Motorola Motorola Motorola.. what about NOKIA!!! I have a 6820 and a 6230 that I need to Sync. I have been waiting since March for an update and still nothing. Aside from the two I own there are atleast another 5 Nokia bluetooth phones out that need support. I can connect to it via bluetooth and browse it, copy and remove pictures but can not use iSync... that bites! Guess I have to wait another four months or use a piece of crap to Sync.
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iSync 1.5 Now Available
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Picky observation
The 4G iPods still show up as a 3G icon in iSync 1.5. Am surprised they haven't changed this (iTunes 4.6 and OS X 10.3.4 both show the correct icon representation).
The 4G iPods still show up as a 3G icon in iSync 1.5. Am surprised they haven't changed this (iTunes 4.6 and OS X 10.3.4 both show the correct icon representation).
Kingsnapped said:Hm.. my 3g looks like a 2g.
My 1G looks like a 1G - check.
My 4G definitely looks like a 3G...
v600
I'd like to second everyone's frustration with iSync not supporting Motorola phones via bluetooth. I own a v600. It has bluetooth. I own a powerbook. It has bluetooth. This shouldn't be a problem, damn-it-all. As a consumer I don't care about standards, protocols, and all that crap. Apple, you need to hack something together to make this work. This is utterly absurd. I'm dissatisfied with iSync based on this point alone. Charge me for the software if you have to, but just make it work.
I'd like to second everyone's frustration with iSync not supporting Motorola phones via bluetooth. I own a v600. It has bluetooth. I own a powerbook. It has bluetooth. This shouldn't be a problem, damn-it-all. As a consumer I don't care about standards, protocols, and all that crap. Apple, you need to hack something together to make this work. This is utterly absurd. I'm dissatisfied with iSync based on this point alone. Charge me for the software if you have to, but just make it work.
henryblackman said:
Thanks for clearing some things up only to add more confusion
If apple is a leader in SyncML and use it in isync, but supposedly use OPEX (think that is the protocol i have seen thrown around) for phone syncing. And motorola does not use that, (for the nokia users out there noticed the same issue, the phone makers are switching to SyncML on newer phones which is the isync issue) than is it again the phone maker or apple that has issues with this product. I have to agree there are times that i as a user want things to just work and not spend 30 bucks on a cable when i have bluetooth as part of my $250 phone.
oh well just going to have to sit back and deal like i have in the past as i refuse to spend the money on a cable to transmit data when i have a perfectly good set of bluetooth chips going to waste.
I don't know about the V500 and V600, but the reason the V710 doesn't sync is because it is missing the necessary Bluetooth profile. This is especially annoying to us Verizon users, since this is the first Bluetooth phone on Verizon and it still doesn't support the full gamut of Bluetooth functionality.
I have this phone and it is not recognized by iSync when using Bluetooth. I have a data cable, so I'll try it out with that later tonight.
Also, for the poster who was talking about Motorola Phone Tools, the V710 doesn't work with it over Bluetooth due to the missing profiles I mentioned above. The V600, however, works fine.
I have this phone and it is not recognized by iSync when using Bluetooth. I have a data cable, so I'll try it out with that later tonight.
Also, for the poster who was talking about Motorola Phone Tools, the V710 doesn't work with it over Bluetooth due to the missing profiles I mentioned above. The V600, however, works fine.
sigamy said:
you might be sorry tomorrow when they introduce the Moto v710 flip phone, with BT and a 1.2 megapixel camera. They're also introducing a slew of new phones next quarter that should bolster their reputation - outstanding coverage and reliability, meet cool phones.
http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bi...r=260904&prmenbr=126&phone_cgrfnbr=1&zipcode=
displaced said:
Both. First, there are, if I remember correctly, four separate technologies at work here in the US. There are some phones which only support one of the technologies, but most are dual-, tri-, or even quad-mode phones. For instance, Sprint's network is PCS; AT&T's is CDMA; etc. I think someone over here's using GSM (what the rest of the world uses), but the coverage isn't good in general. In addition, yes, phone companies brand their phones when you buy them via software so that even if the network is the same (Verizon and AT&T, for instance, I believe both use CDMA) you can't go to a different provider with the same phone. I'm not sure if this is reversable or not; generally after the just-short-of-lifetime contract expires on a phone it's so obsolete you're better off getting a new one anyways.
I think it's a pretty well understood fact that cellular is a mess here in the US. We're a good decade behind the rest of the world technology-wise, and the gap is only growing.
