Originally Posted by JVH3

Once you get used to it, you might find that you like it better.

It's always up to date and can be updated from multiple locations (anywhere you have we access). You can log into live and update your contacts using a full keyboard and a large screen. And, you still have the flexibility to do it from the phone.

Well, I got to play with the Quantum (which had already been upgraded to Mango 7.5) over the weekend. While I enjoyed using the phone quite a bit and really liked how many things were easier and more user friendly, the process that I had to go through to import my calendar/contacts and the fact that I couldn't set up my AOL accounts as easily as I could with my Tilt 2, left me running back to using my Rhodium as my everyday phone.

The format of the exported calendar data (Outlook 2003) would not import directly into Microsoft Live (why would M$ not implement a process that would work with their own family of software???), so I had to set up a Gmail account anyway. The calendar/contact files imported into Gmail as I hoped they would, with 2 very important exceptions: (1) The export process changed recurring appointments into individual appointments, which would make rescheduling events a horrendous task later; (2) Somehow, there were several contacts that were missing their names/company names, making me pull out my Tilt 2 and utilize 'Reverse Lookup' for those contacts that I couldn't recognize off the top of my head.

These syncing snafus are a major deal breaker for me! My syncing process is flawless right now and handles everything as it was designed to. No matter how much I enjoyed playing round with Windows Phone, there is no way that I will put up with this arduous process (almost daily). M$ really needs to bring back the ability to sync directly with a PC, as well as via the Web, or I'll be buying up used Rhodiums to keep my life hassle free for years to come.

Debbie

Originally Posted by DebbieNY13

Well, I got to play with the Quantum (which had already been upgraded to Mango 7.5) over the weekend. While I enjoyed using the phone quite a bit and really liked how many things were easier and more user friendly, the process that I had to go through to import my calendar/contacts and the fact that I couldn't set up my AOL accounts as easily as I could with my Tilt 2, left me running back to using my Rhodium as my everyday phone.

The format of the exported calendar data (Outlook 2003) would not import directly into Microsoft Live (why would M$ not implement a process that would work with their own family of software???), so I had to set up a Gmail account anyway. The calendar/contact files imported into Gmail as I hoped they would, with 2 very important exceptions: (1) The export process changed recurring appointments into individual appointments, which would make rescheduling events a horrendous task later; (2) Somehow, there were several contacts that were missing their names/company names, making me pull out my Tilt 2 and utilize 'Reverse Lookup' for those contacts that I couldn't recognize off the top of my head.

These syncing snafus are a major deal breaker for me! My syncing process is flawless right now and handles everything as it was designed to. No matter how much I enjoyed playing round with Windows Phone, there is no way that I will put up with this arduous process (almost daily). M$ really needs to bring back the ability to sync directly with a PC, as well as via the Web, or I'll be buying up used Rhodiums to keep my life hassle free for years to come.

Debbie

pst files may have imported better. I know contact picture information is also lost when using tab or comma delimited files.

Forwarding meeting invites to yur live account should have kept new recurring meetings to be correct. And editting the ones that you have with computer when logged into live should also have worked.

Really surprised that your company doesn't just let you sync with exchange. I know at the company i work at, anyone can sync there own devices. Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, iPhone, Android -- It doesn't matter.

But, work only pays the bill if they determine that you need it. And then, it is an iPhone 4S that they pay for.

The Rhodium was a great phone. It could do just about anything and it had nice keyboard. Needed regular resets to get memory back because of the Sense tabs and other memory leaks though.

HUGE Thanks!

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Originally Posted by JVH3

pst files may have imported better. I know contact picture information is also lost when using tab or comma delimited files.

Forwarding meeting invites to yur live account should have kept new recurring meetings to be correct. And editting the ones that you have with computer when logged into live should also have worked.

I believe the file type that LIVE was looking for were 'ics' files. I thought 'pst' should work as well, but I was at home and unfortunately unable to access my calendar at work to test either scenario out.

Originally Posted by JVH3

Really surprised that your company doesn't just let you sync with exchange. I know at the company i work at, anyone can sync there own devices. Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, iPhone, Android -- It doesn't matter.

