All cellphones usually come with their own PC bound software suites  that syncs data or backup data to your computer.

These apps are usually a pain to install and a major hassle to configure. Not only that -  the user must pair his device either via bluetooth (which is a pain on its on) or a cable. It seems that most users do not use or install the software that syncs their phone. Most users don’t even backup their content using those software as a direct result.

In the past several month several major players released data/content synchronization for mobile phones.

Google just released their Google Sync, Microsoft is about to release MyPhone, Nokia has thier own OVI platform that is preinstalled on some phones. It seems that all the big players notice that this is a hot issue that needs to be addressed. Even the open source community noticed this and launched the funambol project. Apple has its own MobileMe service for the iphone for $99 a year….

Syncing a phone effortlessly and over the air either over 3G or WIFI, requires infrastructure and protocols.Most  phones rely on the SyncML protocol to sync the Contacts to a server. However SyncML is quite limited.

Not all phones can sync the Calendars over SyncML and basically SyncML is limited to contacts and the calendar.

What about all the OTHER data we got on our phones? – Video?, Pictures?, SMS?, Notes?, RingTones? our Music?

Its seems that even the big players fail here miserably.

• Googe Sync supports quite a wide range of phones, but mostly via SyncML  (contacts/calendars – also not on all phones). On the Iphone / BlackBerry it is possible to use the licensed ActiveSync technology google paid for from microsoft to sync up the phone using the built in Exchange client, yet this allows only contacts and calendar sync.

• Apple’s MobileMe – only for Iphone………

• Microsoft’s MyPhone – is Windows Mobile Only solution. What about the rest of us?

• products based on funambol are SyncML only – again – no true content synchronization.

-

….And then come’s vufone.com

vufone.com is a service that uses propriety agent and protocol to FULLY synchronize your phone with vufone.com site.

The user downloads an agent, and once this agent installed in the phone  – true content synchronization is in effect.

as vufone is not bound to SyncML and uses its own protocol and agent – we now have full access to the phone’s content -  from SMS messages, to video files and audio.

Vufone adds another major function that the big players forgot -  Content manipulation.

Once the phone is synchronized to vufone.com – the user can manipulate their data on intuative web site. play videos, play audio, edit contacts and share data between vufone users and to well known sites such as picasa, facebook, google and flickr.

Lost your phone? install an agent on your new phone and the content of your previous phone will sync to your new phone . its that neat!

vufone supports wide range of phones from simple nokia’s to most sophisticated windows mobile OS.

Iphone and Google’s G1 android support is coming !

One caveat is the problem of caller id if you are using a turbosim. It seems that turbosim sends a fake MCC code of 001 (0xx MCC codes are reserved codes – has nothing to do with USA) instead of the true region you are in i.e MCC code for Israel is 425.
This causes the iphone to get confused and encounter problems with the caller id.

Here is how to fix it – Tested only with HEBDEV 2.2.1 installed.
You need to modify the file:

/System/Library/Frameworks/UIKit.framework/PhoneFormats/UIMobileCountryCodes.plist

and add this to the top of the file:

<key>001</key>
<string>il</string>

This tells the iphone to treat MCC code 001 as its israel (il – 425). If you scroll down the file you will see that israel is defined as 425.

If israeil turbosim vendors would ask thier turbosim suppliers to reprogram the turbosim chip to send MCC 425 this fix will not be needed at all ( i wonder if it will fuckup something else…..)

Make sure you use PLEDIT.EXE as the source of this plist is binary.

I got the new RebelSIMCARD turbosim for my iPhone 3G with Firmware 2.2 and baseband 2.28.00
This one works with the new baseband quite solid in 2G mode. 3G mode is still not stable but so far pretty stable on 2G.

Running version v54i on the trubosim microchip.
Rebel also provide you with a Programmer so you can upload new versions of the firmware to the device.

Limitations:

The turbosim might not be able to register the sim if you loose the network.
You must take it out and put it in another phone and take it back in.
You cannot ROAM to a new network as it will not be able to re-register on the new network. You must manually register on the network using a DIFFERENT phone *WITHOUT* the turbosim.

Currently what i did as an IL Orange user, using my Nokia E90, i set the Nokia with my original SIM so the network is not on Dual Network, i.e select GSM, then select IL Orange as my prefered network.
once this is over. take the SIM out, and put the RebelSIMCard with the turbosim in the iphone.

Remember, if you travel you must have with you a spare phone that you can use to re-register your original SIM on the new network, then stick it back in the iphone with the turbosim .

At least im back on the iPhone !!!
Missed it so much….

