Database Users

My MDA and my Mac

Hey there,
This is my first post. I'm a mac user (no snide comments please). I just got the MDA a few weeks ago, and just can't figure out if it's worth it for me to keep this thing. It surfs the web like sh**. Slower than a snail. I'm on the T-Mobile GPRS system, which is supposed to be really fast.
I've been reading a lot about the ability to MOD my MDA. But if i can't sync the sucker to my Mac, how can i get the files necassary to MOD the MDA? Let me add that i have NO idea how to MOD the MDA. Things like changing the THEME, the font color, etc.
Thanks for reading this post.....
Whalien

There is no official support for the Mac on any Windows Mobile device, but there are third party tools out there. The Missing Sync (2.5 beta) will sync to Windows Mobile 5 devices. It works nicely and syncs with iCal, Address Book, Entourage, etc. The beta only syncs via Bluetooth, but if you get the USBSwitch tool and switch the mode to Serial, Activesync via USB will work as well.
If all you want to do is send files to your MDA, all you need is OS X's built in tools. Pair the MDA with your Mac and use the Bluetooth file transfer utility to send files. You can also install from CAB files this way; send them to your phone and run it there.
What Mac do you have? If you have an Intel one, you can install Parallels Desktop, which provides a virtualization environment for running Windows inside OS X. They have rudimentary USB Support, but it's getting better. You can also install Boot Camp and boot to Windows when you need to sync.

See there you are with alot of options, dont give up on the MDA yet

got O2 Atom as well as missing sync 2.5. MS froze during connection

I too love my Mac and... well, like my Wizard. But I'd have real reservations about keeping the Wizard if you don't at least have regular accesss to a Windows thing. (An Intel Mac dual-booting would work, of course; Virtual PC mostly works too.)
Here's how I coordinate the Mac and the Wizard:
1) You really do need to flash the ROM, and you need a PC to do it. (I didn't risk this on Virtual PC, but it might work.) I grabbed an old Windows 2000 laptop, put ActiveSync on it, and it works fine. Run LokiWiz or another program to CID and SIM-unlock the phone, then put the newest customized 2.21 USA T-Mobile ROM on it. It makes EVERYTHING better - I get 3 bars where I used to get 0, you get push e-mail support, etc. But if you don't have access to a PC, you can't do this, and you're stuck with the terrible ROM T-Mobile gives you.
You also need a PC to install some software that doesn't come in a .cab installer, though sometimes you can just launch the installer in Virtual PC and grab the .cab file it unpacks and hand-install that.
2) You can pair the Wizard with the Mac through Bluetooth and use it (a) as an EDGE modem and (b) to push files. Use Bluetooth File Exchange, always dismiss the warning that the type of file isn't supported, and the file will push to your Wizard. This is a good way to install programs that come in .CABs. The other way, of course, is to get an SD reader and mount your MiniSD card.
3) There's a great little shareware utility called SyncTunes that will sync an iTunes playlist and your podcasts to an SD card (or MiniSD, of course). I mount my SD card and use that to sync music fairly regularly. iPhoto can also pull photos and videos off the card. Of course. I mean, of course it Just Works.
4) Although it's not as smooth as an iPod with video, non-protected video files prepared for the iPod work pretty well. I use the free iSquint to convert, and play back with TCPMP (with the AAC plug-in).
5) Finally, syncing. I haven't bothered trying Missing Sync, and don't expect to, because you don't need to.
Just make sure you have an Exchange account. If you have one for your main e-mail account, great; if not, get one through mail2web.com. (You might need to get the $2/month rather than the free one for all of this to work.) I'll assume you also have Entourage (the Mac equivalent of Outlook in MS office). Make sure you install the latest Entourage service patch.
That patch allows Entourage to sync with Address Book and iCal. So use Entourage to sync your Exchange account with your Mac information. Then use ActiveSync over-the-air to push all that stuff onto your Wizard. (I.e., configure an ActiveSync server on your Wizard.) Magically, all your Address Book and iCal stuff is there! And, if you do it right, changes on the handheld should sync back to iCal eventually as well (albeit always in the Entourage category).
Hope that's helpful. I'll keep an eye on this thread if any of that didn't make sense, or my fellow Mac faithful are welcome to message me.

