stevep94

Hi all

I've just taken delivery of my brand new HTC Desire and I'm having a little difficulty importing my contacts from my old SE W995!?!?!

I've put the SIM card in the new handset and it seems to have recognised some of the numbers but as far as I can see its only showing one number per contact wheras my W995 let me save a few different numbers for each contact (work, home, mobile etc) - is there any way to get the HTC to recognise this without keying them all in again????

Thanks...

SteveP

Baz8755

I have just been through a similar problem with my LG cookie. In the end I managed to export all my contacts into .vcf files using the PC backup software and import them into googlemail.

It got every number for each contact as well as their thumbnails.

It might be worth seeing if your phone can do the same

SUroot

The problem is a Nokia saves contacts in a different format than Android.

Try Baz's suggestion.

Or use nokia PC suite to export them from nokia's phone memory and upload into gmail.

stevep94

Its not a Nokia, its a Sony Ericsson W995 and I cant see anything in the software that lets me export contacts from the phone in any format!?!?!

SteveP

SUroot

Sorry must have read it wrong.

I think the w995 supports google sync... Have a look if you can set it up under settings>connectivity with username, password and server m.google.com.

That may let you sync your contacts with gmail and then your desire will access them.

CarsnGadgets

if you can sync your old phone to your pc, or if you have your contacts in outlook or livemail, you can export the files as a .csv (comma separated values), this can then be imported into googlemail on the pc.

or use the htc sync program that is on the sd card in the desire, install it on the pc and use it to sync with outlook.

stevep94

Managed to save my contacts as a vCard file on my PC then set up a gmail account and (I think) imported the contacts to the phone!!

It shows up as "Google" contacts as opposed to being stored on the phone - is this right???

At least its transferred all the numbers though!!

Thanks for the help guys!!

SteveP

SUroot

Yep, it is stored on the phone as a type of cache. It syncs with gmail, but they are basically an offline copy of that.

stevep94

So if I amend or add a contact on either the phone or the contacts within gmail, whenever I sync them they will update?? If this is right, I assume it uses the most recently amended file of the two??

SteveP

nacatomi

As far as I know the SIM contacts are very basic and only allow name & 1 number. Anything over and above that is usually stored as a phone contact so would have to be bluetoothed over. You shoule still be able to switch on and see your contacts on your SE and bluetooth them over. It's what I've done with previous phones, but luckily with the desire I was able to use Sprite migrat which took all the pain out of it

SUroot

If you add a contact on the phone, you have to ensure contact type is set as google. If you do that, then yep. Next time it syncs, it will upload that contact to your gmail account.

If you amend a contact in either place, after a short while, that version will be the definitive version. It will either upload to gmail or download to the phone (depending where amended) and both copies will end up being the same.

stevep94

Thanks for all the replies guys!

So am I right in thinking that I dont actually need my contacts stored on my SIM card?? I only ask because when I click on the phone button it brings up all my Google contacts as well as the partial ones on my SIM card!!

Thanks again.....

StevieP

ps. unrelated query - my phone has a "H" at the top indicating its running on HSDPA (I think) - the guy at o2 said my "smartphone internet and wi-fi bolt-on would be activated tomorrow - will this change to show "E" or "3G" when they are available??? - Which is the quickest btw???

nacatomi

if you go into the people app and hit menu --> view you can untick SIM... I have no SIM contacts on my current sim but they could be useful as a backup.

And H (HSDPA) is the quickest then 3G then E then 2G

Last edited by nacatomi; July 14th, 2010 at 08:11 AM.

stevep94

I've already unticked the SIM contacts there but they still seem to show up when I press "Phone" on the front screen!?!?!

Also, on the Desire specs it says 3G is upto 7.2 Mbps download speed but doesnt mention HSDPA - is it OK that it says "H" rather than "3G" at the top or am I missing out on something???

Thanks again....

SteveP

nacatomi

This link should explain about network speeds
Guide to GSM, GPRS, EDGE, 3G and HSDPA - Clove Technology

HSDPA is a 3G technology (really 3.5G) so yes its good that it shows H as this is the fastest possible connection available for the desire other than wifi.

With the contacts I can only suggest that they may have been imported from your SIM when you put it in so they are only partial records that only copied name\number. Try unticking the other categories and see if they disappear. If they do they must be phone or google contacts and can be editted to add the extra detail.

I had a brand new SIM so mine didn't offer to import anything so cant be sure what I'm telling you is right.

SUroot

Yeah, "phone" seems to show everything, as does "messages" when you click the "to" field. No idea why. Dont think theres a fix / workaround for that.

nacatomi

I just added a test SIM contact and it shows it when I tick show SIM contacts and hides it when unticked for SIM contacts. This is true in people and phone, havent tested messages. Also i noted that if it is a sim contact on the left where the contact picture would be its a SIM card

SUroot

hmm. Dunno. My phone and messages basically shows google contacts, facebook contacts etc all as 1 contact for 1 method, so if I have one contact who has email and phone in gmail and email and phone in facebook, I get 4 contacts.

nacatomi

Ah... I dont facebook so all my contacts are google contacts except for the 1 test SIM contact

stevep94

Very strange!!! I get the SIM contacts showing up on the "Phone" list even if I untick it in the "People" option screen!!!???!!!

They must be the SIM contacts because on the left hand side they have a small picture of a SIM card as opposed to the little head picture of the normal contacts!!! - Very annoying if I cant get rid of them!!!

Might try deleting the contacts on the SIM card if I dont need them anyway!!

Is it worth copying the contacts to the memory card or will they always be there even if I cant connect to the net for any reason???

SteveP

SUroot

The google contacts will always be there. they're an offline copy.

nacatomi

As far as I know they will still be there as its just a local cache of your google contacts. you could test by switching on airplane mode as that kills all connections. Strange about SIM contacts the setting i make in "people" affects "phone" as well I'm taking about the "All" group. But yeah deleting them would be a way to go

stevep94

OK, easier said than done!!! Anyone know how to delete the contacts from my SIM card???
I thought it might be in the "SIM Toolkit" app but all that does is say "Get Settings", which in turn sends me a text saying there was a problem???

Thanks for the continued help guys....

SteveP

nacatomi

long press on the sim contact and choose delete... easy

stevep94

Any way to do this all in one go as opposed to each individual contact??

SteveP

nacatomi

Use your old phone.... AFAIK android cant do it

ernesto017

Hi there see I have the same problem as you a while ago...how did you save your contacs as vCard from your W995?

peace

ernesto

rusty3

thanks ! good advice