Need help finding a phone that syncs!!!

C

cherryme

New member
I have been searching on this (probably in all the wrong ways) for about 3 years now and I can't ever get a straight answer. I have slowly grown to hate my Kyo 7135 so much that I almost never carry it anymore - this is mostly because the thing is huge, heavy, and unpocketable. I want a cell phone that offers some of the PDA functionality, but without moving into another full-blown PDA/phone. I am now moving from VZW to Cingular due to a change in locality, and I really need to find the solution.

I need a phone that offers (required):Amazing receptionFull sync to Outlook (multiple email addresses, physical addresses, and phone numbers per name and calendar at a minimum)Small size and low weight (preferably a flip/clamshell)
Would be nice, but I don't need:Pop emailCamera
The Mpx220 looks like the perfect solution for me, but a local rep told me that it has terrible reception. Reviews I've found seem to go either way. Lots of phones say they are PC syncable, but that's all the info I can find. For example, the RAZR phone appears to be syncable if I buy extra software called Phone Tools, but 1) I have not been able to get the lowdown on the internet on what the software is actually capable of, and 2) I haven't met one phone rep (or anyone else, for that matter) in the last 3 years that has actually used or known someone who has used this or any other phone sync software package (other than for PDA/phones).

Please help me find a phone that fills my needs!
 
The 2125 looks like it might be pretty nice, but is it available yet? It isn't on Cingular's site (at least not in my current or future ZIPs).
 
From what I hear, it's on back order. It's a sweet phone. I recommend you get your hands on one when it becomes available again.
 
I'll keep it in mind. What about some other options like:Nokia 6102Sony Z520Samsung SGH-D307Moto V557Sony W600i
Specifically, I'd like to hear from users of these phones who sync with Outlook (what software you use, how complete the sync is, and so on).

I'd really like to hear from any MPx220 owners (specifically on the reception issue) and V3 owners (is it true that the contact sync is minimal?)

Thanks!
 
For the absolute best Outlook syncing, get a Windows Smartphone.



Incorrect. The W600 syncs to Outlook with the included software. Many other phones have Outlook sync available with the correct software; sometimes it's third party, and sometimes you might have to pay for it. But Sony Ericsson has its own free sync software, and I believe you can use the open source Float's Mobile Agent as well.

I haven't been able to use Nokia PC Suite yet, but I believe it does support most phones for the PC Sync function. This is free.

Mobile Phone Tools for Motorola also will do Outlook sync with most Motorolas, but it is not free. (It may be included with some phones; I'm not sure.) In my experience with this program, it isn't that great or easy to use. I like to avoid Motorola in general for various reasons...
 
That's cool that the Sony comes with free software. MPT is $30 w/out the cable and $50 with. Do you have any direct experience with any of these? I've been trying to find someone with first-hand knowledge of this stuff FOREVER, with no luck.
 
The W600 comes with the cable and phone; the Z520a does not. Either way, you can download the software from Sony's site and use Bluetooth with either.

It worked pretty well for Outlook sync, at least for contacts. It synced calendar events too, but I don't use that function very often. I think it may have also synced the todo list; I don't have the phone anymore to check.

I'd have experience with Nokia PC Suite, but it will not run on my computer. It doesn't want to install right now (I'm running Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition); I'm getting a Yonah notebook when they're available, so I'm not going to take the effort to get it to work right now. Anything I do with it would have to be over Bluetooth, since they have not yet made DKU-2 (data cable) drivers for Windows x64. (This would be on a Nokia 6682, which includes a data cable.)

My experience with Mobile Phone Tools was not very enjoyable; for that matter, doing anything with a Motorola phone and a data cable was painful. I had a hard time getting Mobile Phone Tools to work at all. When it did work, it was pretty difficult to use and confusing. I never actually did a sync with Outlook, though.

Windows Mobile is probably the best. While I haven't used a Smartphone, I have used regular Pocket PCs; they all use ActiveSync, which works very well; once the device it plugs in, it syncs. When changes are made and the device is plugged in, they are synced as well. Very simple.
 
OK, cool. I think I have it down to the MPx220 and the SE Z520a. At this moment, I think the SE might be the better choice, but I'm having a hard time discounting the fact that the MPx220 is actually Windows based. It appears that the Z520a actually does a more complete Outlook sync than Pocket Outlook, if you can believe that, and the phone is only $70 thru Cingular! Plus, the MPx has lots of bad reviews.
 
On Pocket PCs, there are lots of third party applications you can get that syncronize through ActiveSync. I use Pocket Informant on my Pocket PC, which is a full replacement for the contact/calendar/notes/todo software that came with the device. There's similar software for Windows Smartphone as well. So with a Smartphone, you'd be able to add functionality through third party software, while with the Z520a, you'd be stuck with the organizer functions it came with (which, while functional, are most likely less than what the Smartphone comes with.)

If you're able to give up having a flip phone, the 2125 would be a much better choice than either.
 
I think you should go with the MPx220. I loved mine, and I am really wishing I hadn't sold it, but it wasn't compatible out of the box with Mac. However, they do work wonderfully with windows and Outlook. I also had great reception with mine. One of my favorite features of it was that you could use bluetooth and have realtime sync whenever you are near your computer, even your emails will sync to the phone.

The Ericsson would be ok, but they are not as good for pop email because it's not made so much for that. They tend to segment your emails and this makes it very painfull to read emails quickly.
 
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