Synchronizing with a PDA

Many people use Palm Pilots, BlackBerry devices, Pocket PCs, and other personal digital assistants or advanced cellular telephones to store important day-to-day details of their lives, including appointment schedules, address books, personal telephone directories, and e-mail. It's often convenient to coordinate these documents with the related versions stored on a desktop computer. Therefore, you may want to synchronize the information on your PDA with files on a desktop or laptop computer.

Most PDA and mobile phone operating systems can use synchronization software to exchange and synchronize data with a computer running Windows XP. Some manufacturers include copies of these programs with their PDAs and phones, but it's always helpful to look for the most recent version on the manufacturer's Web site. Table 40.1 lists programs and sources for the most widely used PDA operating systems and mobile telephones.

Table 40.1: Synchronization Software for PDAs
Open table as spreadsheet

PDA or Mobile Telephone Operating System	Synchronization Software	Download From
Windows Mobile Windows CE Pocket PC	Microsoft ActiveSync	http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/activesync/default.mspx
BlackBerry	BlackBerry Desktop Software	http://www.blackberry.com/products/software/desktop
Palm OS	Palm Desktop for Windows	http://www.palm.com/us/software/desktop
Motorola	Motorola Phone Tools	http://www.direct.motorola.com/hellomoto/Motosupport/source/AdvancedMobility_PhoneTools.asp
Nokia	Nokia PC Suite	http://www.nokiausa.com/support/software/main/1,7889,,00.html
Sony Ericsson	Sony Ericsson PC Suite	http://www.sonyericsson.com
Psion	PsiWin	http://www.pscience5.net/psifilessibo.htm

If your own PDA or wireless telephone is not in this list, consult the manufacturer's Customer Support center for information about synchronization software.

Each of these programs presents a somewhat different appearance, but they all perform similar tasks. After you download and install the program designed for your particular PDA or wireless telephone, it steps you through a connection and initial configuration process. When the configuration is complete, your computer automatically detects a connection between your portable device and your computer. Depending on the specific features of each device, the connection can use a USB cable, a Bluetooth link, or an infrared link to exchange data with your computer.

Every sync program is different, but most of them are similar. For specific instructions, read the help files and other instructions supplied with your program.

To synchronize your files, follow these general steps:

1. If you are using a USB link between your computer and the PDA or phone, connect the cable to both devices. If you're using Bluetooth or an infrared link, the computer automatically detects the other device. When the connection is active, you will probably see a full-color icon in the system tray (next to the clock at the bottom of your screen). When no connection is present, the same icon is gray.

2. Run the Sync program on the computer from the desktop or the Start Programs menu. A program Window like one of the examples in Figure 40.4 opens. Of course, the specific window you see depends on the particular program you are using.

   
   Figure 40.4: Each manufacturer's PC interface program uses a different control window layout.

3. Find the Synchronize or Sync command or shortcut icon and click it.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose the data you want to synchronize between the computer and the portable device. When the setup is complete, the program moves data across the link.

5. When the data transfer is complete, disconnect the cable if necessary, and close the sync program.

Many of the same PDA and mobile phone connection programs include many additional features and options. For more details, consult the instructions supplied with your program.