As much as I've used Missing Sync in the past for other devices, it just doesn't work well with the Wizard. Too many problems. I also us it with my Mac all the time and I have an account with 4martphone.com. The nice thing is you can stay in sync without actually having to connect and sync (which i'd forget to do all the time). I use Entourage to sync with that Exchange account, then I configured Entourage to sync with OS X's databases (address book, ical, etc). My only wish now is a simple app for my phone that will let me mount the card on my mac as if it were a USB drive.

more on my mac and my MDA
monkey_42 thanks for the DETAILED post. it's so good to finally get some response to my questions concerning the MDA and my MAC. so far, i've only been able to bluetooth some apps to the phone and they seems to be running fine, SPB weather and AGILE messanger. aside that, i'm scared to do the ROM update. read loads of bad reports and issues people have been having. but you're a mac guy so that sooths my concerns. but back to the main issue, how the heck to i get the stuff on the computer. we havea PC at work. i suppose i'll update the ROM the way you mention. thanks again.
T-Mobile claims that they're working on fixing the CHAT issues they're having with the MDA. So at this point, their OZ app doesn't work. They gave me 50 mins extra this month to compensate. Thanks for nothing. But AGILE does work.
sounds like Entourage is the only way to SYNC my Mac to the MDA. So does that mean MAIL is out? i've been using that app for years now. i'd hate to have to give it up. any idea if there are mac folk out there working on any of these issues? it's such a pain to have to deal with a PC.....i know i now own on....time to learn how to deal.
thanks for the reply's guys. l'm hoping this will start more dialog concerning the mac and the mda.
cheers,
whalien

card reader
dma....didnt' mean to leave you out in my last response. i too wish the mac would recognize the miniSD when i plug it in via USB cable. no luck either.
is there a mac forum we can contact about this? everyone on this is just PC. i have no idea what they're all talking about. wish i was more PC fluent.
cheers,
whalien

MDA Working as Modem on a Mac
I was wondering if anyone had a way to use tthe mda as a modem on a mac using bluetooth and or usb? Thanks

Re: card reader
whalien said:
i too wish the mac would recognize the miniSD when i plug it in via USB cable. no luck either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've used WM5torage to mount the miniSD on my G4 iMac. Works pretty well with OSX, but I had problems with OS 9. Search the forum or Google for a link.
*** LATEST ***
Seems I was mistaken and WM5torage doesn't in fact work on my Mac. I must have used my card reader (which is also oblong and silver) to mount the miniSD card. Sorry if I've misled anyone with this posting.
*************
There's also Softick CardExport II which does the same thing, although you have to pay for this. (They wouldn't let me migrate my Palm licence, so I'm not too happy with them.)
Both apps work by emulating the USB mass storage interface over USB, which is the same way that most modern external USB hard disks work.
HTH

sounds like Entourage is the only way to SYNC my Mac to the MDA. So does that mean MAIL is out? i've been using that app for years now. i'd hate to have to give it up. any idea if there are mac folk out there working on any of these issues? it's such a pain to have to deal with a PC.....i know i now own on....time to learn how to deal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think I know what you mean by syncing mail with the OS X Mail.app. You sync mail with your server, not with your desktop mail client. What is your mail coming from? If it's coming from an Exchange server, you sync with that; ditto if it's coming from a POP server. Who's your mail account with - yahoo? gmail? your office? That determines how you check mail on the Wizard, not what program you use to check that same account on the Mac.
When I wrote about Entourage above, that was as a way of syncing tasks/contacts/calendar with an Exchange server. I assume that if that's working for you, you're just checing Exchange mail with Mail.app. If that's the case, just set up your Wizard to ActiveSync with the Exchange server and all will be well.
If that's not the situation, please explain better what you mean by syncing mail with Mail.app, and we'll see what we can do here.

