Retain Category Filter Settings for Contact in WM 5.0 Smartphone

[jbrinker]

I just upgraded from the Cingular (Audiovox) SMT 5600 with Windows Mobile 2003 to Cingular 2125 with Windows Mobile 5.0. In Windows Mobile 2003 I was able to set the filter within Contacts (based on Categories), exit the Contact screen and when I return it retains my setting which is great. In WM 5.0 it does not retain that filter setting anymore (always defaults to No Filter) which really sucks. I have a lot of contacts stored, but only use a small amount for normal usage on my phone so using that filter worked great (ActiveSync unfortunately cannot sync folders). Now I have to apply the filter every time I enter the Contacts screen. Am I missing something or did Microsoft remove a useful feature in this new upgraded version of the OS?

[Mike Temporale]

No, you're not missing anything. It's no longer there. :(

As for applying it every time, I just use the SmartDial feature and it cuts through my 200+ contacts quickly. I don't miss the filter option at all.

[jbrinker]

Yeah, the smartdial works well, but i have over 600 contacts and found it much easier to place my top 20 into a category & just scroll through those. worked great on my windows mobile 2003 phone. don't understand why that feature would be lost (bug?) in this new version.

[Jerry Raia]

That was another feature I really liked. Why is it gone now? Who knows. Why does MS always fix things that work fine? :roll:

[dmt]

I've also noticed this after switching from the smt5600 to the T-mo DASH. However, I haven't been able to filter contact catagories at all. the "settings" options is present when first connect the phone and open activesynch, but it's deactivated for contacts unfortunately. What is smartdial, or any other workarounds you guys have figured out?

[Mike Temporale]

SmartDial is pretty cool. From the home screen (or from inside Contacts) start spelling out the name of the person you are looking for. SmartDial will automatically kick in and filter your contacts down to those that match what you entered. I know that doesn't sound like much, but when you think about using it on a keypad (non-qwerty) device, it's a huge difference. It's like T9 for contacts. So you don't have to push the key multiple times to get the letter you want. SmartDial will figure it out for you.

It still works on QWERTY devices, it just doesn't have to be as smart. ;)

[Max]

Like you I have been extremely frustrated after "upgrading" to WM5 and Activesynch 4.2.
I have done some research and it seems the problem is in activesynch, rather than WM5. So Microsoft has taken a perfectly goo (nay, fantastic) product and dumbed it down - go figure.
The smart dial is a good feature, but when I have 300 + entries in my PC Outlook contacts. About twnty of them are "Johns". So, after downloading all 300 to my smartphone, and then smart dialiong John, I still have to scroll through multiple entries. You might say "Well why don't you search on surname". You get even more hits that way!
So if there is anyone from Microsoft reading this LISTEN TO YOU CUTSOMERS - There are a lot of chat sites out there where this issue is being discussed.
GIVE US BACK OUR CATEGORIES