Does anyone have a suggestion for a good app to replace the native Contacts app on the iPod Touch? If there is also an iPad version, even better, and a destop app (for PC) would be a bonus.

My Contacts in iPod Touch and iPad sync with Gmail Contacts and its an unusable jungle of hundreds of duplicate, triplicate etc. contacts in both (iPod or Gmail) of them. In some cases there are 8 different versions of a contact that somehow multiplied through being synced over the years. Instead, I still use TealPhone 4 on my Palm TX, where everything is manual and I'm in complete control of the content. But I'd like to let go of my Palm finally...

I have looked in the App Store and there are hundreds of apps but I can't seem to find just a basic Contacts or Address Book app where I would be in control of the data, rather than Apple and Google doing funky automatic things to it. One problem is that many of these apps were designed for the iPhone and they are focusing on making calls and pulling in social media feeds. I don't want any social media content in there or fancy photos. The simpler the list, the better.

Alternatively if there are any suggestions for cleaning the Contacts data and managing the Gmail sync (without any risk of losing important data), I'd be thankful.

Not exactly cheap and I haven't tried it but despite being sold as a CRM someone from Hacker News stated this is better as a contact manager.

http://highrisehq.com/why

Foolness wrote:

Not exactly cheap and I haven't tried it but despite being sold as a CRM someone from
Hacker News stated this is better as a contact
manager.

http://highrisehq.com/why

Thanks for that. Highrise looks like an interesting service but the iPhone app is absolutely slated by users in the App Store. I would primarily need an iPhone/iPod Touch app, the desktop (or web) version would be mostly for back-up.

IMHO, you are correct in that Apple's Contacts is not up to the task. My address contacts were originally managed by Ecco and then duty was shared with the Palm desktop. When my set-up changed, GMail became my primary repository of contact information. Unfortunately, GMail and Contacts do not play together as well as I would like. I know that Pocket Informant HD has a contacts tab, but I beleive that it, like many other iPad programs, uses the same database as Contacts. I am guessing, but I think that what is needed is a program that has its own database, or uses GMail's. Perhaps Pocket Informant's new web sync supports contacts? Alternately, I know that Plaxo has been around for some time, but I find them to be a bit much for my needs. So, I have tried to rely on my GMail account as the primary respository for the time being. I would be curious to know what you discover in your search, so it would be great if you share your findings.

Good luck,

--Ken

I forgot to mentione that DateBk has some new products out for Windows and the web. Perhaps contacts were also addressed in the new versions?

--Ken

Try ContactsXL

Ken wrote:

I am guessing, but I
think that what is needed is a program that has its own database, or uses GMail's.

Thanks Ken, I'm starting to come to a similar conclusion. The most promising app I found so far is "Contacts Sync For Google Gmail", which seems to function on that basis and has rave reviews:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/contacts-sync-for-google-gmail/id454390333?mt=8&ls=1

Perhaps Pocket Informant's new web sync supports contacts?

Unfortunately I didn't have a good experience with PI on the iPad, so I'd loathe to have to buy their iPod app as well.

Alternately, I know that
Plaxo has been around for some time, but I find them to be a bit much for my needs.

Checked out their iPod app page and the user reviews are not too positive.

DataMill wrote:

Try ContactsXL

Thanks for the suggestion. ContactsXL does seem to have more bells and whistles than I need, on the other hand it does look interesting, if it can indeed help manage duplicates and do back-ups. The user reviews seem reasonably positive.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/contactsxl-+-facebook-twitter/id364481787?mt=8

Dr Andus wrote:

My Contacts in iPod Touch and iPad sync with Gmail Contacts and its
an unusable jungle of hundreds of duplicate, triplicate etc. contacts in both (iPod
or Gmail) of them. In some cases there are 8 different versions of a contact that
somehow multiplied through being synced over the years.

What method does your iPod Touch use to sync with GMail Contacts ? I use Microsoft Exchange (as opposed to the native GMail one) and it works like a charm. No duplicates and it supports push updates...

HTH !

Pierre

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

What method does
your iPod Touch use to sync with GMail Contacts ? I use Microsoft Exchange (as opposed
to the native GMail one) and it works like a charm. No duplicates and it supports push
updates...