I'm using Missing Sync 2.5 alpha 10 release. I have just found USBswitch which works great.
I can dual boot windows on my intel iMac, but syncing with outlook is not great - it seems to miss the last week or two's appointments.
I haven't tried my windows laptop for outlook - maybe that would work better.
I sync with iCal & Address Book. It won't sync with iCal, but if I enter all my appointments in iCal & let the Mac overwrite my MDA Vario, then all is ok.
Address book seems to sync properly.
Mounting the Vario works in 2.5a10, but unmounting seems to lock up the iMac every time, so it is a last resort.
I'm not upgrading to the US T mobile ROM. everything will be wrong for me in the UK.
I'm contemplating using the imate Rom 2.17 wwe version. What benefits will it give me over my 1.6.2.4 UK T mobile ROM?
And how will I get back all my T mobile stiings for the UK such as GPRS/voicemail/SMS/MMS etc.

syncing with the mac
hey Monkey_42
you wrote:
I don't think I know what you mean by syncing mail with the OS X Mail.app. You sync mail with your server, not with your desktop mail client. What is your mail coming from? If it's coming from an Exchange server, you sync with that; ditto if it's coming from a POP server. Who's your mail account with - yahoo? gmail? your office? That determines how you check mail on the Wizard, not what program you use to check that same account on the Mac.
i appologize for not being more specific. i do use my work email's server, and it pushes my emails to me no problem. the issue i'm having is that i'm trying to become a more appointment accurate indivdual. i figured the best way to do this was by enlisting a smartphone in my everyday routine. seeing that i am a MAC user, i was hoping to include my address book and my ical on my phone, and visa versa. i enter appointments and address directly to the phone most of the time, but sometimes that's tedious and then there's no way to get it on my MAC. when i had a PALM PILOT years ago, i could utilize the PALM software to sync the info to and from my old device, thus backing up any data i had just entered on my phone to my computer.
with the new MDA, there's no way for me to do this. i have seen the MISSING SYNC app out there. but is it worth it for me to buy it? just seems like there's got to be a way to get my phone and my computer on the same page. without spending another $80.00 i'm new to the organizing routine and i'd like to be sure i'm going about it the most efficient way so i can build on a good routine from MDA to MAC and MAC to MDA.
thanks again for the reply. might i ask if you've updated your ROM? and what other things have you modified on your device? i'd like to change my TODAY colors and layout. any suggestions?
cheers,
whalien

whalien -
to change the theme: start-settings-today to change the theme.
to change the way the soft buttons work in Today : start-settings-soft key
to change buttons: start-settings-buttons
to change the menu in today: start-settings-menu.
i.e explore your device!

sync contact list without outlook

hi, i wish to sync my contact list to my computer without using outlook, im looking for a software look like palm desktop... any 1 have idea???

ahsin said:
hi, i wish to sync my contact list to my computer without using outlook, im looking for a software look like palm desktop... any 1 have idea???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because or requirements at my job, we don't use Outlook. We use SyncML to sync contacts and calendar events with our internal server. Really nice being able to sync without hooking ot a computer and anyplace you have GPRS / WiFi access.
Here's a post where I put some info and links about it:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=1159992&postcount=4

i need an exactly same like palm desktop to sync my contact and calender when sync with usb cable

zzzzzzzzzzzz

any 1 have third party software that can sync contact to desktop to view and edit??
i have try uninstall outlook 2003 and activesync 4.5 many time, and the result remain the same

I have had the ActiveSync problem since 10/2006 and have not found a resolution yet. I have posted on this forum, tried all suggestions and tried everything except a Hard Reset. I still cannot get my Desktop or Laptop to recognize my MDA via ActiveSync even though my Desktop and Laptop recognize my MDA. I have asked for 3rd party software to update my Outlook address book and calendar and have not found anything. I have even asked if there is software to update/change the MDA PIM.VOL file via a desktop or laptop. Still no luck. I have researched this out and checked all possible sites. NO LUCK. I still have not given up. I continue to look daily for a solution other than a Hard Reset.
So, you are not alone. There are many of us out there. ActiveSync is a very poor application. Maybe someday we will find something to use instead of AS. The only think that is missing in the AS is the last 'S'.

