Compatability with Technology

cormie

I thought I'd ask this here rather than the mobile forum as there's a bit more than just mobile use here and perhaps some people here use a similar set up.

At the moment, I use a pretty good system of keeping everything in order and synchronised with eachother. It's simple and it works.

My laptop is of course the centre of the equation and syncs everything with everything else. It takes contacts and numbers saved to my phone, to my PC, this is used as a back up and I can also then export this as a CSV file to a spreadsheet for relating customers to sales etc. I also export it and use it in the desktop texting program cabbagetexter.com.

If I make appointments or book jobs, it's done through another simple program, Rainlendar.net, which uses a desktop widget calendar and I can see everything, all my appointments and things from the desktop. I keep track of everything through this.

I can then sync my phone to Rainlendar and have all my appointments viewable from the phone while on the go.

I have recently started using Google Calendar so I can share my appointments. I do this with somebody who does a few jobs for me here and there. They have an iPhone and they have that synchronised with their Google Calendar, which shows the events I have on my shared calendar. Rainlendar is compatible with Google Calendar so all I have to do is double click the date on the desktop, put in the info and the next time the other guy checks his calendar on his iPhone, it's there! Also, if they are busy a certain they, all they have to do is mark this on their iPhone and a minute or two later it will show up on my desktop as this date having an appointment so I know I've restricted availability that day. Very handy!

However, I've run into some problems with this. I sync my phone (SE G900) through MyPhoneExplorer which has served me well for the last few years. Sometimes I have no other internet connection then that I get through using my phone as a modem when I'm out and about. If I need to sync my phone to my calendar, it's not possible as the phone can't be used as a modem, and synched at the same time.

Another problem is that I need contact space for more than 1,000 entries. Many phones are restricted to 1,000 contacts.

Another problem is that my G900 is a bit bandy at the moment so I will need to replace it soon enough.

Aswell as all the above. I also use my phone while driving with bluetooth handsfree kits. The quality is variable, sometimes those on the end of the line have a hard time hearing me. I've 3 headunits all with bluetooth in the vans. To replace them all would be quite expensive.

I'm just looking for advice on what system the rest of you use at all and have you got any suggestions for a phone that can do all the above too? Perhaps in a better way?

I'd also like the phone to have a map which can calculate route distance and time. The G900 has this but it takes far too long to use, it would probably take about 10 minutes to get the route distance and time of any given journey.

I'd like the phone to be compatible and the contact list to be exportable as a CSV file to sync with my Spreadsheets and the cabbagetexter program.

Here's a little diagram to show my current set up, probably easier than following all the above :P

00bri

BlackBerry and Outlook (email, calender, contacts, etc). It all syncs automagically (as in invisibly over the mobile network). Even when my BB was bricked recently and had to be reformatted; once re-authorised on the BES the backup was restored OTA. Every sync dynamically changes the backup.

Some of the newer models (I have the Bold 9700) have GPS and BlackBerry Maps. Although not as good as a standalone satnav, it's brilliant for occassional use. Quite easy to use too.

A turn off for many is the keyboard but from experience I expect that you'd find that once you switch to the qwerty keyboard typing is so much faster and easier you'll never want to use a keypad again!

cormie

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, I don't use Outlook, I user Mozilla Thunderbird which is an alternative email client. I don't want my phone contacts synched with my email contacts either so this could cause problems. Another thing is that I'd want it to be compatible with the likes of the iPhone, through Google Calendar as opposed to relying on anyone I want to share info with having a blackberry themselves?

Another thing to note is that I don't want a GPS on the phone for driving, but just to calculate routes while I'm away from my computer/sat nav itself. As my business is transport, having a standalone GPS is essential and I already have this in the form of a Garmin Nuvi 760 which suits me fine I just need to be able to quickly calculate a route and be given the time/distance of the route.

00bri

Google has a BB app that lets you sync pretty much anything (including calendar) from your google account to the BB. Very easy to do actually. Nobody else needs to have a BB for you to share info with them. The BB calendar is secondary to whichever desktop calendar you use (in my case Outlook, in your's it's Google).

