Can't sync address book from phone. Manually add names?

[OlsonBW]

Ok, I've got a cell phone (RAZR) with Verizon wireless. It will not sync my names and numbers even one at a time. I've tried everything that people have posted on here (I did a search).

So, can I manually, with the phone 2 feet or 17,000 miles away and with it powered off and kept off, can you manually add names and phone numbers to the Prius? Can you then "call by name" with them?

Thanks in advance. And yes I looked in the manual. And no I can't find it in there about this specific thing.

[Bill Merchant]

I feel your pain. I have an AT&T Sync (Samsung SGH-A707) that won't. The phone disconnects after it connects to the Prius when trying to transfer. I got fed up and keyed in the important numbers, like home, on the MFD. Worked fine, I could then add car phonebook numbers to the speed dial screens and even add voice dialing. The car and the phone work OK together to make calls, other than the car not showing the signal strength or phone battery level. I traded a Sony Ericsson S710a, which stopped sending text, for the Sync. That phone was more compatible.

[OlsonBW]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Jul 15 2007, 10:57 PM) [snapback]479491[/snapback]</div>

I feel your pain. I have an AT&T Sync (Samsung SGH-A707) that won't. The phone disconnects after it connects to the Prius when trying to transfer. I got fed up and keyed in the important numbers, like home, on the MFD. Worked fine, I could then add car phonebook numbers to the speed dial screens and even add voice dialing. The car and the phone work OK together to make calls, other than the car not showing the signal strength or phone battery level. I traded a Sony Ericsson S710a, which stopped sending text, for the Sync. That phone was more compatible.
[/b]

I guess I'm just being stupid then. I've got an '07 without NAV (but pretty much everything else including bluetooth) but can't figure out how to add them manually. I looked in the manual and I'm not seeing the instructions. I'm usually good at figuring things out. I fix computers for a living but isn't seeming to help.

[Sarge]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ Jul 16 2007, 10:00 AM) [snapback]479556[/snapback]</div>

I guess I'm just being stupid then. I've got an '07 without NAV (but pretty much everything else including bluetooth) but can't figure out how to add them manually. I looked in the manual and I'm not seeing the instructions. I'm usually good at figuring things out. I fix computers for a living but isn't seeming to help.
[/b]

From my memory alone, if you press the steering wheel off hook button while NOT moving, it should go to 'home screen' of the phone interface (as opposed to the Quick Dial screen when moving). At the bottom there is a Settings button, and within there should be a Phone Book button. Just press Register and start programming away.

As far as BT phonebook transfers, I have the Motorola KRZR phone (k1m, I believe), and while I am able to transfer ONE number at a time, it is so tedious that it is pointless. For each transfer, I need to go into the phonebook setup as above and set the car to receive transfer - which disconnects the 'headset' phone connection - then go into my address book on the phone and transfer. It then sends the data in a couple seconds, then disconnects the data session from the phone (!) and goes back to the regular 'headset' connection. I then have to manually go back into phone book setup, transfer, etc... and re-initiate the whole process again to transfer another phone number. It is just an absurd process for a one-by-one transfer... it is much faster to simply program the car phonebook manually. <_<

Perhaps it would be worthwhile if you can transfer a large portion of your phonebook in one shot, but by the sound of it, phones/providers that allow this are few and far between.

[aaf709]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Jul 16 2007, 08:45 AM) [snapback]479601[/snapback]</div>

Perhaps it would be worthwhile if you can transfer a large portion of your phonebook in one shot, but by the sound of it, phones/providers that allow this are few and far between.
[/b]

I got a non-Verizon phone (Sony Ericsson) off of eBay, put the phonebook in that and sent the phonebook in one shot. I needed a sim card, but didn't need service.

[hill]

I feel your pain, my fellow Verizon skumbag users of Vcast crap Payola worthless software designed to take your money for stupid wallpapers & tunes, while most all other cel providers throw it in the feature (that comes stock on the phone but Verizon disables it) for free. Don't even ask me how I REALLY feel :P
You CAN do it, but it's a pain in the arse work around. The search tool can be your friend, so get busy! :P
Sorry, I looked ... used it ... but can't find it now.