Pierre, thanks for the suggestion, but how do I actually check that? Can't seem to find it anywhere...

Dr Andus wrote:

Pierre, thanks for
the suggestion, but how do I actually check that? Can't seem to find it anywhere...

On the iPod, do Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendar

You're then presented with a list of accounts. I have:
1- iCloud (only use it for FindMyiPod)
2- GMail - Exch (Contacts, Calendars)
3- GMail (Mail)
4- Add new account ...

Notice that Mail uses the native GMail sync. This is because the Exchange one does not handle labels well (IIRC)

To make the changes:
1- Select Add new account and select Microsoft Exchange (m.google.com is the server, user=email)

HTH !

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Dr Andus wrote:
>Pierre, thanks for
>the suggestion, but how do I actually check
that? Can't seem to find it anywhere...

On the iPod, do Settings > Mail, Contacts,
Calendar

You're then presented with a list of accounts. I have:
1- iCloud (only use
it for FindMyiPod)
2- GMail - Exch (Contacts, Calendars)
3- GMail (Mail)
4- Add new
account ...

Notice that Mail uses the native GMail sync. This is because the
Exchange one does not handle labels well (IIRC)

To make the changes:
1- Select Add
new account and select Microsoft Exchange (m.google.com is the server,
user=email)

Pierre, thank you so much for your help. It pretty much fixed all my problems, I believe. I should have done this years ago :)

I don't have heavy use of contact management on my iPod Touch, but I have found that Pocket Informant is very nice. It may be more app than you need, as it also combines task management and note taking. There's no desktop client, but I believe they have or are promising a cloud service:

http://webis.net/wp/pocket-informant/

SZ

Dr Andus wrote:

Pierre,
thank you so much for your help. It pretty much fixed all my problems, I believe. I
should have done this years ago :)

Great ! I haven't tried any other contact management app for the iPod Touch as I find the built-in one sufficient for my needs and very well integrated with the other apps (mail, facetime, etc) and AFAICT changes made on the iPod or on GMail Contacts make their way to the other perfectly everytime !

Another one that looks rather good - and has had some very good reviews - is Multi Edit Contact Manager. But I can't say I have personal experience. I'm tempted, though, 'cos my contacts are in much the same state as yours!

MadaboutDana wrote:

Another one that looks rather good - and has had some very good reviews - is Multi Edit
Contact Manager. But I can't say I have personal experience. I'm tempted, though,
'cos my contacts are in much the same state as yours!

Yes, I have come across that one as well, it seems to be one of the better ones. But now that I have perfect sync with Gmail Contacts (thanks to Pierre), another app seems superfluous for the iPod Touch (I don't need to make phonecalls or send SMS) because any remaining duplicate contacts can be managed (merged etc.) directly in Gmail Contacts.

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Dr Andus wrote:
>Pierre,
>thank you so much for your help. It pretty much fixed all my problems,
I believe. I
>should have done this years ago :)

Great ! I haven't tried any other contact management app for the iPod
Touch as I find the built-in one sufficient for my needs and very well
integrated with the other apps (mail, facetime, etc) and AFAICT changes
made on the iPod or on GMail Contacts make their way to the other
perfectly everytime !

My joy (and the solution) has been short-lived. Apparently Google is shutting down Exchange syncing for free Gmail accounts on 30-Jan-2013:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/19/microsoft_google_winter_cleaning/

I can't believe it has come to this, but I'd be even willing to return to Microsoft... Has anybody here upgraded their Hotmail email and contacts to Outlook.com? Does the contact sync work with iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad native Contacts app?

Or are there any other options? If I have to pay for a decent email/contact service, I'd rather use a specialist company than Google.

One of commenters in the article says that " iOS users are pretty safe at the moment as Google are permitted (at Apples discretion of course) to distribute a dedicated email client for that platform, its not a big problem for iOS users (for the moment)."

If that's true, perhaps I'm panicking a bit too soon. But it might be the future...

Oops, but perhaps s/he wasn't talking about the native Gmail client, so Exchange is still gone. I guess we'll find out on Jan. 30th...

Dr Angus,

Having tried outlook.com, it is years behind GMail (IMHO)...

And using the GMail App is no solution as what iOS user want is integration with the native email app, not a GMail app. The GMail app is only better than the native app for searching.