Pretty much all of my experience with BB is through a corporate BES. The company I work for is based in the USA and I'm the only employee in Ireland so I needed to get my BB independantly. Not having a clue about it originally, the company who sorted it all out for me are called vmobile. Haven't looked back since!

cormie

Thanks again for the reply. I'm just not sure if I'd like to go the blackberry route. Can it be used as a modem do you know?

I've described my usage in this thread and I'm wondering would an iPhone suit me for the above at all?

unklerosco

If you are using Google services a lot I'd recommend and Android based phone. I had a HTC Hero and the gmail/calendar integration is brilliant. I found the screen a bit small after using the iPhone for so long so went back to the iphone, which in fairness is just as good, only the google services integration aint as good but the selection of apps and ease of use make up for it...

I'd be lost without the iPhone(or equiv), I use google docs a lot and being able to access them on the road via the phone is a godsend. I went a month with a std old nokia phone n it was a nightmare...

Google maps on the iphone/Android is great and would do exactly what you need and is very fast.

Both of the phones don't play nice with my parrot bluetooth kit but I think it needs a firmware update...

cormie

unklerosco wrote: »

If you are using Google services a lot I'd recommend and Android based phone. I had a HTC Hero and the gmail/calendar integration is brilliant. I found the screen a bit small after using the iPhone for so long so went back to the iphone, which in fairness is just as good, only the google services integration aint as good but the selection of apps and ease of use make up for it...

I'd be lost without the iPhone(or equiv), I use google docs a lot and being able to access them on the road via the phone is a godsend. I went a month with a std old nokia phone n it was a nightmare...

Google maps on the iphone/Android is great and would do exactly what you need and is very fast.

Both of the phones don't play nice with my parrot bluetooth kit but I think it needs a firmware update...

Thanks a lot for the input. The only thing I really use Google wise would be the calendar. I do use different Google apps too, but none I'd need on the phone so maybe the iPhone would be fine for me too.

The only thing I'm worried about having problems with on the iphone is backing up the contacts to the CSV file/spreadsheet/cabbagetexter and I don't know if it's at all possible to calculate time and distance of a route on the iphone? I've read there's a way you can get the distance as the bird flies between two locations, but not driving time and distance which would be quite important for me to have.

Vodafone have a decent looking plan that would suit my usage with the iPhone on offer. I've heard good things about Google phones like the nexus and the likes but maybe the iPhone would be better to have?

unklerosco

Contacts backup...

http://techsalsa.com/steps-to-backup-iphone-contacts-to-pc/

With regard the maps, it'll give you driving time, walking time and public transport time along with the distance.

Google calender integration with the iphone is very good... works a treat.

I've an unlocked iphone on a meteor tariff but vodafone would prob be better as they've better 3G coverage at the moment...

Best bet, go into vodafone and mess around with an iphone... U can check out google maps etc for it. U can also get some pretty decent sat nav apps for the iphone, I use the tom tom on daily.. works very well...

cormie

Thanks again I've used my brothers google maps on the iphone but couldn't figure out how to calculate the driving time/distance? Can this be done in the Google maps (or whatever the default iphone map thingy is) or do you need a third party (paid?) app? If not, how can it be done in the included maps?

The Calendar integration is great indeed, I can just double click the rainlendar program on my desktop, add a date, click ok and a few seconds later, my brother will see it on his phone

No need for any nav apps for myself, I've a garmin and because I drive for a living it's quite essential to have a standalone GPS incase I'm on phone to customer looking at the map etc. Although I seem to remember that you may drive for a living too The actual navigation isn't important, just the route calculation is all I need!

unklerosco

When ur in google maps on the iphone, u just click directions at the bottom and stick in ur start n finish and it gives u the directions, distance and journey time...

Used to drive for a living, I navigated the old fashion way and used the stars for guidance.... Ur better off having a stand alone gps, the gps on the iphone eats the battery.

cormie

Cool, didn't know that about the directions, didn't see it when I used my brothers, must check it out

Stars are fine, but it gets kinda cloudy here! Thanks again for the help!

cormie

Had a look at my brothers anyway but unfortunately it doesn't seem possible to add a "via" point and also, you need to be connected to the net to use it it seems

Was hoping for something like Garmin Mobile XT which you basically download the area map for and can do via points and all that too. Wonder is there something as good for the iphone or HTC line?