Hey friends,
I dont know if this reply is useful for you. I am so new to this forum. I am using a Motorola Mpx220, but gonna get my Cingular 8125 within a couple of days. Anyways, when I was syncing my Mpx, I had the same problem. The solution I found out was(after a long research), while the phone is still connected to the computer, go to Start -> Accessories -> Modem link. In that "USB" connection, make it active and then deactivate. As soon as you do this your active sync will detect the phone and it will sync smoothly.
I have no idea why is it happening like this nor I dont know if it works with MDA coz my Mpx220 is running on WM 2003 SE. I can only check WM 5 after I get my 8125. If this reply help you guys in anyways, please let me know.
Thanks mates.....
Jish

So there is no third party "phone manager" like for example Oxygen Phone Manager for Symbian phones ?

Contacts backup without outlook
Try " Jeyo Mobile Companion" . Google for it. It can save the contacts + call log as well as SMS on your comp. You can restore/ update the it any time It doesnt sync though. Just use it for back up purposes. Very hand. You still need to connect that phone to the comp. and AS to recognize your device.
Trust this helps

I assume that I can backup my PIM.VOL file on my 2Gb Storage Card. I have not had to reinstall the PIM.VOL file so I don't know if it really will work. However, I still would like to find an application that will allow me to update/change my Contacts and Calendar without using ActiveSync. Bottom line, why can't we find something that can do this without using AS since we are having problems on using AS? I have used Palms since day 1 and other things without as much problems as AS.

asctony said:
I assume that I can backup my PIM.VOL file on my 2Gb Storage Card. I have not had to reinstall the PIM.VOL file so I don't know if it really will work. However, I still would like to find an application that will allow me to update/change my Contacts and Calendar without using ActiveSync. Bottom line, why can't we find something that can do this without using AS since we are having problems on using AS? I have used Palms since day 1 and other things without as much problems as AS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
asctony,
AFAIK, you still need AS to connect the PPC to any PC ( I cud be wrong). What you can do is to set AS not to sync your contacts and others and use another 3p software to update / modify contatcts. The prog - Jeyo mobile companion does just that + back up your SMS too. Which is very crucial, in many cases as they cannot be backed up through the regular way.

alternative to outlook and activesync.

i'm pretty fed up of outlook and how it screws with my contacts *i recently updated, and it removed all the titles from the names which is VERY annoying.* not to mention when i add contacts to my phone, it does NOT add them to outlook (maybe i'm just stupid but when i tried to set it to phone, it DELETED all my contacts sans a few) are there any alternative programs that are a bit easier and funner to use?
thanks in advance.

in one word: no.
Outlook is the easiest way AND the most perfected.
There are a few other possibilities to avoid outlook but in my opinion a pda without outlook is useless.
If you encountered problem it might be
-correct active sync version ?
corresponding to that : correct outlook version ?
-correct settings in active sync ?
If you fail to syncronize with ac....dont even try other solutions.

i'm using activesync 4.5 and the outlook version 2002, i copy contacts and settings from outlook just fine, with the exception of it screwing with the titles and names a bit, it's the other way around that's giving me a headache.
what do you recommend the optimal settings be so that if something is new on my computer, it transfers to my phone, and if something is new on my phone, it transfers to teh computer
(also anyway to stop it from seperating the names and removing titles?)
thanks in advance.

seems to be a settings problem
So i only have a german verison of ac i don't know the english name for the settings.
But you have to tell ac to sync in both ways and give the mobile thing the priority.
Then your problem should be solved.

did that, and once more it deleted all the contacts on my phone except for like 3-4 .... either this install is screwy or something is going wrong, or i'm just an idiot.

i refuse to sync with outlook!
i used to, and i ended up with half a dozen duplicate contact and calendar entries for each one!!! i tried settings, etc, finally said to hell with it and set the phone to not sync with outlook. i feel your pain.

