iCal, iSync, and Cell Phone

[thumb]

Greetings,

First post. I have been all over these forums, and many others as well. My question is most similar to the discussion of the "Most iSync-ing, smallest...cellphone."

However, the question I have been trying to answer is still not there.

I want a bluetooth phone to automatically sync with my PB or PM. In particular, I want to be able to view my calendar. I don't want to buy the SE910 or Treo650 or equivalent (too expensive). I have a camera, I don't need another.

I know mac users love their SE t637 or z600 or k700. Any ideas on new Nokia's 6620, 6230i, etc. How does symbian work at syncing with OSX

My main question: Is it worth it?

In other words, how do these phones work, not what do they promise?

Is the sync-ed calendar actually useful? Is it actually readable on screen? Does it update automatically when in room with bluetooth computer (mine)? Does anyone have screen shots of the actual phone in calendar mode (I cannot for the life of me find these online).

Will this feature finally make me someone who does not forget appointments??!!

Please share any thoughts or suggestions on using cellphones with OSX as your primary mobile calendar.

Cheers,

thumb

...................

Dual 1.8Ghz Powermac OS 10.4
.867 Ghz Powerbook 15" OS 10.3
crummy old Nokia phone on Cingular

 

[mkrishnan]

I have the Nokia 3650, and not the ones you listed, but I can comment in general about iSync and Series 60 Symbian.

1) Yes, it's worth it. The calendar is transcribed in a faithful way, and in general is quite useable. In particular, it preserves alarm times, recurrence (at least for most recurrence patterns iCal supports...this is new...when I first got my iBook, the then current iSync and iCal did a poorer job of this) and location data on the appointments. Entries created on the phone sync over in a useable way too.

2) No, to my knowledge, there is no (easy?) way to make iSync act automatically when a phone comes in range. I've been wanting this for a long time. Nokia's PC software does support this, FWIW....

3) Don't have any pics for you atm, but I can probably make one. Try mobileburn.com also.

 

[mcmav37]

Does it update automatically when in room with bluetooth computer (mine)?

I'd imagine that even if there was a way to do this, it wouldn't be utilized as much as you think. With my T637 (and I assume all other BT capable phones), you manually turn BT on and off. I feel that having the BT on increases battery use, so if you aren't using it at that exact time for something (ie syncing, headset, Sailing Clicker) then you would probably want to turn it off. So, now you are stuck having to turn on BT to sync, so you might as well just walk the few steps to your computer and click the Sync Now button.

 

[TreeHugger]

I have the t610 and it works beautifully with OS.X 10.3 (soon to be Tiger) Synchronizing contacts is a breeze, however I hardly ever use the calendar but it also syncs nicely... The display of the events could be better but its useable... Sorry dont have any pics...
I can't automatically sync but for me at least its not much of a problem. Probably would drain my battery life in a zip...

 

[mkrishnan]

With my T637 (and I assume all other BT capable phones), you manually turn BT on and off.

FWIW, I've left BT on for the entire time I've owned my Nokia (since April 03). I may not get the kind of standby time that is advertised, but it consistently has needed to be charged approximately every second or third day over these two years.

EDIT: Were BT in-range auto-sync enabled, it would need to be done in some kind of intelligent way, so that it didn't happen twenty times a day...that I don't disagree with.

 

[Dalriada]

Check out BluePhoneElite

Proximity Behaviors
BluePhoneElite can detect when your phone enters and exits range of your computer, even when the phone is disconnected. BluePhoneElite can start and stop the screen saver or pause and un-pause iTunes and DVD Player. It can even set your iChat away message or run a custom AppleScript!

I'm also abt to upgrade my mobile to a Nokia 6230i so interesting thread. Thanks

- Dal

 

[DJY]

My SE T610 sync's perfectly...
but with today's iTunes release 4.8 now syncing contacts and calendar to iPods... my tip is this means the new Motorola Phone isn't too far away now!

THis is something I'm very keen to see!

 

[nbs2]

semi-related

On a somewhat related note, I think an option would be to have a way for isync to run automatically for you at some time when you know you will be near your computer - I usually let the computer fall asleep on its own, so at night would be best for me, for example.

But, I don't know if there is a way to have isync run automatically. If anybody has any ideas...

 

[mkrishnan]

My SE T610 sync's perfectly...
but with today's iTunes release 4.8 now syncing contacts and calendar to iPods... my tip is this means the new Motorola Phone isn't too far away now!

THis is something I'm very keen to see!

Hmmm...now that you put it that way...I guess if iTunes syncs all aspects of the iTunes phone, when it comes out, I will no longer really have any need whatsoever for iSync (assuming I get such a phone...hmmm...that RAZR is plummeting in price!). Hmm....