iPhone Says No To Thunderbird

OK, so I've had this phone now for just under 24 hours. I've upgraded the firmware, and OS (no jailbreaking for me - YET), and have visited the Apple App Store to download a few thingies, have put some photos on there, and of course synched my iTunes library.

The one thing I can't do - EVER - it seems, is to put my contacts on there from Thunderbird.

So, when I got the the thing, I put my wife in there first (she was with me when I got it) - and took her picture and put in the the little contact window and everything.

Sweet!

Then, this morning, I wanted to get my other contacts in there - without having to type them. Although due to the age of my old phone - and the fact that a new SIM was required (or so I was told) - I will have to enter some of the phone contacts I have by hand.

Not such a big deal (or so I thought) - since I have most of them in my Address Book in Thunderbird - thus effectively shunning the 'evil' Microsoft empire's Outlook.

Well, as it turns out - unless you're on a Mac (I'm not), or using Outlook (I'm not), or using Microsoft Mail (I'm not) or have a MobileMe account.... HEY! That's IT! I'll get my free trial.

Signed up for it (easy) - set up the iPhone for it - easy - then hit Synch.

OOPS.

All contacts gone. Turns out it does a PUSH synch down TO the iPhone, but not the other way around! And if you're not using a Mac, Outlook or MS Mail (I'm not) - then the synch will cheerfully erase ALL your contacts.

Gee... THANKS!

I'm really glad I didn't sit there for hours typing in my contacts from my old phone - and THEN do the synch. I would have been beyond pissed off.

However, now I'm mildly pissed off that I'll have to sit there tonight and manually enter all the people from my own phone... that really sucks. I'm not about to start using Outlook or MS Mail or buy a Mac just to have my contact details in there.

Looks like I'll get pretty good at that on-screen keyboard, though...