• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Dumb question regarding contacts

S

scootermaster

Platinum Member
So, I'm going to get an iPhone soon, I believe, but regardless, I was thinking I should back up the numbers in my phone.

I normally just do this to some text file or whatever, but it occurred to me that I should probably use some sort of software for this. You know, for contacts! Then if further occurred to me that I had absolutely no idea which one.

I've never had a phone that really had anything to do with computers. Some of them had optional USB cables, but I never bought one.

So I have no clue. Do I put them all in Thunderbird? Something Mac-specific? Something PC specific? Stick to text files?

When they talk about the iPhone "syncing", do they mean with iCal? Do they go there?

I apologize if this is a dumb question or if I'm not making any sense, but like I said, I've never had a centralized "contact list" so I have no idea where these phone numbers (and perhaps even shit like addresses!) is supposed to go.

Thanks!

(PS: I know this is a mac forum, but are there PC based solutions that are good too? Obviously Thunderbird and the like work for both....)
 
The iPhone uses iTunes as a conduit between other programs (on both PC and Mac), so for contacts specifically, iTunes can interface with Address Book (OSX) or Outlook (PC). The iCal program you refer to is akin to the calendar program within Outlook, contacts/addresses/phone #'s are contained within Address Book on a Mac.

One benefit to doing all of this on a Mac is that all the programs are not only free (included with OSX), but also very well integrated with each other (ex/ Address Book contacts show up in Mail & iCal automatically - they are all tied in).

But if your doing this on a PC, you're gonna need Outlook to be able to sync contacts.
 
Originally posted by: aphex
The iPhone uses iTunes as a conduit between other programs (on both PC and Mac), so for contacts specifically, iTunes can interface with Address Book (OSX) or Outlook (PC). The iCal program you refer to is akin to the calendar program within Outlook, contacts/addresses/phone #'s are contained within Address Book on a Mac.

One benefit to doing all of this on a Mac is that all the programs are not only free (included with OSX), but also very well integrated with each other (ex/ Address Book contacts show up in Mail & iCal automatically - they are all tied in).

But if your doing this on a PC, you're gonna need Outlook to be able to sync contacts.
Click to expand...

Thunderbird/Sunbird/anything open-source/something web-based won't do it?

I guess it's not the end of the world if I need to do this all on a Mac. I'd just hate to not be able to even access stuff on a PC, but I guess the chances of me being away from both my phone AND a Mac are somewhat slim. Maybe?

 
Yes, this is one glaring flaw that I wish they would address in a coming update. They really need to support Open Source programs (ie Mozilla, etc...)
 
Just out of idle curiosity, does WinMo or blacberry support thunderbird?
 
Originally posted by: TheStu
Just out of idle curiosity, does WinMo or blacberry support thunderbird?
Click to expand...

Just did a quick search and it appears that WinMo phones only sync with Outlook, so while I wish that Apple would allow you to sync with Open Source solutions.. I guess they aren't doing anything any different than MS.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top