/talb

Seems the folks at http://www.i-smartphone.biz/ has a NEW TurboSIM that works with the new 2.2 Firmware.Check out the video on thier site.

Seems it requires more work and testing but it shows we have hope !

/talb

So, i picked up an Nokia E90 from work ( we had one for testing). Very nice phone.

1. Pretty fast. very cool and easy keyboard and it work flawlessly.
2. 3G reception is like x10 better than the iphone 3g.
3. Voice dailing – i missed that feature. i use it daily when i drive home to call the wify. Why apple did not put this in the iphone beats me.
4. Best part – easy to reflash firmware to newer version. Phone had firmware 210.X and i put the lastest firmware 300 on it. works.
5. a Solid phone.

Missing my iphone

/talb

After i learned my phone is now useless because my GEVEY-3G TurboSIM simply does not work anymore after FW 2.2, i called one of the local TurboSIM reseller here and we decided i will come over and try what ever he has to offer………..

We tested:

1. I-SmartPhone – latest release: *FAIL*

2. xSIM – Latest: *FAILED*

So it seems Apple has sucessfuly blocked the use of most if not ANY TurboSIM for the iphone 3g.

Hopefully there will be a solution. My iphone now is just a sitting there connected to Wifi

/talb

The restore log shows:

Sending boot code…OK
Automagic-ing firmware from path /usr/local/standalone/firmware…
    – FLS file /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_02.11.07.fls and EEP file /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_02.11.07.eep are available
Automagic-ing firmware from path /usr/local/standalone/firmware — All OK

Version ICE2-02.11.07 is available, ICE2-02.28.00 is already loaded
Deciding whether to update or not…
    – Available version is older

!!! Exception at :0:
    – BBUReturnBadArgument(5)/16: Can not perform an automatic update to a previous version

==== end of device restore output ====
2008-11-21 10:51:07.000 iTunes[200:126eb]: <Restore Device 0×22637730>: Restore failed (result = 1013)
2008-11-21 10:51:07.000 iTunes[200:126eb]: _AMRestoreModeDeviceFinalize: 0×22637730
2008-11-21 10:51:14.000 iTunes[200:20b]: device connected (isDFU = 0)
2008-11-21 10:51:14.000 iTunes[200:20b]: iTunes: SCEP 4
2008-11-21 10:51:16.000 iTunes[200:20b]: iTunes: Restore error 1013

I tried to downgrade to 2.1 – Impossible. During upgrade it says Itunes encountered an unknown error during restore (-1013).
I tried with itunes 8.03 (mac) – same error, but this time it shows you the upgrade/restore log:
Seems the BaseBand chip firmware is NOT reversible flashed. You cant do it from itunes at least.

Someone PLEASE help – iphone cannot be used .

Log details:

Sending boot code…OK
Automagic-ing firmware from path /usr/local/standalone/firmware…
- FLS file /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_02.11.07.fls and EEP file /usr/local/standalone/firmware/ICE2_02.11.07.eep are available
Automagic-ing firmware from path /usr/local/standalone/firmware — All OK

Version ICE2-02.11.07 is available, ICE2-02.28.00 is already loaded
Deciding whether to update or not…
- Available version is older

!!! Exception at :0:
- BBUReturnBadArgument(5)/16: Can not perform an automatic update to a previous version

==== end of device restore output ====
2008-11-21 10:51:07.000 iTunes[200:126eb]: <Restore Device 0×22637730>: Restore failed (result = 1013)
2008-11-21 10:51:07.000 iTunes[200:126eb]: _AMRestoreModeDeviceFinalize: 0×22637730
2008-11-21 10:51:14.000 iTunes[200:20b]: device connected (isDFU = 0)
2008-11-21 10:51:14.000 iTunes[200:20b]: iTunes: SCEP 4
2008-11-21 10:51:16.000 iTunes[200:20b]: iTunes: Restore error 1013

[UPDATED !] – seems Google Voice search attempts to connect to the following IP:PORTs

74.125.43.97:443 (HTTPS)

74.125.43.99:80

74.125.43.100:80

72.14.221.XXX:80

Make sure you open HTTPS in your network. if your 3G/2G APN does not support HTTPS you will be in a problem.

/talb

I searched some forums and it seems to be a known bug in the evolution-exchange package. This bug is still in Ubuntu 8.10. In the Past two days i started getting – evolution exchange process lost connection to evolution…..

Had to go boot my trusty Vista to do some work. must have emails and caleanders. cant miss mails mails, no matter how much i like Ubuntu and my cool Compiz desktop

When will be the day that Thunderbird will support Exchange and save us from Evolution lame excuse as a mail client…???

/talb