[plug] phone synchronisation

[Paul Dean]

Hya Pluggers,

HNY etc etc...

Saw this thread on Smarty Phones, and thought maybe someone may benefit from my exp.

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I've been using my trusty iPhone 3Gs for the last couple of years.

On my lappy I've setup with Claws-mail(vcalendar plugin) to export to my ftp server as an ics(ical) file, and I run Rainlendar(cool desktop widget app) on Ubuntu 9.xx and 10.xx.
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But time came to "get a new phone", and as I didn't want to be "hemmed in" by A**le and go down the propriety lane, I decided to get a nice new shiny Robot(Android).

After a few weeks of review reading, asking questions etc etc, I found a HTC Desire HD was the way to go.

I'm a Telstra business user and am happy with coverage and price etc, but they don't do the Desire HD, awww crap...(I thought).

But Vodafone does, weeeee, so down to the Vodafone store I go.

I asked for the Desire HD outright, "Sorry sir we don't sell them outright", bummer.

But!, for $79 for 24mths, no cost up front, HD is mine... mmmwwaahhhahah, so I decide to cut the contract in half to 12mths for an extra $10/mth, so $89/mth and saving of $800 crackers...nice yeh...

Ok so now I got my phone, sync setup time.

iCal to Android, no go, the market apps that say they convert ics to the HTC/Other Calendars don't work, fortunately I didn't pay for it.

iCal to Gmail(calendar), yay it works, you have 3 options, 
	1. GMail can open and ics file, but only updates every 8hrs or so, not good for a cal sync.
	2. Import your iCal file each time you change it, WTF, time waster.... not REAL sync.
	3. GMail account - Perl Script/Cron job on server.
#3 is the way I went, I've written a nice perl script that auto checks my ical file from Claws on my server every 10mins.

Rainlendar Pro fully supports GMail Calendars, nice and easy.

Android Gmail setup, just create and account on GMail and add the account to your Desire HD.

And finally for all you phone buffs, the Desire HD has a bigger clearer screen than a iPhone 4, with a good app called VPlayer Media yo can watch your HD movies.

Also Winamp is available to sync your music over the WiFi LAN fro you PC.

And what about Next 3G your asking, well the Desire HD is WCDMA which is 14.4Mbps, which is 3.5G HDSPA, so the mobile connection speeds are fantastic.

As for Claws-mail, I'm a old pine die hard, so "kill html email" is in my thoughts, Claws offers a nice interface with simplicity and powerful functionality, ie GPG signing, filters, spam etc.

But if you're not up to perl/server ical etc, Thunderbird(IceDove for those Debian lovers)/Lightening/Sunbird/Evolution works real nicely with GMail.

Hope this sheds a little light and makes your decision somewhat easier.

Any questions or if your interested in the perl script, let me know.

--


Thanks

Paul Dean.

"Life is not WHAT you make it, it's WHO you have in it..."

QOTD:
=========================================
You will soon meet a person who will play an important role in your life.
=========================================


On Tue, 4 Jan 2011 22:21:04 +0800
Jason Nicholls <jason at mindsocket.com.au> wrote:

>> Thank you everyone, that gives me something to go on with. Hopefully
>> costs will be low enough that the company will just upgrade my old
>> phone no questions asked. Being the person who looks after the phones
>> makes this a little more likely :P
>>
>
>I was going to say the HTC Desire, which I recently got and it's
>awesome, except Telstra have raised the cost. It was free on the
>$49/mo cap plan (for 24mos) but now $79/mo... Still a great phone if
>your work will cover it :) There's also a newer Desire HD version but
>dunno if Telstra are offering it...
>
>
>Jason Nicholls
>jason at mindsocket.com.au
>0430 314 857


-- 

Thanks

Paul Dean.

"Life is not WHAT you make it, it's WHO you have in it..."

QOTD:
=========================================
You will be married within a year, and divorced within two.
=========================================
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