On the other hand, our tax dollars don't subsidize the cell companies and we have fairly reasonable charges overall ... Cheap buys cheap!
So can anyone answer the question I posted earlier? That being as an example if you have 5 contacts on your phone and 5 different contacts in Address Book that after syncing both your phone and A.B. will have the same 10 contacts. Thank you.
crees! said:
Yes. iSync will work both ways. Much like how playlists made in the iPod appear in iTunes, new contacts will move to your computer from your phone.
crees! said:
iSync does NOT work with my V600 (grr..) but that is the general idea of iSync. Everything... syncs up. I know I've had a few playlists called "On the Go playlist" on my iTunes from my 3G iPod. I think one of us is just crazy.
But yes, if your phone is supported, contacts should go both ways.
Living with the Motorola V600 and Mac/iSync
Displaced, don't even ask about the cellular phone system over here in the U.S. It's a mess!
Basically, though, we're divided into CDMA and GSM technologies -- two different technologies, that essentially accomplish the same thing through different means. GSM has been around the longest, while CDMA has made a very decent introduction for itself in the past 4-5 years. (There was TDMA, used by AT&T and I believe Cingular for a while, but they're slowly migrating to a completely GSM system.)
For each technology, there are different bands. For GSM and CDMA we mainly use the 850 Mhz and 1900 Mhz band -- 1900 Mhz is also known as PCS, if I understand it right. (Services like T-Mobile and Sprint are 100% "PCS," meaning they operate completely on the 1900 Mhz band.) Some of America also uses the 900 Mhz band, and I believe the 1800 Mhz band might be used in some instances as well.
For GSM providers, there's mainly Cingular and T-Mobile; AT&T was a player, but Cingular just bought them out. For CDMA, you've got Verizon and Sprint, basically.
The problem with most GSM providers, though, and all CDMA providers is that you're basically pressured to use their phones.
If you're using a GSM provider, you're lucky enough because GSM phones use SIM chips; you can go out and buy an unlocked GSM phone without a chip, if you wish, take it to the provider you want, and they can pop in one of their chips. They're a bit more expensive to buy third-party and unlocked, but you can take them with you to any GSM provider, and you'll always have just one phone, even if you switch providers several times. It's as simple as popping in another chip. I just bought an unlocked SE K700i from eBay, for example, and will likely be taking it to Cingular.
CDMA users are out of luck -- you have to buy a phone specifically from that provider, because of the technologies involved. Their phones are dependent on the provider, and to my knowledge there are no "unlocked" CDMA phones. So basically, if you want to switch from Sprint to Verizon, you'll have to buy another phone as well. If you walk into a Cingular or T-Mobile store, though, too, and bought a phone -- the phone will actually be locked to that service as well. GSM providers aren't in the habit of playing any more friendly with each other than CDMA providers: but the difference is, with GSM you can buy an unlocked phone, and providers will (though ocassionally grudgingly) pop in their chip.
Regardless of technology, all providers like to offer "cheap" prices and special deals on phones because of two reasons: 1) they get you to sign up for 1- or 2-year contracts, essentially signing your life away, and 2) the phone is locked to their service. If you're unhappy with them, that's tough; you're stuck with them because you spent $200 on an otherwise useless phone.
So the end result is kind of a mixed bag; you can buy awesome phones to use here in the U.S., but you're stuck to using a GSM provider. That may not be a problem, depending on your geographic location (it's not for me), but for some people, CDMA is the only reliable technology in their area.
And so ends my long-winded and probably unnecessary explanation. My ultimate advice: if you like to have the coolest, up-to-date phones, buy an unlocked GSM phone off of eBay and take it to a GSM provider. If the GSM network in your area is spotty, just wait a bit, as CDMA phones are slowly catching up -- the Motorola V710, for instance.
Displaced, don't even ask about the cellular phone system over here in the U.S.
It's a mess! Basically, though, we're divided into CDMA and GSM technologies -- two different technologies, that essentially accomplish the same thing through different means. GSM has been around the longest, while CDMA has made a very decent introduction for itself in the past 4-5 years. (There was TDMA, used by AT&T and I believe Cingular for a while, but they're slowly migrating to a completely GSM system.)
