How to search other contact fields on PPC???

[kzemach]

[Note: did forum search but didn't find answer]

Someone please help me hate my switch from PalmOS to WM5 less. I have, to date, found no way to easily search ALL the fields in my contact list for a word (WM5 PPC Phone Edition). For instance, if I want to go mtn biking and need a quick list of who to call to see if they're available, normally I would type in 'bike' or 'biking' on my palmOS device. If there was that word in ANY contact field (or even that string as part of a word), up would come that list. Or, if I am going to Chicago for work, I can type in 'Chicago' and it would list anyone who either lives there or has that word in the notes field.

The way it works now though, is I can type in part of someone's name or phone number, but those are the ONLY fields that are searched.

Someone please tell me I'm doing something wrong to not be able to do this? If it can't be (easily) done, PLEASE tell me there's an add-on program. I searched some of the commercial software sites but found nothing. Which is kinda funny, since my 'search' to find something to help me 'search' is still fruitless. So now I'm searching to have someone help me search to find something to make searching possible.

Thanks,

Ken

[Jason Dunn]

The search functionality on Windows Mobile is kind of...well, sucky. See, on the Palm OS device you had, everything was in a giant database. That makes it really easy to search - but it also made your notes have limits, etc. On a Pocket PC, the OS is file-based, meaning you can have 200K notes files, but the OS can't search them easily. I don't know of a way to do what you want - I don't think anyone has written a smart search tool for Windows Mobile...

[kzemach]

Good lord, that's just goofy! OK, any smart developers want to write a nice little plug-in app so that my user experience doesn't continue to be completely underwhelming?

I think I'm going to coin a new slogan:

"Windows Mobile 5: All your information in the palm of your hand. Most of it unavailable. Taunting you. Mocking you."

[alex_kac]

You know, Pocket Informant has had this feature for a long time. We have a whole Search View which lets you search ALL fields with begins/contains clauses, using wildcards * and ? as well as filter by category, dates, and by groups of fields.

And yes, we search every single field in Contacts, Tasks, Appointments including notes (its all user configurable). You can also save searches in Custom Views.

Take a look: http://www.pocketinformant.com/pocketinformant

[kzemach]

Thank you. I will now go buy Pocket Informant, and my PPC suckage will be dramatically reduced.

[Cybrid]

"Windows Mobile 5: All your information in the palm of your hand. Most of it unavailable. Taunting you. Mocking you." Lol. Given your example; Sorting your contacts into categories like biking buddies, Work colleague would "fix" that. By selecting a category, the other contacts are filtered....
Nonetheless, Pocket Informant is amazing and so infinitely customizable that you'll understand Palm suckage
:devilboy:

[kzemach]

"Windows Mobile 5: All your information in the palm of your hand. Most of it unavailable. Taunting you. Mocking you." Lol. Given your example; Sorting your contacts into categories like biking buddies, Work colleague would "fix" that. By selecting a category, the other contacts are filtered....
Nonetheless, Pocket Informant is amazing and so infinitely customizable that you'll understand Palm suckage
:devilboy:

Ah yes, but then there're those that ski AND bike, or those that bike that I met overseas, etc etc. We'll see about pocket informant. Would be happy to think the Palm sucked, but I'm finding it harder and harder to imagine that anyone at Microsoft actually uses this crap. For instance, I have the latest and greatest WM5 smartphone (TyTN). Why is it that when I fly from San Fran to the east coast, and the phone obviously knows what time zone it's in (since it connects to the towers), yet the time shown on the phone, dictated by the alarms, etc, is still on west coast time? Palm did that, and did it well. It's these little usability things that kill me. Well, the big usability things kill me too!

[alex_kac]

I don't think its a Microsoft issue. My Treo 700wx not only changes timezone but the time itself within seconds of turning the phone on after getting off a flight (lately a lot for me).

[Cybrid]

Ah yes, but then there're those that ski AND bike, or those that bike that I met overseas, etc etc. We'll see about pocket informant. Would be happy to think the Palm sucked, but I'm finding it harder and harder to imagine that anyone at Microsoft actually uses this crap. For instance, I have the latest and greatest WM5 smartphone (TyTN). Why is it that when I fly from San Fran to the east coast, and the phone obviously knows what time zone it's in (since it connects to the towers), yet the time shown on the phone, dictated by the alarms, etc, is still on west coast time? Palm did that, and did it well. It's these little usability things that kill me. Well, the big usability things kill me too!
There's nothing stopping you from having a contact in multiple categories and even sub-categories.
Yes, there is a lot to be said for simple well thought out things that Palm did. There were/are some key areas where Palm lost. You'll notice sooner or later...
Alex, the problem is MS/ OEM related. Most "dumb phones" do not need time setting. They poll the cell towers and adjust. Haven't seen my UTStarcomm do that. The 700W was probably modified. Out of curiosity, that adjusts your appointments too. How is that working?

[alex_kac]

True, its related in that MS could offer that and all WinMobile phones would then offer it - but again you could say that Palm OS didn't offer it, it was something Palm added to their Treos on Palm OS and WinMobile. Should it be part of WinMobile? Probably not because I bet different networks offer different methods for this.

Anyhow, its one reason I adore my Treo period. I simply cannot use any other PPC.

[Brad Adrian]

I don't think its a Microsoft issue. My Treo 700wx not only changes timezone but the time itself within seconds of turning the phone on after getting off a flight (lately a lot for me).
That capability and how well it's implemented is controlled by the wireless carrier. Some do a better job of sending updated time zone info than others.