial strength, but it works sufficiently well for my purposes.

        I bought the IR controller for $10 on eBay, the softwar

  • Isync Equivalent/SyncML for Windows? OSS?? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by tigersha ( 151319 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @05:17AM (#8210595) Homepage
    I would like to add and expand to the question because I have exactly the same problem. Everyone always repeats the isync mantra.

    Howeever, the reality is that I (and I suspect the poster) do not have a Mac. So is there an equivalent for Windows? In particular a program that speaks syncml, that runs on windows, over bluetooth and syncs with Mozilla's address book?

    On Linux?

    • Multisync (Score:5, Informative)

      by DocSnyder ( 10755 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @09:49AM (#8211150)
      I'm using Multisync [sourceforge.net] with my Siemens S55 (connected via Bluetooth). Via IrMC, it can sync mobile phones via IrDA, Bluetooth or serial cables. Providers for SyncML, Evolution, OPIE (Sharp Zaurus or HP iPAQ running GNU/Linux), WinCE, LDAP, Palm and Backup exist as well.

      • Thanks for the plug :)

        We have our not quite up-to-date list of supported devices here [multisync.org]. Note that doesn't include SyncML, which works with P800/P900 phones. Nokia phones that sync via SyncML with WBXML aren't really working yet.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • Gnokii (Score:3, Informative)

    by jhoger ( 519683 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @05:20AM (#8210602) Homepage
    Try the gnokii project for software which can talk to the cell phone.

    Then you just need to write some short script to convert your PIM software database to a form gnokii likes. Shouldn't be too hard. And probably someone has already done it.

  • Sony Ericsson T68i along with Multi Sync [sourceforge.net] will sync with Ximian Evolution and others.

  • My Kyocera runs PalmOS ad syncs with KDE very nicely
  • These creatures run a modified Windows Mobile, and have native Pocket Outlook, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks etc installed. These will only sync to MSOutlook, but the original poster did specify Outlook as a possible option.

    In the UK we have the XDA/II [xda-2.co.uk]

    More info on Smartphones at Microsoft Pocket PC Phone Edition [microsoft.com]
  • I am also in the same situation. [sort of :-)]

    I have been looking for, but cant find the right cell phone that

    1- Does NOT have a camera.

    I access several federal buildings and others for work that do NOT allow cameras or camera phones.

    2- Bluetooth enabled

    Im in a city that is about to have MUCH stricter enforcement of cell phone/driving. They are already pulling ppl for having screens visible to the driver.

    3- The ability to sync the phonebook with multiple platforms (Work: Outlook, Home: Evolution); pre

  • BitPim (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Since you mentioned Sprint I assume you are in the USA. You can also get BitPim [sourceforge.net] which works with LG CDMA phones (Verizon) and Sanyo CDMA phones (Sprint) as well as the embedded filesystems of other CDMA phones. It is available for Windows, Linux and Mac and is open source (Artistic License).

    The version number is currently 0.7 for the "test" version which about accurately reflects its functionality (as with many open source projects, various things are incomplete :-)

    It is also often in the top 100 proj

    • Re:BitPim (Score:1)

      by saw ( 5768 )
      A little more about BitPim [sourceforge.net].

      The test version of BitPim currently the LG VX4400 and VX6000 (phonebook, calendar, wallpaper and ringtones), and the Sanyo SCP-4900, 5300, and 8100 (phonebook and calendar only). It probably actually works on a few more Sanyo models, and more Sanyo phones and perhaps a Samsung may be added in the coming months. I believe the goal is to support most phones with Qualcomm 3G CDMA chipsets.

      BitPim makes a nice stand alone application and has some import capability. Another goal i
  • The software that came with my N-Gage claims to sync with Outlook and Lotus Notes. Don't use either, so I don't know how good it is, but I would guess you'd get the typical range of notes, contacts and appointments.
  • Why do I feel that this has been asked earlier. Everytime either its which mobile/pda to buy or which can work with linux or which can sync data?