For each technology, there are different bands. For GSM and CDMA we mainly use the 850 Mhz and 1900 Mhz band -- 1900 Mhz is also known as PCS, if I understand it right. (Services like T-Mobile and Sprint are 100% "PCS," meaning they operate completely on the 1900 Mhz band.) Some of America also uses the 900 Mhz band, and I believe the 1800 Mhz band might be used in some instances as well.
For GSM providers, there's mainly Cingular and T-Mobile; AT&T was a player, but Cingular just bought them out. For CDMA, you've got Verizon and Sprint, basically.
The problem with most GSM providers, though, and all CDMA providers is that you're basically pressured to use their phones.
If you're using a GSM provider, you're lucky enough because GSM phones use SIM chips; you can go out and buy an unlocked GSM phone without a chip, if you wish, take it to the provider you want, and they can pop in one of their chips. They're a bit more expensive to buy third-party and unlocked, but you can take them with you to any GSM provider, and you'll always have just one phone, even if you switch providers several times. It's as simple as popping in another chip. I just bought an unlocked SE K700i from eBay, for example, and will likely be taking it to Cingular.
CDMA users are out of luck -- you have to buy a phone specifically from that provider, because of the technologies involved. Their phones are dependent on the provider, and to my knowledge there are no "unlocked" CDMA phones. So basically, if you want to switch from Sprint to Verizon, you'll have to buy another phone as well. If you walk into a Cingular or T-Mobile store, though, too, and bought a phone -- the phone will actually be locked to that service as well. GSM providers aren't in the habit of playing any more friendly with each other than CDMA providers: but the difference is, with GSM you can buy an unlocked phone, and providers will (though ocassionally grudgingly) pop in their chip.
Regardless of technology, all providers like to offer "cheap" prices and special deals on phones because of two reasons: 1) they get you to sign up for 1- or 2-year contracts, essentially signing your life away, and 2) the phone is locked to their service. If you're unhappy with them, that's tough; you're stuck with them because you spent $200 on an otherwise useless phone.
So the end result is kind of a mixed bag; you can buy awesome phones to use here in the U.S., but you're stuck to using a GSM provider. That may not be a problem, depending on your geographic location (it's not for me), but for some people, CDMA is the only reliable technology in their area.
And so ends my long-winded and probably unnecessary explanation.
My ultimate advice: if you like to have the coolest, up-to-date phones, buy an unlocked GSM phone off of eBay and take it to a GSM provider. If the GSM network in your area is spotty, just wait a bit, as CDMA phones are slowly catching up -- the Motorola V710, for instance. 
sigamy said:
LG in particular. Mine -- the one everyone has, with the camera -- has a great calendar and a great little camera that I'd love to be able to sync if it moves to a BT version. I expect Apple is going to continue adding more models to the list. There's not reason they shouldn't.
jettredmont said:
Well-intentioned, but HIGHLY misinformed post.
First off, if you want to know anything about cellular, start with www.howardforums.com where all the phone geeks hang out, or www.gsmworld.com.
Next, lets clear up some misinformation about standards.
There are 4 basic voice standards in the American market: AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, GSM. For the sake of argument, let's ignore the iDEN 'push-to-talk' business that Nextel uses.
AMPS = Analogue Mobile Phone System. Remember 'bag' phones, or the original car phones with the curly antennas? I don't know where one would even get a new AMPS phone any time in the last 4 years, but AMPS service still exists for many legacy devices still in use. This is the only NON-DIGITAL cell system in use.
TDMA = Time Division Multiple Access. Usually 800/850 MHz frequency band.
CDMA = Code Division Multiple Access. Usually 800/850 MHz frequency band.
(WCDMA and 1xRTT are the data protocols that may accompany CDMA voice service)
GSM = Global System for Mobiles.
(GPRS and EDGE are the data protocols that may accompany GSM voice service).
There are four frequency bands that GSM service may be provided over:
The rest of the world uses 900MHz/1800MHz for two bands (900MHz for shorter range with better building penetration, and 1800MHz (a 2x multiplier) for longer range with worse building penetration). These two bands were already assigned to other purposes in the USA when the GSM standard was established, so for American operations we went one notch up and started with 1900MHz. Now that GSM is taking over the US market, old cell towers are being updated. Since they used to use the 800/850 range for CDMA or TDMA, it's easy & cheap to convert them to 850MHz GSM towers. Hence, the fourth band. To recap:
850 = USA
900 = World
1800 = World
1900 = USA
So you can see that a tri-band 850/1800/1900 (e.g. the SE T616) is optimised for the US with limited international use. A tri-band 900/1800/1900 (e.g. my Nokia 6600) is optimised for world use with limited USA use. A quad-band 850/900/1800/1900 (e.g. the v600) is a true 'world phone', able to work on GSM frequencies around the world (if your carrier has roaming agreements, but that's a different issue). So, pick the phone depending on where you'll be using it. People at my company travel internationally, so AT&T service with the v600 has been a lifesaver since AT&T has the best international roaming agreements and the quad-band support means they get the best service regardless of where they are.
