A friend just lost all of the phone numbers in her phone because
something in it broke and the store techies could not retrieve them.
This was a little scary.
While checking "my account" for something else (the online VZW account),
I found something called "backup assistant" it is supposed to be free
for "my account" users so I followed the easy directions and downloaded
it to my phone, an LG VX8300, then uploaded all my contacts.
The web site where the contact list can be viewed and printed also lets
you add, edit and delete contacts from your PC then you can send the
updated info back to your phone. The phone will automatically update the
web site every day.
I think I might have to pay 10 cents for a text message confirming my
password, but I may not have checked that box.
I printed out the page that says it's free if you are a "my account"
subscriber, just in case they do bill me the $1.99/month for the service.
Anyway, I think this is a lovely service that they offer and probably
more people should take advantage of it. I don't play with any of the
other toys on the phone and this is the first "Get it Now" thing I've
ever done on any phone.
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
Janet
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
Janet Wilder wrote:
> Anyway, I think this is a lovely service that they offer and probably
> more people should take advantage of it. I don't play with any of the
> other toys on the phone and this is the first "Get it Now" thing I've
> ever done on any phone.
>
> Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
Hi Janet
I have had it for some time now and no I have never been charged and
it will periodically update your phonebook without you doing anything!
Now that is neat! Good for people with memories like mine!
The program is fine, but I'm not so sure that VZW doesn't charge for at
least air time when you transfer data. For the VX8300 the free program
"Bitpim" works very well. You can use it with a cable or get a BT adapter
for your PC and use it wirelessly. You can upload and download all your data
between PC and phone, and store the info anywhere you like.
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:47786898$0$4330$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
>A friend just lost all of the phone numbers in her phone because something
>in it broke and the store techies could not retrieve them. This was a
>little scary.
>
> While checking "my account" for something else (the online VZW account), I
> found something called "backup assistant" it is supposed to be free for
> "my account" users so I followed the easy directions and downloaded it to
> my phone, an LG VX8300, then uploaded all my contacts.
>
> The web site where the contact list can be viewed and printed also lets
> you add, edit and delete contacts from your PC then you can send the
> updated info back to your phone. The phone will automatically update the
> web site every day.
>
> I think I might have to pay 10 cents for a text message confirming my
> password, but I may not have checked that box.
>
> I printed out the page that says it's free if you are a "my account"
> subscriber, just in case they do bill me the $1.99/month for the service.
>
> Anyway, I think this is a lovely service that they offer and probably more
> people should take advantage of it. I don't play with any of the other
> toys on the phone and this is the first "Get it Now" thing I've ever done
> on any phone.
>
> Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
>
> Janet
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
> Good Friends. Good Life
On Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:55:23 -0600, Janet Wilder wrote:
> A friend just lost all of the phone numbers in her phone because
> something in it broke and the store techies could not retrieve them.
> This was a little scary.
>
> While checking "my account" for something else (the online VZW account),
> I found something called "backup assistant" it is supposed to be free
> for "my account" users so I followed the easy directions and downloaded
> it to my phone, an LG VX8300, then uploaded all my contacts.
>
> The web site where the contact list can be viewed and printed also lets
> you add, edit and delete contacts from your PC then you can send the
> updated info back to your phone. The phone will automatically update the
> web site every day.
>
> I think I might have to pay 10 cents for a text message confirming my
> password, but I may not have checked that box.
>
> I printed out the page that says it's free if you are a "my account"
> subscriber, just in case they do bill me the $1.99/month for the service.
>
> Anyway, I think this is a lovely service that they offer and probably
> more people should take advantage of it. I don't play with any of the
> other toys on the phone and this is the first "Get it Now" thing I've
> ever done on any phone.
>
> Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
>
> Janet
There are programs available that can save your phonebook and calendar
information to your PC if you don't want your data stored on VZW's server.
RBM wrote:
> The program is fine, but I'm not so sure that VZW doesn't charge for at
> least air time when you transfer data. For the VX8300 the free program
> "Bitpim" works very well. You can use it with a cable or get a BT adapter
> for your PC and use it wirelessly. You can upload and download all your data
> between PC and phone, and store the info anywhere you like.
I'll probably be charged for the minute it takes to update but that will
cost me less than the equipment you suggest, right?
In over 7 years with 450 minutes per month, we have gone over twice. Now
with so many friends and family members on VZW's IN plan, we don't even
use half of our allotted minutes. We also have a bunch of minutes we got
as a bonus for resigning this time around.
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
> There are programs available that can save your phonebook and calendar
> information to your PC if you don't want your data stored on VZW's server.
Why would I care if it's stored there. I have email addresses on Yahoo
and AOL and no one has used them for anything nefarious. I don't see a
problem with the phone numbers on VZW's server.