    Why such posts are allowed again and again?
  • I've recently stumbled across MultiSync [sourceforge.net]. It synchronizes information between Evolution, PIM, phone, Palm, LDAP, etc. Haven't installed it yet, but it sounds very powerful. If your phone supports either IrMC or SyncML-based synchronization, then you're in luck.
  • I have a Nokia 6510 [nokia.com] that came with a CD containing the Nokia PC Suite. The Nokia PC Suite has an application called Nokia PC Sync that allows synchronisation between the phone and a wide variety of PIM including MS Outlook and Lotus Notes. The synchronisation can be done over infra-red or a COM port.

    Each Nokia phone has its own verson of PC suite.

    PC Suite for 6510 [nokia.com]
    • The Nokia PC suite's good in terms of functionality. A fair few of my friends have it and use it to full effect with an IR connection. However it didn't cooperate too well with VB apps on my winXP Laptop. It crashed my explorer a lot (as VB apps do fairly frequently ;)
      I tried uninstalling it and it killed my VB runtimes. It was a major effort getting it out my my tasktray, I can tell you that!

      I'm a siemens man though. Siemens also has software which can sync. But I tend not to have a need to sync, when i

  • The Motorola MPx200 [attwireless.com] is a phone to consider. Everyone where I work is getting them.

    Ok, so it is a Windoze phone. Once you get past that fact, it is actually pretty cool. Small form factor, and syncs with Outlook. You can have all of your Outlook contacts and your calendar stored in the phone. In addition to that it has MP3/WMA player and a SD slot for extra storage.
  • Check out SnapSync from FutureDial [futuredial.com]
    I've never used their sync'ing software, but I bought the data cable for my phone from them. SnapSync sync's with Outlook, so if Outlook isn't your PIM of choice you'll need something else. They have a long list of phone that their software works with.
  • Most brands of phone have something. On the MS Windows side, look at TrueSync from Starfish Software, which works with many Motorola phones. Siemens phones have a version of XTNDConnect pc as a free download; high end Nokias had (have?) a PC data suite; there is also a generic version of software from SnapSync (available at CompUSA, among other places). The software appears to run about $30, then you get to spend another $30 for a cable (don't know if the sw supports IRDA or Bluetooth). Pick a phone you a
  • Support is absolutely dismal. It's actually the same way for many of Sprint's phones. For about two years, developers on Sprint's Developer Forums [sprintpcs.com] have begged and begged for even a hint of the data sync protocols. The USB cables have a serial converter, and appear as another com port...but SyncML doesn't work, random AT codes don't work, nothing. Finally, FutureDial managed to get support, but all you can do is sync contacts. And these phones have nice calendars, alarms, countdown timers, SMS, notepads, rin
  • I've owned the Kyocera 6035 and now own the 7135. These are palm-based phones, and both sync with evolution as well as any other palm. (Which means, they sync, but you run into occasional wierdness like duplicate records.)

    The 6035 is kind of clunky (it's a pretty big phone) but due to its size and simple black and white LCD, the battery life was incredible. I could take it on a business trip for a week and not begin to worry about depleting the battery.

    The 7135 is cooler, it's a big (but much smaller than

  • Just make sure phone follows the SyncML standard (Score:3, Informative)

    by illegalien ( 313491 ) on Saturday February 07, 2004 @11:59PM (#8216188) Homepage
    Make sure you purchase a phone that follows the SyncML standard (which is what Apple iSync uses) and you'll be able to get the phone to sync with many popular PIMs (if the PIMs don't support SyncML yet, they probably will soon). I sync my SonyEricsson T616 on a Linux box running Mandrake (Cooker) with Evolution 1.4.5 using Multisync .81 [sourceforge.net] via Bluetooth. Things pretty much work 'out of the box' as far as syncing goes, but it's definately not as smooth a process as when I sync the T616 with my iBook. Additionally, I use Multisync to sync my Sharp Zaurus with Evolution also.