[OlsonBW]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sarge @ Jul 16 2007, 08:45 AM) [snapback]479601[/snapback]</div>

From my memory alone, if you press the steering wheel off hook button while NOT moving, it should go to 'home screen' of the phone interface (as opposed to the Quick Dial screen when moving). At the bottom there is a Settings button, and within there should be a Phone Book button. Just press Register and start programming away.
[/b]

Thanks Sarge. I'm printing this off and taking it with me to try it out tomorrow.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Jul 16 2007, 09:40 AM) [snapback]479642[/snapback]</div>

I got a non-Verizon phone (Sony Ericsson) off of eBay, put the phonebook in that and sent the phonebook in one shot. I needed a sim card, but didn't need service.
[/b]

Great idea. I'll check with my friends and see if they have an old Sony Ericsson sitting around unused.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Jul 16 2007, 11:22 AM) [snapback]479708[/snapback]</div>

I feel your pain, my fellow Verizon skumbag users of Vcast crap Payola worthless software designed to take your money for stupid wallpapers & tunes, while most all other cel providers throw it in the feature (that comes stock on the phone but Verizon disables it) for free. Don't even ask me how I REALLY feel :P
You CAN do it, but it's a pain in the arse work around. The search tool can be your friend, so get busy! :P
Sorry, I looked ... used it ... but can't find it now.
[/b]

Hi (King of the?) Hill - I did the search and followed the instructions I found but didn't find the menus they were talking about. I'll try Sarge's instructions and see if those work.

I've talked to maybe a dozen Verizon people on the phone and in person about this syncing issue and they keep trying to tell me that most of their customers are business customers who don't want their address books and calendars ripped off. They "say" that's why they do it.

It (supposedly) used to be a choice that people could activate it (so THEY say) but they turned it off because people would activate it, get their stuff stolen and then complain. I asked them how they -knew- it was stolen and the Verizon people started making up crazy scenarios and then started saying it was Paris Hilton getting her phone numbers tapped.

I told them if I had 500 people hounding and trying to hack into my phone all day they could probably break in too. But nobody cares about my phone numbers. You want to call my family friends? Look them up in the phone book.

Fine, I told them. The next phone I get with be an Apple iPhone from Cingular (now AT&T). Even if their service sucks, at least I'll be able to use all the features of the phone.

They didn't like that answer.

[KTPhil]

"From my memory alone, if you press the steering wheel off hook button while NOT moving, it should go to 'home screen' of the phone interface (as opposed to the Quick Dial screen when moving). At the bottom there is a Settings button, and within there should be a Phone Book button. Just press Register and start programming away."

Bold part doesn't work this way on my '05. When I hit Phone Book it tells me that it is empty (and therefore uneditable).

Yeah, I have Verizon...

[Sarge]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ Jul 17 2007, 03:13 AM) [snapback]480111[/snapback]</div>

Thanks Sarge. I'm printing this off and taking it with me to try it out tomorrow.
[/b]

You're welcome... hopefully my instructions were right, it was from memory. Basically, just press the phone button when you are not moving and go into Settings and it is pretty self-explanatory from there.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ Jul 17 2007, 03:13 AM) [snapback]480111[/snapback]</div>

It (supposedly) used to be a choice that people could activate it (so THEY say) but they turned it off because people would activate it, get their stuff stolen and then complain.
[/b]

IMHO this is bogus. There is NO chance of someone tapping your information, since it is not a 'dynamic' link. You need to set the car to receive, then initiate the transfer from your phone. Adding a contact to your phone will not make it "magically" appear in the car's phonebook without a manual transfer.

Sounds like someone was talking to make themself sound smart. As for the real reason, I don't know for sure, but I am sure it is not a worry that someone can "steal" your information.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ Jul 17 2007, 03:13 AM) [snapback]480111[/snapback]</div>

Fine, I told them. The next phone I get with be an Apple iPhone from Cingular (now AT&T). Even if their service sucks, at least I'll be able to use all the features of the phone.

They didn't like that answer.
[/b]

Heh heh... always a good strategy to threaten to leave. Usually works, provided they have the power to change what you don't like, though I suspect in this case they can't do anything as the limitation likely comes from above...

[OlsonBW]

I won't have a chance to test it until about 5:30 PST.