Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 for Windows Vista - It Includes File Synchronizing!

[Pete Paxton]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The Windows Mobile Device Center enables you to set up new partnerships, synchronize content and manage music, pictures and video with Windows Mobile powered devices (Windows Mobile 2003 or later). The Windows Mobile Device Center combines an efficient business-data synchronization platform with a compelling user experience. The Windows Mobile Device Center helps you to quickly set up new partnerships, synchronize business-critical information such as e-mail, contacts and calendar appointments, easily manage your synchronization settings, and transfer business documents between your device and PC."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/paxton-20070607-devicecenter1.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />Yay! We can now synchronize our smartphone files with Windows Vista! This includes touch screen and non-touch screen devices. It's about time this came out. And while we all realize this should have been included in the Device Center from the start, kudos to Microsoft for at least getting it out now. Ok, I'm off to download so I can be in synchronize heaven. :D

[smittyofdhs]

WM5 needs file sync too, this sucks that the update really only give wm6 devices new features. I can't wait for HTML-sync and file sync, I wish at&amp;t would get the final BJ update out...

[Sven Johannsen]

WM5 needs file sync too, this sucks that the update really only give wm6 devices new features. I can't wait for HTML-sync and file sync, I wish at&amp;t would get the final BJ update out...

Why? Have you got Pocket Office on your WM5 Smartphone? That is what the file sync is for in MSs eyes. Third party applications can provide their own file sync options if they want. Always could, still can.

I think file sync is highly overrated. It always has been and still is restricted to a distinct folder on your PC and your internal memory. You have to be pretty careful to not overdo the number of files you are trying to sync, to keep from overwhelming your memory. That is the same memory you are using to store contacts, calendar entries, tasks, etc. and run applications.

[smittyofdhs]

WM5 needs file sync too, this sucks that the update really only give wm6 devices new features. I can't wait for HTML-sync and file sync, I wish at&amp;t would get the final BJ update out...

Why? Have you got Pocket Office on your WM5 Smartphone? That is what the file sync is for in MSs eyes. Third party applications can provide their own file sync options if they want. Always could, still can.

I think file sync is highly overrated. It always has been and still is restricted to a distinct folder on your PC and your internal memory. You have to be pretty careful to not overdo the number of files you are trying to sync, to keep from overwhelming your memory. That is the same memory you are using to store contacts, calendar entries, tasks, etc. and run applications.

Why?... so that I can automatically sync my ewallet and list files, updated resumes, etc....

It's a nice feature to have and should have been part of smartphone sync since day 1.

[Sven Johannsen]

WM5 needs file sync too, ...

Why? Have you got Pocket Office on your WM5 Smartphone? ....

Why?... so that I can automatically sync my ewallet and list files, updated resumes, etc....

It's a nice feature to have and should have been part of smartphone sync since day 1.

As I said, third party vendors can build their own conduits that do not rely on file sync. Get a current copy of e-wallet and you will find that is the case. Been syncing that using Vista and WMDC for some time, without file sync. You can even keep multiple devices in sync.

What format are your resume's in that you can read them on the SP? If something like pdf, I can't imagine you update them enough to require daily update management. Drag the things to the SD card.

I've always contented that people over use file sync. Should be just for those things that change very frequently on both the PC and/or the PPC and it is important to have the latest. Things like an expense spreadsheet, maybe a mileage log.

I don't vehemently insist that file sync isn't needed, but I think it is only valid from MSs point of view, now that they have provided a way to read Office files on the SP in WM6. Providing SP Pocket Office without providing a way to sync those documents would have been hard to explain.

[randalllewis]

A quick question: My Blackjack syncs up using AS on my work computer. I have Vista at home and it would be nice to set up a second partnership here. Would I use the Vista sync center or AS? Does AS even work under Vista. A few years ago I had lots of problems keeping two partnerships going with my MX220 and an earlier AS version.

[Sven Johannsen]

A quick question: My Blackjack syncs up using AS on my work computer. I have Vista at home and it would be nice to set up a second partnership here. Would I use the Vista sync center or AS? Does AS even work under Vista. A few years ago I had lots of problems keeping two partnerships going with my MX220 and an earlier AS version.

AS won't even install on Vista. The Vista equivalent is WMDC. Should work fine syncing to two PCs, which is still the limit. AS always worked OK for me, but I understand many had issues. Always seemed like it had something to do with the phase of the moon when you partnered. Sacrificing chickens seems to help with AS issues.

I have had a consistent, for me, problem with syncing to two computers. The second partnership tels me it can't sync with contacts, calendar, etc, because they are already being synced with the other PC. That has been investigated but few seem to be able to reproduce it, so it is still an issue for me. My somewhat unique setup may be the issue. I do have an Exchange server at home, which Outlook syncs to, but I do not sync my PPC to Exchange, rather to Outlook with AS/WMDC. Just mentioning this in case it happens to you, you aren't the first. Hopefully not though.

[smittyofdhs]

WM5 needs file sync too, ...

Why? Have you got Pocket Office on your WM5 Smartphone? ....

Why?... so that I can automatically sync my ewallet and list files, updated resumes, etc....

It's a nice feature to have and should have been part of smartphone sync since day 1.

As I said, third party vendors can build their own conduits that do not rely on file sync. Get a current copy of e-wallet and you will find that is the case. Been syncing that using Vista and WMDC for some time, without file sync. You can even keep multiple devices in sync.

What format are your resume's in that you can read them on the SP? If something like pdf, I can't imagine you update them enough to require daily update management. Drag the things to the SD card.

I've always contented that people over use file sync. Should be just for those things that change very frequently on both the PC and/or the PPC and it is important to have the latest. Things like an expense spreadsheet, maybe a mileage log.

I don't vehemently insist that file sync isn't needed, but I think it is only valid from MSs point of view, now that they have provided a way to read Office files on the SP in WM6. Providing SP Pocket Office without providing a way to sync those documents would have been hard to explain.


My resumes are on the phone so that I can easily email them from the phone using push for email. Yes they could be on the SD card and no they aren't change often.

Yes we could rely on the 3rd party vendors to offer a sync tool, but good luck getting them to all do it and do it well. Relying on a single file sync method is the simpler and better path. I use ewallet every day, and yes I use sync pro built into ewallet. But that does no good for my List program, created by the same software author, it doesn't have a built in form of syncing.

Here's my beef. I've used a lot of PPC and SP devices (look at my signature for the history). MS decided to pull certain features that are present in PPC OS that IMHO didn't make sense. File Sync is one of those at the top of the list. It gives every user a single way to sync files to a given directory (with the right reg hack, you can change the sync location on the smartphone).

And to answer a earlier questions..... Yes. I have Office Mobile on my WM5 device and Picsel for PDF files.

[Mike Temporale]

The problem is that the version of ActiveSync on the phone doesn't support file sync. So even if you install this, you won't get the functionality unless you have a WinMo6 device.