    P.S. not tryin to brag, just noting that all this stuff does work 'easily enough'.
  • Motorola phones sync fine with Outlook via Truesync. Or you can use Truesync Desktop if you don't like outlook.
  • Then FMA [xinium.com], Floats Mobile Agent, could be something for you. Resides at Sourceforge.
  • You might want to check out multi-sync:
    http://multisync.sourceforge.net/

    MultiSync is a GPL's modular program to synchronize calendars, addressbooks and other PIM data between programs on your computer and other computers, mobile devices, PDAs or cell phones. MultiSync works on any Gnome platform, such as Linux.

    Its a universal gateway with plug-ins so that you can go from any individual plug-in to one of the other plug-ins, such as:
    Ximian(Novell) Evolution
    SyncML (http://www.openmobilealliance.org/syncml/in
  • Syncs with outlook. Has smart card memory (Ihave 128meg) MP3 player, document reader...most symbian features. Camera, and eamil clients.
  • Works great with iSync and the bluetooth thing is absolutely cool. Takes really really crappy digital photos too. (To be fair I suspect most cell phones take really crappy photos anyway). That was for cingular in the upstate NY area.

    I've heard that some of the Nokias work well too, but around here only AT&T sells them and TDMA AT&T coverage sucks in this area.

    Verizon didn't have any bluetooth phones. At least not that I could find, or for less than several hundred bucks.

  • Try Vazu Contacts - I work there! Seriously though, the service can push your contacts from Outlook, Outlook Express, Ximian Evolution, Apple Mail, or Mozilla to just about any Nokia or Sony Ericsson phone without installing any software. We are in a free public beta right now so go check it out...

    vazu.com [vazu.com]

  • After searching for a phone that syncs with my PIM for a few months now, I'm stumped ... Are there any phones out there that will sync easily with PIM software, be it Outlook, Evolution, or something else?

    Without sounding rude, how hard did you search?

    All Nokia series 40 and above support syncing to and from Outlook (provided your phone has at least IR). You can get the software from the CD or their website.

    SonyEricsson P800 and P900 support syncing - free software included.

    The newer Samsung phones

  • yes. look at any modern GSM handset. they all do it. my nokia from 4 years ago does it. any decent sony ericsson does it. why not make an effort and look?

  • Multisync supports many devices including phones (Score:4, Informative)

    by BigJim.fr ( 40893 ) <jim@liotier.org> on Monday February 09, 2004 @03:08PM (#8228222) Homepage

    MultiSync is a free modular program to synchronize calendars, addressbooks and other PIM data between programs on your computer and other computers, mobile devices, PDAs or cell phones. MultiSync works on any Gnome platform, such as Linux.

    Currently MultiSync has plugins for

    • Ximian Evolution [ximian.com] synchronization, supporting calendar, ToDos and contacts.
    • IrMC [irda.org] Mobile Client synchronization (supported by e.g. SonyEricsson T68i/T610/Z600 [sonyericsson.com], Siemens S55 phones etc.) via Bluetooth [bluetooth.com] or IR [sourceforge.net] on Linux, or cable connection.
    • Windows CE / Pocket PC [microsoft.com] synchronization. This plugin is part of the SynCE [sourceforge.net] project, and can be downloaded there.
    • Opie and Zaurus [handhelds.org] synchronization.
    • SyncML support (supported by e.g. SonyEricsson P800/P900 and many other phones and devices, for example the SyncML server Sync4j [sync4j.org]). SyncML also allows you to do remote connection of two MultiSync programs via an encrypted connection over the net.
    • Palm [palmsource.com] synchronization.
    • LDAP synchronization.
    • Backup of your PIM data.

    More detail about Multisync supported devices [sourceforge.net]

  • I recently got a Treo 600 and it uses isync (only ical and addressbook) with no problems.

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