Learn how to transfer data from your PC to your cellphone.

My PC is overflowing with contact info, but it's my cellphone I take with me wherever I go. What to do? On today's episode of "Call for Help" I'll show you how to transfer information from your PC to your cellphone.

Transferring your phone data from your PC
The easiest method I've found is through a website called Vazu Contacts. This site rocks. The best part is that you don't need wires or cash to get started. You will, however, need the right phone -- click here for a current list of supported phones. (The folks at Vazu say more styles and all of Nokia's cellphones should be added soon.)

Getting started
Head to the site and follow the instructions. You'll be asked to do some funky things, like enter in a simple key combination to get your model. But don't worry, I talked to company representatives in person and they assured me that your info won't be shared.

Let the synching begin
Once you sign up for your free account (duration of free account is two months), you'll be sent a registration code via SMS (text messaging). Enter your code at the site and you'll be taken to your content management page. This page is designed well and easy to use. Now it's time to enter some data. Here you'll have the option to enter in your friend's name and mobile, business, and home phone numbers.

  1. Select Add contact.
  2. Enter the info.
  3. Click Send to Mobile.


In a few seconds the number appears in your inbox. Open it and it will head straight into your contacts.

Outlook Express
Even better, if you use Outlook for all of your contacts, they can be sent to your phone in a snap.

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Right-click a contact and choose Send To.
  3. In the "To" field, enter "Your phone number"@vazu.com.
  4. The number will be sent to your Vazu contact page as well as your phone.


If you loose your phone, you can relax. Your numbers are safe at the Vazu website and can be sent to your new phone with a click. Again, the service is free for now, but it may cost you to send SMS messages.

Other ways to connect
If you have a Verizon phone, you can use the Get It Now feature. (It's the little exclamation-point button.) You can use a program called Remo for $7.99 a month to synch your contacts in Outlook, Outlook Express, and a few other PIM programs. To just synch phone numbers, you can get a part of Remo called iPonebook for $3.99 a month.

Go to Get It Now and select the shopping cart. Look under the Get Messaging tab to get in on the Remo action. For just iPhonebook, go to the Get Going section. Select Business Tools. Select the application you want. You'll be taken through the steps for setting up your account. You can demo the free trial, but if you want to buy the program after the free trial expires, you'll be prompted to do so the next time you launch the app. Once you buy it you'll be directed to the Remo site to download the app that does the synching.

Get it all set up by entering in your info and selecting a screen name. You will receive an SMS from Remo to let you know all systems are a go. Your phone will send all of its contact info to the site (something Vazu doesn't yet allow). When you log on you can access your phone book from any computer. To send your PC's contacts to your phone, use the Xpherix software you downloaded and tell the program to synch. One thing I didn't like is that you can't select individual contacts to send. It just sends them all, unlike Vazu.

Data synch cables
Another way to synch your PC and cellphone is by using data synch cables. You can find them here. They aren't cheap, and you have to be on the computer to synch data. However, they work. You need a specific cable for each phone, so if you don't see the cable you need, check with your phone carrier. It should sell it in-house. The cable comes with software you'll need to install. Once you install the software, the rest is just a matter of following the directions and entering the information.

Mac and Bluetooth phones
To synch your Mac and your Bluetooth phone, read this article. It'll show you how to do it using iSync.