Good, now i don't feel like an idiot

I had similar frustration. I eventually set up my 8125 to its own email address, and turned off the sync-ing of contacts. I have two separate contact lists now, but I'm not losing contacts from my phone all the time, either.
I do not have problems with duplicated events, but I publish my Outlook calendar to the phone, not the other way around.
I never schedule from my 8125. I always tell people to send it to my email, so I can control it from my PC. I only use the handheld on meeting-heavy days, and then I'm only checking email, and not accepting meetings.
Using: WM5, ActiveSync 4.5, Outlook 2003 on Desktop

Well, there is an alternative. I run linux so AS isn't even an option for me. I have been using FinchSync since I got the phone and it has worked great. I can even sync anywhere I have a network connection without being at home.
FinchSync uses an http connection to sync contacts with Mozilla's Thunderbird email and address client as well as your datebook with Mozilla's Sunbird calendar. So far it has worked great. One hint though, take the time to read the install and configuration instructions on their website!
Hope this helps!
PhilD

I absolutely hate Activesync. I update my phone contacts and appointments via my Tilt, and then hook it up to my computer only to find that Activesync is deleting them on my phone and restoring the older files on my two PC's. I think, "oh, well I must have the sync settings set improperly," so I check them on my PC and my Tilt... it turns out that it only goes one way: from the PC to the mobile device. (Please correct me if I'm missing something.) You can just disable the sync settings, but then what's the point of having the program installed?
Personally, I have few complaints about Outlook.
I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to be giving PDASync a try. They seem to advertise all of the features I'm looking for, although it does carry a hefty price tag of $50.
http://www.laplink.com/pdasync/

I'm still not 100% sold on PDASync. It seems to lack the ability to sync internet browser favorites/bookmarks and custom file folders. The quest continues.
On a slightly brighter note, this seems like quite a useful list of syncing software.
http://pocketpccentral.net/software/sync.htm

i must use lapsync because i don't want all 1500 outlook contacts into my phone, so i filter them by category and only sync a certain category.
i dont sync bookmarks, but i know you can use AS to sync ONLY bookmarks. to sync custom files and folders, try mobsync - its free.

I Tried Laplink today, This needs ActiveSync to function properlyu (did not see my device attached). I am lucky I had trial software instead of paying $ 50

How do you keep your Shift synchronized?

Keeping synchronized between desktop PC and two HTC Polaris devices was easily done by Windows Mobile Device Center. Now I added a Shift.
In fact we have now:
- Outlook on Vista Desktop PC
- Polaris and second Polaris used by my wife
- Outlook on Shift
- SnapVUE on Shift
All have direct internet access (desktop wired - mobile devices via flat fee data plan) and all have WLAN access at home.
Now I am looking for the easiest way - without too much manual interference - to keep all outlook data on all devices in sync. I think in direction of automatic synchronization over WLAN (or VPN over internet).
Guess many of us are facing the same challenge. What would be the best solution?

I've been grappling with the same thing for the past few days and am trying a number of options. One of the most promising may be Gmail drive, which gives you a virtual drive under your My Computer, which is linked to your gmail account. All the files you put there are automatically uploaded. You can have this folder mapped from many machines, hence you will always have docs you need...
Main problem is that it doesn't sync as such, you have to keep copies locally and on the drive, otherwise you run the risk of not having the file you need and not being able to connect for whatever reason.
I have also used Box.net for online storage for quite some time and that works well. I use the Netvibes.com plugin.
Have also been toying with the idea of syncing to the SD card or a memory stick, however i don't know of any great software that would auto sync to a folder on my PC. What we really need is similar syncing to that provided by Windows Mobile and Activesync.
So, here are a few ideas, but none of them are ideal.

salmon said:
I've been grappling with the same thing for the past few days and am trying a number of options.
...
So, here are a few ideas, but none of them are ideal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your reply, but like you said none of them are ideal.
Here we use the Vista desktop PC here as our main "device".
To keep everything synchronised we now follow the next procedure.....
-Sync Polaris1 with Desktop PC
-Sync Polaris2 with Desktop PC
-Sync Polaris1 with Desktop PC (need this to get changes from Polaris2 on Polaris1)
-Sync Polaris1 with Shift Vista Outlook
-Sync Shift SnapVUE with Shift Vista Outlook (through USB Tool)
-Sync Polaris1 with Shift Vista Outlook (need this to get SnapVUE changes to Polaris1)
-Sync Polaris1 with Desktop PC (all Shift changes go to Desktop)
-Sync Polaris2 with Desktop PC (to get all Shift changes on Polaris2)
....way too time consuming.
As our desktop PC is usually all day online we are looking for some sort of convenient "outlook server" on our Vista desktop PC, so we can sync each mobile device independently with the desktop.
We are aware of "Microsoft Exchange Server" but that seems way too big, heavy and expensive for private use. There must be other options?