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
You're probably right. I think I paid about $20 for a USB BT adapter for my
PC
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:47794086$0$16165$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
> RBM wrote:
>> The program is fine, but I'm not so sure that VZW doesn't charge for at
>> least air time when you transfer data. For the VX8300 the free program
>> "Bitpim" works very well. You can use it with a cable or get a BT adapter
>> for your PC and use it wirelessly. You can upload and download all your
>> data between PC and phone, and store the info anywhere you like.
>
> I'll probably be charged for the minute it takes to update but that will
> cost me less than the equipment you suggest, right?
>
> In over 7 years with 450 minutes per month, we have gone over twice. Now
> with so many friends and family members on VZW's IN plan, we don't even
> use half of our allotted minutes. We also have a bunch of minutes we got
> as a bonus for resigning this time around.
>
>
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
> Good Friends. Good Life
On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:18:22 -0600, Janet Wilder
<kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> graced this newsgroup with:
>Cellguy wrote:
>
>> There are programs available that can save your phonebook and calendar
>> information to your PC if you don't want your data stored on VZW's server.
>
>Why would I care if it's stored there. I have email addresses on Yahoo
>and AOL and no one has used them for anything nefarious. I don't see a
>problem with the phone numbers on VZW's server.
he's just mentioning that for those with the tin foil hats.
Personally, I've used it for well over a year and it saved my bacon
when my phone died on me. Also, you can log into your account and
enter new contacts there and it'll immediately download the new info
to you phone. The advantage to doing it online is that it's a heck of
a lot easier to type in names and phone numbers on a keyboard than
a phone keypad.
Also, with you contact info on line, if you should ever want to do a
quick look up and your phone isn't handy, you can do that online from
anywhere.
I had been using Bitpim for a while, and while not perfect, it was free and
easy to use, especially via Bluetooth. When VZW came out with Backup
assistant I downloaded it to check it out. It worked fine, but I deleted it
and couldn't remember exactly why. I was pretty sure it had something to do
with VZW slipping some kind of charges in on me. I just scoured their
website to see if I could find the "hidden" charges, and after much
difficulty came up with this: The language they use is very unclear, so I'm
not exactly sure when you incur these charges, but it appears that whenever
you download from the website to your phone, you're charged a text message.
This may be meaningless if you have a text plan though.
How much does Backup Assistant cost?
The monthly subscription fee to Backup Assistant is $1.99. Provided the
Account Holder has registered for My Account, this monthly charge will be
waived for all lines on your account and will not appear on your bill. When
downloading Backup Assistant to your Get It Now-capable device, usage
charges apply (airtime or data, depending on your plan). Standard Text
Messaging rates apply when you initiate contacts synchronization from the
Backup Assistant website.
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:47786898$0$4330$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
>A friend just lost all of the phone numbers in her phone because something
>in it broke and the store techies could not retrieve them. This was a
>little scary.
>
> While checking "my account" for something else (the online VZW account), I
> found something called "backup assistant" it is supposed to be free for
> "my account" users so I followed the easy directions and downloaded it to
> my phone, an LG VX8300, then uploaded all my contacts.
>
> The web site where the contact list can be viewed and printed also lets
> you add, edit and delete contacts from your PC then you can send the
> updated info back to your phone. The phone will automatically update the
> web site every day.
>
> I think I might have to pay 10 cents for a text message confirming my
> password, but I may not have checked that box.
>
> I printed out the page that says it's free if you are a "my account"
> subscriber, just in case they do bill me the $1.99/month for the service.
>
> Anyway, I think this is a lovely service that they offer and probably more
> people should take advantage of it. I don't play with any of the other
> toys on the phone and this is the first "Get it Now" thing I've ever done
> on any phone.
>
> Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
>
> Janet
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
> Good Friends. Good Life
"Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
news:amg2o3h171epk7frrid6kd51rgduhiequ9@4ax.com...
> Backup Assistant does not incur any monthly, minute, or data charges. It
> is absolutely free.
>
> --
> Dave
>
Is uses a minute or two of airtime when you connect and costs 15 cents for
the message...unless you have a message allotment or call off-peak...
Fred C. Dobbs wrote:
> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
> news:amg2o3h171epk7frrid6kd51rgduhiequ9@4ax.com...
>> Backup Assistant does not incur any monthly, minute, or data
>> charges. It is absolutely free.
>>
>> --
>> Dave
>>
>
> Is uses a minute or two of airtime when you connect and costs 15
> cents for the message...unless you have a message allotment or call
> off-peak...
