IPD editor for Nextel (Blackberry with direct connect)

[ddrueding]

I hate blackberries. I knew this before I bought one. I didn't really know why, but I knew I hated them.

I've had the phone for a couple months, so it is well past time for me to set up my contacts. I have lots. Hand-keying them into the phone seems like a really awful way to waste 3-5 hours. Blackberry's desktop manager software doesn't have a way to edit the address book entries directly, but will export them into a .IPD file. There are many IPD file editors out there for free, but none of them seem to support dc numbers (used for the walkie-talkie functionality, they look like 123*45*6789). After exporting my .IPD file that contains some of these, none of the editors showed that part of the data anywhere.

Anyone with experience on this?

 

[Fushigi]

No BES or Exchange integration? Not that I know it would work with that but seems more likely.

I have a similar dislike for BBs. That's just one reason I've stayed in the Palm fold. I really like my Pre and it's integration with Gmail, Exchange, and Facebook contacts. No Push-to-Talk walkie talkie capability so far but that's not something I would want anyway. I'd much rather get a text or email as it's far less intrusive.

FWIW, though, I added 123*45*6789 to a Gmail contact and the Pre picked it up with no problems.

Side note: Any other Sprint users here? If you're on an Everything Data plan you now get unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes regardless of the other person's carrier.

 

[mubs]

I envy you, Fushigi! The Pre (GSM version) is not available yet, and it will probably be months before it is available in India. And then at some exorbitant price. Does it support HTML email?

 

[Fushigi]

Yes. The whole device is oriented around HTML, CSS, and Javascript on top of Linux. I thought I saw something about an EU Pre announcement sometime this month; that would indicate a GSM version.

To be honest, it's still a 1.x device. 1.1 to be specific, with 1.2 coming soon. As such, while the hardware is great the OS and supplied apps can use some polish and could stand to have their feature sets developed some more. It's got huge potential, though. So I think it's not really a bad thing if you wait a few more months before having access as it will give Palm time to roll out a couple more updates.

 

[Will Rickards]

I got a chance to play with a pre my friend has. My only gripe is the hardware feels very version 1. They weren't kidding about the sharp bottom. And the difficulty sliding. I think I'll wait for the inevitable revised version.

 

[Fushigi]

The sharp edge is just a 90 or so degrees. It doesn't seem 'sharp' to me; it feels more like just a little rough. But it hardly matters as I rarely run fingers over it during real-world usage. As to the slider, I can slide it open one-handed, including when it's on the Touchstone (greatest cell phone accessory ever). And there is the next version, Pixi, that is candybar/stick style so there's no slider.

 

[Mercutio]

Imma get a HTC Touch Diamond 2 when they get released next month. No stupid hard keyboard I won't use, 2/3 the thickness of my current phone, an ounce lighter and a 480x800 touchscreen (compare that to the Pre or the iPhone 3GS, both of which are 320x480).

Yum.

Also, it is my professional opinion that people who carry Blackberries, unless they are physicians or in some important government service, are douchebags.

 

[LunarMist]

Also, it is my professional opinion that people who carry Blackberries, unless they are physicians or in some important government service, are douchebags.

Some of us have no choice. I carry a BlackBerry on business duty, but it is not for personal use. I would not buy one for the typical 1-2 valid emails received each day.

 

[timwhit]

Also, it is my professional opinion that people who carry Blackberries, unless they are physicians or in some important government service, are douchebags.

Now I feel bad.

 

[sechs]

I feel bad about trying to convince people to get Blackberries instead of Sidekicks or Blackjacks.

 

[LunarMist]

I feel bad about trying to convince people to get Blackberries instead of Sidekicks or Blackjacks.

For personal use? I'm not sure what the differences are. I'd not buy a product named Blackjack since it has such negative connotations.

 

[Mercutio]

I feel bad about trying to convince people to get Blackberries instead of Sidekicks or Blackjacks.

Blackjacks and Sidekicks do indeed suck as PDAs, but it is only douchebags who think they are so fucking important that they need real-time connection to their E-mail instead of waiting for their phone to poll a POP/IMAP mailbox, oh, every five minutes or so, who really need to wash the slime out of their obviously fetid and misused lady parts.

 

[ddrueding]

Blackjacks and Sidekicks do indeed suck as PDAs, but it is only douchebags who think they are so fucking important that they need real-time connection to their E-mail instead of waiting for their phone to poll a POP/IMAP mailbox, oh, every five minutes or so, who really need to wash the slime out of their obviously fetid and misused lady parts.

Funny enough, that exact capability is exactly why I need one

I hate phone calls, and despise voice mail. The only way people will choose to contact me via e-mail for "priority" or "emergency" stuff is if it is just as fast as calling me. I've had to directly demonstrate this to a couple of the managers before they would believe me.

 

[timwhit]

I don't understand Merc's distaste for push email.

My Blackberry is setup with GMail's IMAP server, so maybe I don't qualify.

 

[Mercutio]

I don't understand Merc's distaste for push email.

My Blackberry is setup with GMail's IMAP server, so maybe I don't qualify.

It's not the technology, it's the douchebags who think they need it.

 

[sechs]

Funny enough, that exact capability is exactly why I need one

I'd say that you're the first person that I know that actually thinks that he *needs* this functionality.

Most folks I know just want to be able to send and receive e-mail. A few just want to be able to text faster....

 

[LunarMist]

At work we receive e-mails faster through the Blackberry than the computer. What difference does a few seconds make anyway? It's like people have OCD, checking Blackberries constantly.

 

[ddrueding]

Perhaps you missed the rest of my post? I don't need it, but my clients need me to have it. That is the difference.

 

[Handruin]

At work we receive e-mails faster through the Blackberry than the computer. What difference does a few seconds make anyway? It's like people have OCD, checking Blackberries constantly.

I've noticed the same thing on my iPhone with the pushed mail. It'll buzz 5-10 seconds before the email shows up in exchange.

 

[Fushigi]

Ditto with push email to my old Treo (Palm OS) and my current Pre. Outlook as a client might be doing frequent polling v. a true push. I don't know. For the most part it doesn't matter, though. During the work day I'm pretty tethered to my laptop so mobile email is of little use until after hours. Even when I'm in meetings or on conference calls my laptop is in front of me.

To add to dd's client need for him to have constant mobile email, my employer provides mobile devices and pays for the service for a select few (hundred, maybe thousand) users like me. If the company pays for your device you get a BlackBerry. That's the only corporate-paid brand. If you buy your own device as I do, you pay for it yourself (but the company will still pays for service). Corporate support for non-BB devices is "best effort" only. We're actually floating a policy draft that might mandate BBs, eliminating the personal choice; I hope that dies as I really have no use for such a limited device and don't want to go pack to paying for my own cell service. Especially now that I no longer get a cell bill.

 

[ddrueding]

Yup, mine is company bought/paid, phone and service. Really not much room to complain. Just trying to make the thing work for me.

 

[Howell]

It's not the technology, it's the douchebags who think they need it.

Some people have SLAs they have to abide by and its nice to have every second available. A select few but they are out there.

 

[Stereodude]

I have a BlackBerry courtesy of my job. It's got push e-mail too.

I'd rather not have it, but that's not an option.

 

[sechs]

Perhaps you missed the rest of my post? I don't need it, but my clients need me to have it. That is the difference.

Understandably, your view of the situation is biased.

Your clients don't need you to have a Blackberry; they need you to be extremely responsive. Any cell phone could do that.

You are the one who wants them to use e-mail; therefore you think that you need a Blackberry in order to be responsive.