Hi -
I don't have that many devices - I just want to be able to plug my shift into my work desktop and sync my calendar using active sync but not through Exchange Server.
I can not believe that HTC did not design the Snapvu side to be able to do this? Or am I missing something?
This is a disaster! The shift solved so many problems for me but they all relied on the ability to sync just my calendar from my work desktop to the shift.
Is it me or was this what everybody expected?
Cheers - Dave

That's exactly where HTC dropped the ball. Beiing able to do a quick USB sync with a desktop would make life a lot easier.

I guess that is why they cripled WM. Making the shift do all that was just too much trouble for them. They left it up to us.....

SugarSync
This might be an option for you: http://www.sugarsync.com/products/tour/index.html.
Don't use it myself (I have no need for such a service - yet) but read about it on jkontherun.com.
They seem to be in their startup phase. During an introduction period the service is free, after that they plan to charge an annual or monthly fee.
Check it out whether it is for you.

Sorted Calendar Sync
Hi -
Sorted the Calendar sync problem for the moment - I'm using Goggle Calendar. It actually works really well! I sync my work PC to goggle calendar then sync goggle calendar to my shift, I've set it up to update every two hours and it works really well. Possibly better than physically syncing?
On a totally different subject - give Digsby ago! Its great for managing emails and IM accounts - Bug thumbs up, works well on the shift!

A serious replacement to Active Sync alias Windows Mobile Device Cente

I am really fed up with ActiveSync / Windows Mobile Device Center!
I just can't stand it anymore.
Are there serious and good replacement for it? For WM 6.5.5 and Win7 x64?
Since 2007 I am experiencing these 3 major issues, with any subsequent versions of ActiveSync (which is now called Windows Mobile Device Center, on my Win7 Ultimate x64 system)
1st issue:
After a restore on one of my 3 WM devices (two HD2 and one HD1 blackstone), I had to full resync each time: sometimes it takes 30 min, sometimes 5-6 hours: I ALWAYS AND ONLY include contacts, task and calendar, with default sync settings (no emails)
2nd issue
Apparently, without warning, any 3-5 days a message appears saying:
A change to the server requires full re-sync.
I do and sometimes all is fine, sometimes ALL MY CONTACT ARE REPLICATED on both my PC and my devices...as for today I got 6,000 contacts! (they should be around 1,500)...And I am forced to go through my contacts and remove manually all the duplicates.
3rd issue: sync is completed BUT CHANGES are NOT reflected on DEVICES!
Suppose I change contact/notes on one of my 3 devices and then sync. My laptop might or may not take in the change. But invariably I get the message Device connected, Sync completed!
Viceversa: I change the email field of a contact on my laptop: the changes are reflected on device 1 but NOT on device 2 and yes on device 3! Very random behavior...
Yesterday I have edited the notes (it is a field) of a contacts on my 2nd device. On PC and on my 1st device the changes were synced. On the last device NOT....sync was completed all 3 times, WITHOUT ERRORS but changes are not there!
This is irritating.
Please help and suggest a substitute to ActiveSync alias WMDC for WM 6.5.5
Is there any tool, even if it an expensive one, to replace it?
I'm not talking about IntelliSync, PocketMirror, etc which are
not replacing, just extending its functionalities...
I don't want any more trace of activesync on my laptop, I wish to have
a professional product installed.
Thank you
Saulo

I read on interenet about SyncML and another solution called DevilsPGD.
Any feedback about it? Is there a off-line version? I dislile the idea of having my data on a web server.
Thank you
Saulo

I forgot to mention that my main goas are to sync PIM data (Outlook data) e.g.:
- Contacts
- tasks
- calendar
Thanks
Saulo

