[Monadlug] cell phone sync w/Linux?

Bill Sconce sconce at in-spec-inc.com
Sun Aug 21 13:29:01 EDT 2005


On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 14:01:18 -0400
Tyson Sawyer <tyson at j3.org> wrote:

> Hi guys,
> 
> Lurker on the list speaks. ;-)
> 
> Can anyone tell me the state of the things for cell phones that can sync 
> a phone/address data base w/Linux?


B: Hello, Lurker-on-the-list!  Good to hear from you, Ty.
B:
B: Someone else will have to tell you "the state of things", since that's a
B: pretty broad topic.  :)  I can help to the extent of one data point:
B:
B:     SOME cell phones can sync.  So you need not give up easily, anyway.


> My old Handspring visor is getting a bit long in the tooth and I may be 
> looking at a cell phone update.  If I could get rid of one in the 
> process that would be a big win.  However, I'm not looking to spend a 
> fortune and I haven't used windows in years.
>
> I most often use my phone on the road in places where Verizon service 
> seems better than average and so would like an option that is available 
> w/Verizon service.
>
> The main requirements are:
>
> - Address and phone # database that can sync w/Linux
> - Small and easy to carry
> - Tri-mode (I _might_ be able to do w/out analog)


B: My data point is the LG VX4400, which I've been using since it was
B: early current production, a couple of years now at least.  I've
B: checked for support of follow-on phones (i.e., the VX4500, which 
B: would be my likely candidate if I were to do an upgrade now), and
B: it's supported too. I sync the database (and back it up, and edit it)
B: on Linux.  And reset the wallpaper to not be a commercial for Verizon.
B: And other good things.
B: 
B: The package I use on Linux for it is BitPim,
B: 
B:     http://bitpim.sourceforge.net/
B:     
B: I haven't used Windows in years either.  So it was gratifying to
B: find that someone was doing GPL'd work to support a cell phone which
B: worked hereabouts.  (BitPim was a primary reason I got the VX4400. 
B: Another reason was that the VX4400 was tri-mode - a lot of the
B: places where I need a cell phone (read: back-country airports)
B: aren't covered by modern cell sites.
B:
B: (Nevertheless, like a lot of GPL packages these days, BitPim isn't
B: restricted to Linux:  it runs on Macs and Microsoft PCs too.)


HTH,

-Bill


P.S. A.  BitPim is written in (...surprise) Python.

P.S. B.  (clipped from BitPim's Web site) - phones which BitPim
supports:

    * Audiovox CDM8900
    * LG VX-3200
    * LG VX-4400
    * LG VX-4500
    * LG VX-6000
    * LG VX-6100
    * LG VX-7000
    * LG VX-8000
    * [some] Samsung Phones
    * [some] Sanyo Phones
    * [some] other phones



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