Don't forget you also have to have a verizon contract and phone, and
electricity to charge the phone, and for sure THOSE aren't free!... -)
Fred C. Dobbs wrote:
> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
> news:amg2o3h171epk7frrid6kd51rgduhiequ9@4ax.com...
>> Backup Assistant does not incur any monthly, minute, or data charges. It
>> is absolutely free.
>>
>> --
>> Dave
>>
>
> Is uses a minute or two of airtime when you connect and costs 15 cents for
> the message...unless you have a message allotment or call off-peak...
>
>
I figured it would use a little airtime to update itself. What message????
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
"Standard Text
Messaging rates apply when you initiate contacts synchronization from the
Backup Assistant website."
It sounds to me like, if you go to the website to add or delete contacts,
then send the new info to your phone, you are charged a text message. If you
don't have a text plan, it's .15 cents. I don't know how you'd interpret it
any other way
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:4781a2cf$0$16232$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
> Fred C. Dobbs wrote:
>> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
>> news:amg2o3h171epk7frrid6kd51rgduhiequ9@4ax.com...
>>> Backup Assistant does not incur any monthly, minute, or data charges. It
>>> is absolutely free.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dave
>>>
>>
>> Is uses a minute or two of airtime when you connect and costs 15 cents
>> for the message...unless you have a message allotment or call off-peak...
>
> I figured it would use a little airtime to update itself. What message????
>
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
> Good Friends. Good Life
Dave Rudisill wrote:
>> "Fred C. Dobbs" <noone> wrote:
>
>> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
>> news:amg2o3h171epk7frrid6kd51rgduhiequ9@4ax.com...
>>> Backup Assistant does not incur any monthly, minute, or data charges. It
>>> is absolutely free.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dave
>>>
>> Is uses a minute or two of airtime when you connect and costs 15 cents for
>> the message...unless you have a message allotment or call off-peak...
>>
>
> No, it doesn't. Or maybe I'm just special. <g>
>
The only thing I see on my bill is a single 15 cent charge for "data"
which I assume is from the time I corrected something on the internet
and had it sent to my phone. I won't do that again.
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
I thought that was the reason you would use a service like this. It's a lot
easier to type names and addresses on a form on your computer, then on a
cell phone. I'm constantly making changes, additions and deletions on mine.
If every time I sent the info to my phone it cost me fifteen cents, it would
certainly pile up. Maybe Dave is special, or maybe he has a data or text
plan. I emailed the question to VZW, I'll repost their reply... when it
comes.
"Janet Wilder" <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:47850e09$0$4279$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
> Dave Rudisill wrote:
>>> "Fred C. Dobbs" <noone> wrote:
>>
>>> "Dave Rudisill" <denali@alaska.net> wrote in message
>>> news:amg2o3h171epk7frrid6kd51rgduhiequ9@4ax.com...
>>>> Backup Assistant does not incur any monthly, minute, or data charges.
>>>> It
>>>> is absolutely free.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Dave
>>>>
>>> Is uses a minute or two of airtime when you connect and costs 15 cents
>>> for the message...unless you have a message allotment or call
>>> off-peak...
>>
>> No, it doesn't. Or maybe I'm just special. <g>
>>
> The only thing I see on my bill is a single 15 cent charge for "data"
> which I assume is from the time I corrected something on the internet and
> had it sent to my phone. I won't do that again.
>
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
> Good Friends. Good Life
> I thought that was the reason you would use a service like this.
> It's a lot easier to type names and addresses on a form on your
> computer, then on a cell phone. I'm constantly making changes,
> additions and deletions on mine. If every time I sent the info to
> my phone it cost me fifteen cents, it would certainly pile up.
Agreed, but I use BitPim with a data cable to backup, edit and restore
my phone book, to me, it's the easiest way I've found so far.
--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
That's what I suggested to Janet. I use Bitpim via BT, and we both use
VX8300 phones. There's nothing wrong with backup assistant, unless it costs
fifteen cents for each download.
"XS11E" <xs11e@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9A209D79DB0BCxs11emailinatorcom@85.214.90. 236...
> "RBM" <rbm@noemail.com> wrote:
>
>> I thought that was the reason you would use a service like this.
>> It's a lot easier to type names and addresses on a form on your
>> computer, then on a cell phone. I'm constantly making changes,
>> additions and deletions on mine. If every time I sent the info to
>> my phone it cost me fifteen cents, it would certainly pile up.
>
> Agreed, but I use BitPim with a data cable to backup, edit and restore
> my phone book, to me, it's the easiest way I've found so far.
>
>
>
> --
> XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
> The Usenet Improvement Project:
> http://improve-usenet.org
> "XS11E" <xs11e@mailinator.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns9A209D79DB0BCxs11emailinatorcom@85.214.90. 236...