Through the years it has always baffled me how so many people have had issues with AS and MDC. I can honestly say that I have had, maybe 5 ot 6 errors with it, and all were solved with a simple reboot of both devices. After that it would go for like a year or two without an issue.
I have been using WM devices since the dell axim was introduced (changing both computers and PDA/Smartphones as time progressed) and have always read of people having massive issues with it. I also consider myself a pretty heavy user of AS/MDC: PIM syncing, Office doc syncing, Note syncing, music and photo syncing (yes with windows media player), Pocket Quicken syncing, Mysportstraining and mypersonaldiet syncing, ewallet syncing, Quickbook syncing, Mylifeorganized syncing, Checklist syncing, and a customized program I had built that syncs my loan files with an industry software I use called Point.
With all of this crap being transferred to and from my various computers and my PDA/Smartphones I would have thought, based on reading other peoples' issues, I would have experienced more problems. But as I said, it has pretty much always been a painless experience. Even the issues I had were minor (one record wouldnt sync, or one conduit would not sync, but everything else did) and as I said, rebooting both devices fixed it everytime.
What is everyone else doing differently?

I use Jeyo Mobile Companion, and I am really happy with this program. Works well on Windows 7 with a lot of features.
Compatible with all Windows Mobile Smartphones and Pocket PC Phone Edition devices
Send, receive and search SMS messages from a Windows PC
Syncs new SMSs automatically
Sync user-created SMS subfolders
Chat over SMS using an instant messaging-style UI
View sync'd SMS messages in threaded mode.
Organize contacts in a Windows Mobile device's memory or on a SIM card
Universal contacts import
Powerful new data export capabilities
Manage call history
Backup and restore SMS messages, contacts and call history
Supports flexible XML export file format
Install applications and homescreen themes on a device
Customize your device's theme settings from your PC
Set device ringtones and audio notifications from your PC
Take screenshots of your device
View a device's system information
Manage running applications and processes on a device
Dial your phone from your PC
Support multiple-language UI
15 day free trial
Lifetime email support with purchase
Free upgrades to all dot releases with purchase

Dear Cirrob
I also use pocket PCs since 1998. 12 years. and always been with Active Sync.
But now I cannot accept that a sync is completed, no errors and in fact the new updated phone or cell phone is not there, on my device!
Also I edit some NOTES (notes field, within a contact) and these changes are not reflected on my PC.
I get no error messages! I have checked that the right couple (WindowPC - Device) are selected... a new contact is corrected sync, a old one, if edit, I have 70% chance is correctly synced and 30% chances it remain unchanged, either on PC or on Device...
Sure enough, if I make a hard reset, these issues are solved, the sync is perfect...But I do no want to make an hard reset every month.
Thanks
Saulo

Hallo
Does Jeyo Mobile Companion rely on Active Sync (like Intellsync or Pocket Mirror)?
Or is it a real replacement?
Thanks
Saulo

Forget Activsync
I have used PDAs heavily in my business. Before wm phones I had to carry two devices. I have also used a blackberry which has an excellent interface with any computer, it is faster and more accurate, It is realy a shame that MS stuff always seems so counter-intuitive. In my opinion the best solution is to not use activesync at all. You can do that if you have an exchange account, then you can sync all PIM over wireless, with 3G it is effortless. One caveat is that you cannot sync notes unless you activsync with outlook configured to exchange.
By the way "TrineFix" is a utility I downloaded somewhere here, when installed on your phone it will remove duplicates from your contacts, it works extremely well, and you don't have to edit duplicates by hand.

hallo researchm
Can you please expand on exchange server? Is it possible to subscribe to it for a private person like me? I mean is exchange available for personal usage?
Do you khow to start an exchange account?
Is this process something similar to syncing to a website and then connect my HD2 to the web to complete the sync?
Thank you and waiting.
Saulo

saulo866 said:
Hallo
Does Jeyo Mobile Companion rely on Active Sync (like Intellsync or Pocket Mirror)?
Or is it a real replacement?
Thanks
Saulo
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It requires ActiveSync 3.7 or above

SyncML (and a provider, which supports it!). Supports WiFi!

How about microsoft my phone its syncs everything apart from email. There is one thing it can be slow sometimes to download, but uploading is fine. I was reading that they are working on fixing the download speed.

I use MyPhone. It's good, it has also a duplicate item eraser, but it does not sync with PC, as far as I know.

Did you ever heard about Funambol ?
http://www.funambol.com/

woaloo said:
Did you ever heard about Funambol ?
http://www.funambol.com/
Click to expand...
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That's SyncML posted above!
MyPhone just backups but doesn't sync Outlook, SyncML does.