TDMA & CDMA phones are usually carrier-specific. You can't even own two phones and switch between them on the same account, since that has to be done by a rep for the carrier and is a pain. You're locked-in and screwed.
GSM phones will work on any GSM carrier if the frequencies are compatible. If you buy a GSM phone at a discount through the carrier, it'll be 'locked' to that carrier unless you find someone to unlock it (can be done on-line for ~$20.00, more or less). GSM phones have a slot for a thumbnail-sized SIM card. Your 'account' is in the card *not* the phone. That way, you can put your card in any unlocked phone and it'll work. You can have a different phone for each day of the week, or to match your outfit, or whatever, and simply pop your SIM card into the phone and it'll power up with your number and whatever contacts you've stored on the card.
Now let's look at the major carriers:
Assume that most of these carriers had AMPS service 'way back when', but haven't set up new subscribers since the late 90's.
AT&T Wireless: TDMA until 2002, now only signing up people with GSM service and migrating old TDMA users to GSM (like me). GSM Service initially all 1900MHz, now only phasing in 850MHz coverage. Transparent roaming on Cingular's towers where available.
Cingular: TDMA until 2002, now only signing up people with GSM service and migrating old TDMA users to GSM. GSM Service initially all 1900MHz, now only phasing in 850MHz coverage. Deal to merge with/absorb AT&T pending regulatory approval. Transparent roaming on AT&T's towers, where available.
Sprint: Proprietary CDMA network with 3G extensions, 850MHz. No signs of migration to GSM.
Verizon: CDMA with 3G extensions, 850MHz. No signs of migration to GSM.
T-Mobile: GSM 1900MHz only.
Smaller players in the US used to vary between TDMA and CDMA, depending on who they wanted to be friendly with for roaming. Now, more will be GSM as the combined GSM user base will exceed the CDMA user base.
In most parts of the US now, if someone is using AT&T, Cingular or T-Mobile and their phone is less than 2 years old, they're most likely on GSM.
It's always nice to see new updates, even though I don't use iSync right now. Perhaps I'll have to invest in a bluetooth phone and module.
GSM Bias
The detailed discussion by Baron58 is an improvement over the comments by GeorgeTheMonkey, but still has a lot of errors. In particular, the post is filled with pro-GSM bias.
AMPS is indeed the old analog standard from the 1980s. It runs at 800 MHz and is the only standard available in many rural areas today. New digital networks run at either 800 MHz (supplementing AMPS coverage, which is still there) or at new 1900 MHz spectrum.
Verizon has AMPS and CDMA networks, at both 800 MHz and 1900 MHz. Sprint has only 1900 MHz CDMA coverage, but many roaming agreements with 800 MHz CDMA and AMPS networks. Almost all current Sprint phones and many Verizon phones are tri-mode and can work at AMPS and CDMA at 800 MHz and CDMA at 1900 MHz. There are also regional (example: Alltel) and rural carriers operating CDMA/AMPS networks.
The advantage of a tri-mode CDMA phone is you can make a call from almost anywhere in the US. National carriers such as Sprint and Verizon were also leaders in rolling out higher-speed data, which the GSM carriers are only now catching up to. The fact that you cannot import an unlocked phone from Europe is true, but only relevant for the small number of US customers who don't take advantage of carrier subsidies.
One national GSM carrier (T-Mobile USA) started only in the mid-90s and has only 1900 MHz coverage. T-Mobile has the worst coverage of any GSM or CDMA carrier. Two other national carriers, Cingular and AT&T Wireless (which are going to merge next year), started as AMPS carriers, then supplemented that with a digital standard called TDMA, and have now basically completed on overlay of GSM/GPRS at both 800 and 1900 MHz. They have subsequently increased the speed of GPRS data with EDGE, although, unlike the CDMA carriers, they have been slow to roll out higher-speed handsets to take advantage of EDGE. T-Mobile is MIA on high-speed data of any sort (other than WiFi at Starbucks and Borders).