It's a large global company, so they are pretty tight about securing their data and will not permit any employee to access information with personal devices. Since I am not at a level that requires that I carry a company phone, I am pretty much stuck with my current process of utilizing ActiveSync, which they don't have a problem with, but they refuse to give me the Exchange server information to allow my work email to go to my phone.

Originally Posted by JVH3

But, work only pays the bill if they determine that you need it. And then, it is an iPhone 4S that they pay for.

Our company relies on Blackberries, but I understand that they are issuing iPads to some high level employees.

Originally Posted by JVH3

The Rhodium was a great phone. It could do just about anything and it had nice keyboard. Needed regular resets to get memory back because of the Sense tabs and other memory leaks though.

I *so* love my Rhodium! I don't find that I need to reset very often with my current ROM (see signature), as it utilizes 2.1, which is fine for me. Before that, I had a Kaiser, which was a damned fine device at the time. I still have it in case my back up Tilt 2 fails me. LOL!

Thanks again for taking the time to educate a Windows Phone newbie. I've been doing lots of reading on the new OS, but to someone who hasn't had any exposure to much of the new terminology, it might as well be written in Chinese.

Debbie

Originally Posted by DebbieNY13

...
I *so* love my Rhodium! I don't find that I need to reset very often with my current ROM (see signature), as it utilizes 2.1, which is fine for me. Before that, I had a Kaiser, which was a damned fine device at the time. I still have it in case my back up Tilt 2 fails me. LOL!
...

Sense 2.1 was way better with memory usage. I just liked all the extra bells and whistles of Sense 2.5. The biggest thing I missed was the program tab, so after Kimi_Sae_Ireba ported it from some beta Sense 2.6, I modified it to support 4 columns.

Outlook Solution

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I don't know if I'm late to this party but I've been reading some of your posts regarding Outlook. I don't know if you are aware of Outlook Connector. It's a MS download that lets you sync Outlook with Windows Live whenever Outlook is online. Whatever you do on Outlook will sync with Live and in turn, go OTA to your phone. I had a Touch Pro 2 once and frankly, the only thing I miss is the PAN capabilities through either USB or bluetooth. Most people don't realize that the Quantum is the most "hackable" WP7 phone mainly because of the MFG app and it's built-in registry editor. The Dell Venue Pro allows for read-only of the registry and the Samsungs need WP7 Root Tools. Peace, love and soul.

Nice work on this JVH3, very useful post!

Yeah, I know, but the only problem that I had with that is my company will not allow us to connect to any 3rd-party email or online storage systems because they are (rightfully so) obsessed with data security.

I bought a used Android HTC Desire Z (unlocked Bell Canada version), because of the HTC Sync (as well as other available) USB syncing capabilities. However, I could not convince my systems people to allow me to install any of them, as they haven't tested them, thus they will not support them. MS ActiveSync was approved at some point, that's why they allowed it. So, in the meantime, I've been syncing the Rhodium at work, then syncing it at home, and then using HTC Sync to move my calendar and contacts over to my Desire Z. Seems to work for now, with a manageable (but too many for my taste) amount of errors that I need to fix before I sync at home, but it works.

I still have the Quantum and I may play with it some more at some point, but that will force me to always have to put my data on the internet just to sync and I'm not really comfortable about that. Hopefully they will bring back a method of USB syncing in a later version of Windows Phone. I'd still be left syncing the way I do now, but I can live with it in the meantime.

Debbie

Originally Posted by fatclue

I don't know if I'm late to this party but I've been reading some of your posts regarding Outlook. I don't know if you are aware of Outlook Connector. It's a MS download that lets you sync Outlook with Windows Live whenever Outlook is online. Whatever you do on Outlook will sync with Live and in turn, go OTA to your phone. I had a Touch Pro 2 once and frankly, the only thing I miss is the PAN capabilities through either USB or bluetooth. Most people don't realize that the Quantum is the most "hackable" WP7 phone mainly because of the MFG app and it's built-in registry editor. The Dell Venue Pro allows for read-only of the registry and the Samsungs need WP7 Root Tools. Peace, love and soul.