>> "RBM" <rbm@noemail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I thought that was the reason you would use a service like this.
>>> It's a lot easier to type names and addresses on a form on your
>>> computer, then on a cell phone. I'm constantly making changes,
>>> additions and deletions on mine. If every time I sent the info
>>> to my phone it cost me fifteen cents, it would certainly pile
>>> up.
>>
>> Agreed, but I use BitPim with a data cable to backup, edit and
>> restore my phone book, to me, it's the easiest way I've found so
>> far.
> That's what I suggested to Janet. I use Bitpim via BT, and we both
> use VX8300 phones. There's nothing wrong with backup assistant,
> unless it costs fifteen cents for each download.
I have some concern about having information anywhere but on my own
computer, I guess that's why I've never considered the backup
assistant.
--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
"XS11E" <xs11e@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9A20AF8E7668Exs11emailinatorcom@85.214.90. 236...
> "RBM" <rbm@noemail.com> wrote:
>
> I have some concern about having information anywhere but on my own
> computer, I guess that's why I've never considered the backup
> assistant.
>
If that's the case, you also better stop using your cellie, credit cards,
checking account, flying on airplanes, going to the doctor, swiping your
affinity card at the super market checkout, etc., etc......
> "XS11E" <xs11e@mailinator.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns9A20AF8E7668Exs11emailinatorcom@85.214.90. 236...
>> "RBM" <rbm@noemail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I have some concern about having information anywhere but on my
>> own computer, I guess that's why I've never considered the backup
>> assistant.
> If that's the case, you also better stop using your cellie, credit
> cards, checking account, flying on airplanes, going to the doctor,
> swiping your affinity card at the super market checkout, etc.,
> etc......
Irrelevant. All the above is my information, my phone book is other
people's information and it's much more important that I protect it.
--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Fred C. Dobbs wrote:
> "XS11E" <xs11e@mailinator.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns9A20AF8E7668Exs11emailinatorcom@85.214.90. 236...
>> "RBM" <rbm@noemail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I have some concern about having information anywhere but on my own
>> computer, I guess that's why I've never considered the backup
>> assistant.
>>
>
> If that's the case, you also better stop using your cellie, credit cards,
> checking account, flying on airplanes, going to the doctor, swiping your
> affinity card at the super market checkout, etc., etc......
>
>
Sounds like you have been drinking larry ellisons kool-aid. I heard him
give a keynote where he declared that no one should expect or have any
privacy and should give up resisting.
Janet Wilder <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote:
> A friend just lost all of the phone numbers in her phone because
> something in it broke and the store techies could not retrieve them.
> This was a little scary.
>
> While checking "my account" for something else (the online VZW account),
> I found something called "backup assistant" it is supposed to be free
> for "my account" users so I followed the easy directions and downloaded
> it to my phone, an LG VX8300, then uploaded all my contacts.
>
> The web site where the contact list can be viewed and printed also lets
> you add, edit and delete contacts from your PC then you can send the
> updated info back to your phone. The phone will automatically update the
> web site every day.
>
> I think I might have to pay 10 cents for a text message confirming my
> password, but I may not have checked that box.
>
> I printed out the page that says it's free if you are a "my account"
> subscriber, just in case they do bill me the $1.99/month for the service.
>
> Anyway, I think this is a lovely service that they offer and probably
> more people should take advantage of it. I don't play with any of the
> other toys on the phone and this is the first "Get it Now" thing I've
> ever done on any phone.
>
> Wishing all of you a happy and healthy new year.
>
Mine said the same thing and I got the same $1.99 prompt ... we shall see. I
think it is probably worth some fee per month as they have to run a service
and dedicate resources to it over and above "normal" usage. However, this is
really necessary to compete against the likes of GSM carriers that allow one
to store the essential phone numbers right in the SIM. Of course, the best
deal is to hook the phone up to your computer and download it yourself, but
then you need cables and software :-(
--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.
Janet Wilder <kelliepoodle@yahoo.com> wrote:
> RBM wrote:
>> The program is fine, but I'm not so sure that VZW doesn't charge for at
>> least air time when you transfer data. For the VX8300 the free program
>> "Bitpim" works very well. You can use it with a cable or get a BT adapter
>> for your PC and use it wirelessly. You can upload and download all your data
>> between PC and phone, and store the info anywhere you like.
>
> I'll probably be charged for the minute it takes to update but that will
> cost me less than the equipment you suggest, right?
>
So, schedule it in the middle of the night. I do pay the $4.99 plan for Web
2.0 that allows me to surf on minutes [I love how they charge you for time
when you have idle communications while reading content!], but if you have it
upload at night, it will always be free to you.
--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.
Backup Assistant 
Linear Mode