S-Line said:
SyncML (and a provider, which supports it!). Supports WiFi!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
woaloo said:
Did you ever heard about Funambol ?
http://www.funambol.com/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S-Line said:
That's SyncML posted above!
MyPhone just backups but doesn't sync Outlook, SyncML does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I did a search for SyncML, it brought me to the Funambol site.
Looks like they have "cloud" sync options as well. Interesting.
Have you guys tried it?

I too have had problems with WMDC and Activesync. I have found a solution that works for me so I don't get the error messages:
1. Delete ALL items you want to sync from your mobile.
2. Delete ALL partnerships from your mobile.
3. Sync with XP PC (which in my case has all of the correct appointments and contacts which is all I want to sync).
4. Delete ALL partnerships from your Vista PC.
5. Delete ALL items you want to sync from Vista PC.
5. Sync mobile with Vista PC - make sure the device name the Vista PC suggests is the same as the XP PC.
Then hopefully you can sync either PC without any activesync errors. I have over 2000 appointments and over 400 contacts, so there is quite a bit of info. Each sync in 3 and 5 takes about 30 minutes. Each second sync only takes 30 seconds.

Trident said:
When I did a search for SyncML, it brought me to the Funambol site.
Looks like they have "cloud" sync options as well. Interesting.
Have you guys tried it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, working fine (using it via my provider, which offers a special version of syncml).

I've owned Asus MyPal A639, HTC Touch HD and now - Leo. Never had any of these problems that you mention except that ActiveSync really drives me mad for one particular thing - its virus-like auto-start behavior on both desktop and PPC. Its like sync , sync, sync... a-a-and.... sync, sync, sync. Even disabled it rewrites its entries in the registry every time you start it. Its a pest! On the other side it does what it does - sync(!) and you can use many 3-rd party programs on top of it. I use Jeyo Mobile Companion and MobilEdit! but they rely on ActiveSync. Unfortunately there's no real alternative to ActiveSync and its derivatives (WMDC).

saulo866 said:
I am really fed up with ActiveSync / Windows Mobile Device Center!
I just can't stand it anymore.
Are there serious and good replacement for it? For WM 6.5.5 and Win7 x64?
Since 2007 I am experiencing these 3 major issues, with any subsequent versions of ActiveSync (which is now called Windows Mobile Device Center, on my Win7 Ultimate x64 system)
1st issue:
After a restore on one of my 3 WM devices (two HD2 and one HD1 blackstone), I had to full resync each time: sometimes it takes 30 min, sometimes 5-6 hours: I ALWAYS AND ONLY include contacts, task and calendar, with default sync settings (no emails)
2nd issue
Apparently, without warning, any 3-5 days a message appears saying:
A change to the server requires full re-sync.
I do and sometimes all is fine, sometimes ALL MY CONTACT ARE REPLICATED on both my PC and my devices...as for today I got 6,000 contacts! (they should be around 1,500)...And I am forced to go through my contacts and remove manually all the duplicates.
3rd issue: sync is completed BUT CHANGES are NOT reflected on DEVICES!
Suppose I change contact/notes on one of my 3 devices and then sync. My laptop might or may not take in the change. But invariably I get the message Device connected, Sync completed!
Viceversa: I change the email field of a contact on my laptop: the changes are reflected on device 1 but NOT on device 2 and yes on device 3! Very random behavior...
Yesterday I have edited the notes (it is a field) of a contacts on my 2nd device. On PC and on my 1st device the changes were synced. On the last device NOT....sync was completed all 3 times, WITHOUT ERRORS but changes are not there!
This is irritating.
Please help and suggest a substitute to ActiveSync alias WMDC for WM 6.5.5
Is there any tool, even if it an expensive one, to replace it?
I'm not talking about IntelliSync, PocketMirror, etc which are
not replacing, just extending its functionalities...
I don't want any more trace of activesync on my laptop, I wish to have
a professional product installed.
Thank you
Saulo
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.And I am forced to go through my contacts and remove manually all the duplicates.
Why? There is software out there for your phone that will delete duplicate contacts from your device. Then all you need to do is resync back with outlook.