Another problem is the air interface of GSM is incompatible with TDMA and AMPS, so unless you buy a rare GAIT hybrid phone, GSM phones cannot make calls on legacy systems. Many customers, including those on AT&T and Cingular, still use these systems. I got my mom a brand new Nokia TDMA/AMPS phone on AT&T in June!
GSM is the standard you should use if you plan to import phones from Europe. If you use T-Mobile, you can use a European tri-band phone. Cingular and AT&T really need US-centric phones that have both 800 and 1900 MHz support. Also, if you plan to roam in Europe, T-Mobile has the best rates.
However, Verizon Wireless has consistently been rated #1 in coverage, nework reliability, and customer satisfaction. It is the only company publicly executing a coherent plan for near-nationwide broadband-level data access. Sprint has wonderful coverage if you buy its $5 roaming plan and has great and inexpensive higher-speed data.
The national CDMA carriers Sprint and Verizon are the leaders in voice coverage, data coverage and data services. There are many reasons to use other carriers, but GSM is not some superior technology that Americans need to adopt.
The detailed discussion by Baron58 is an improvement over the comments by GeorgeTheMonkey, but still has a lot of errors. In particular, the post is filled with pro-GSM bias.
AMPS is indeed the old analog standard from the 1980s. It runs at 800 MHz and is the only standard available in many rural areas today. New digital networks run at either 800 MHz (supplementing AMPS coverage, which is still there) or at new 1900 MHz spectrum.
Verizon has AMPS and CDMA networks, at both 800 MHz and 1900 MHz. Sprint has only 1900 MHz CDMA coverage, but many roaming agreements with 800 MHz CDMA and AMPS networks. Almost all current Sprint phones and many Verizon phones are tri-mode and can work at AMPS and CDMA at 800 MHz and CDMA at 1900 MHz. There are also regional (example: Alltel) and rural carriers operating CDMA/AMPS networks.
The advantage of a tri-mode CDMA phone is you can make a call from almost anywhere in the US. National carriers such as Sprint and Verizon were also leaders in rolling out higher-speed data, which the GSM carriers are only now catching up to. The fact that you cannot import an unlocked phone from Europe is true, but only relevant for the small number of US customers who don't take advantage of carrier subsidies.
One national GSM carrier (T-Mobile USA) started only in the mid-90s and has only 1900 MHz coverage. T-Mobile has the worst coverage of any GSM or CDMA carrier. Two other national carriers, Cingular and AT&T Wireless (which are going to merge next year), started as AMPS carriers, then supplemented that with a digital standard called TDMA, and have now basically completed on overlay of GSM/GPRS at both 800 and 1900 MHz. They have subsequently increased the speed of GPRS data with EDGE, although, unlike the CDMA carriers, they have been slow to roll out higher-speed handsets to take advantage of EDGE. T-Mobile is MIA on high-speed data of any sort (other than WiFi at Starbucks and Borders).
Another problem is the air interface of GSM is incompatible with TDMA and AMPS, so unless you buy a rare GAIT hybrid phone, GSM phones cannot make calls on legacy systems. Many customers, including those on AT&T and Cingular, still use these systems. I got my mom a brand new Nokia TDMA/AMPS phone on AT&T in June!
GSM is the standard you should use if you plan to import phones from Europe. If you use T-Mobile, you can use a European tri-band phone. Cingular and AT&T really need US-centric phones that have both 800 and 1900 MHz support. Also, if you plan to roam in Europe, T-Mobile has the best rates.
However, Verizon Wireless has consistently been rated #1 in coverage, nework reliability, and customer satisfaction. It is the only company publicly executing a coherent plan for near-nationwide broadband-level data access. Sprint has wonderful coverage if you buy its $5 roaming plan and has great and inexpensive higher-speed data.
The national CDMA carriers Sprint and Verizon are the leaders in voice coverage, data coverage and data services. There are many reasons to use other carriers, but GSM is not some superior technology that Americans need to adopt.
fflipper said:
where on earth did you pick that piece of mis-information up? motorola is a company that has not been and will not be using cutting edge technologies. motorola supported bluetooth once it saw it feasible.
bluetooth was developed by ERICSSON and that's the #1 reason it took nokia so long to support that technology. granted, ericsson is not today known of its phones anymore and they are sold under sony-ericsson brand, so you're half right...