Perhaps this can help:
http://www.igeeksblog.com/how-to-sync-google-contacts-with-iphone-contacts-using-carddav/

Thanks for the "sad" news, I'll need to try it out myself too !

Calendaring is a separate issue. The iOS built-in driver was not working well. Specifically, adding a new Calendar in Google was not being transfered to the iOS device...

HTH !

Pierre

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Perhaps this can help:
http://www.igeeksblog.com/how-to-sync-google-contacts-with-iphone-contacts-using-carddav/

Thanks for the link, Pierre.

Dr Andus wrote:

My joy (and the solution) has been short-lived. Apparently Google is
shutting down Exchange syncing for free Gmail accounts on 30-Jan-2013:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/12/19/microsoft_google_winter_cleaning/

I can't believe it has come to this, but I'd be even willing to return
to Microsoft... Has anybody here upgraded their Hotmail email and
contacts to Outlook.com? Does the contact sync work with iPhone/iPod
Touch/iPad native Contacts app?

Or are there any other options? If I have to pay for a decent
email/contact service, I'd rather use a specialist company than Google.

I thought they were going to "grandfather" in those already using the service, at least for the time being. I could be wrong, as the article and posts that I read were not very clear. I also thought that Google was adapting some type of standard that Apple was also using. I wish I could remember where I read the article. It is probably worth re-reading as I rely on Google for a number of PIM features. Some days it seems like the only constant is change!

--Ken

Google official blog is quite clear:

Google Sync was designed to allow access to Google Mail, Calendar and Contacts via the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. With the recent launch of CardDAV, Google now offers similar access via IMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV, making it possible to build a seamless sync experience using open protocols. Starting January 30, 2013, consumers won't be able to set up new devices using Google Sync; however, existing Google Sync connections will continue to function. Google Sync will continue to be fully supported for Google Apps for Business, Government and Education. Users of those products are unaffected by this announcement.

http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2012/12/winter-cleaning.html

I think current users are OK...

HTH !

Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Google official blog is quite clear:
http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2012/12/winter-cleaning.html

I think current users are OK...

Thanks Pierre, and also thanks goodness for that! I presume that if Santa brings a new iPod for Christmas, I better rush and set it up before 30 Jan. then...

But as for Gmail in a browser on the PC, my disappointment is growing. They've "simplified" the interface so much now that earlier today I literally couldn't find how to change the subject line, when I was under pressure to send a quick email. And then also today I noticed that they started to use colourful images in Gmail adverts, to draw the eye.

This is all going in the wrong direction (and don't get me started on how Google forces/tricks users to "upgrade" (unknowingly) to Google+ and "set up" (unknowingly) Youtube accounts. They are so obsessed with competing with Facebook that there are becoming a Facebook (which is another company I don't like).

Which is why I've been increasingly using Windows Essentials Mail client on my PC even to read and send Gmail messages and other service providers. It's free, there is no advertising, works off-line, and you can turn off Gmail style "conversations" feature and revert to old style 2 or 3-pane browsing. It's also a good way to back up your Gmail messages on your PC. Here is the link for anyone else who is similarly getting fed up with Google:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-live/essentials-other-programs

Rant over.

Hm, it looks like automatic sync between iOS Contacts and Gmail is no longer working, or it's only Gmail to iOS, but not iOS to Gmail.

I've just discovered to my dismay that I couldn't find a new contact in my Gmail Contacts that I have added to my iOS Contacts.

At this point I can't see how I can force iOS to sync a new contact with Gmail Contacts.

Anyone has found a solution to this?


Pierre Paul Landry wrote:

Google official blog is quite clear:

Google Sync was designed to allow access to Google Mail, Calendar and
Contacts via the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync® protocol. With the
recent launch of CardDAV, Google now offers similar access via IMAP,
CalDAV and CardDAV, making it possible to build a seamless sync
experience using open protocols. Starting January 30, 2013, consumers
won't be able to set up new devices using Google Sync; however, existing
Google Sync connections will continue to function. Google Sync will
continue to be fully supported for Google Apps for Business, Government
and Education. Users of those products are unaffected by this
announcement.

http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2012/12/winter-cleaning.html

I think current users are OK...

HTH !