How To Save Your Sidekick’s Personal Info
If you haven’t lost all your contacts, calendar, to-dos, etc start backing them up now. Seriously, stop what you’re doing and back them up.
silversidekick also let us know a handy tip. If you already lost all your data but you have an old Sidekick laying around that you’ve used in the past, there’s a chance it might still have your contacts on it. Fire it up and take a look.
For most people the most important things are their contacts, so here’s the best way we’ve found to back them up:
1. Open your Address Book.
2. Highlight the first entry
3. Hit Menu + M
4. It will bring up an email with a .vcf attached.
5. Type an email you have access to on another computer.
6. Copy that email address so you won’t have to type it every time.
7. Hit Menu + M to send.
8. Scroll to the next Entry
9. Menu + M (To open email with contact attached)
10. Menu + V (to paste email address in To: field)
11. Menu + M (To send email)
12. Repeat steps 8-12 until done.
You’ll end up with a ton of emails in your inbox, and if you’re using GMail or something that handles filtering messages, it should be relatively easy (although time consuming) to save all these vCards into some other application. More info on these vCards (.vcf files) can be found here.
For notes, emailing them is the best bet too. Menu+M, Menu+V, Menu+M again. As far as To-Dos and the Calendar events, I’m still investigating.
Many thanks to Ian and Nicole for the quickest way to export contacts that we’ve heard so far. If you’ve got any tips on how to save your info, drop them in the comments.
October 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Too late…
October 10th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
NO. DANGER NEEDS TO PUSH OUT A SOFTWARE PROGRAM TO DO THIS SH.! FOR US.
October 10th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Will saving contacts to my Sim Card work?
October 10th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
haha what if you have hundreds of contacts? pretty time consuming to send each one manually…
October 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Yeah that seems more sensible.
October 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
And also, you can send more than one contact in an email. Just go to Attach>Vcard and I’m guessing you send all the contacts in one email?
October 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
if my phone was off with the battery removed before October 4 and my SIM card was in my unlocked iPhone 3G will I have lost my contacts on my sidekick?
October 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
if you keep messing upp and adding an extra M on your email when you copy and paste it, you can just hold the menu button the whole time
its alott easier
October 10th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
A quicker easier way to save the info would to take screen shots of your address book.
And yes it will suck to have to put them back in but I’d rather not wast time with 12 steps when it could be done in 2 steps, seeing how random and easily these phones can restart on you!
October 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
I lol’d at all the people that removed their battery. I guess I’m the only one who didn’t remove their battery.
And you can just add the contacts to your SIM card.
October 10th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
With 815 contacts…this just isn’t realistic. :-/
October 10th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Well unfortunetly for me I was one of the people who took out my battery before they sent out letter….Thank godness that I had most of my contact saved on my sim card.The rest of them I will just have to get them again…
October 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
That’s exactly what I did. I actually started doing it yesterday because I bought a G1 and I was tired of waiting for the DI to be up and running.
October 10th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
or you could just save all ur contacts to ur SIM card…ive had all my contacts throughout the whole data outage shet ….n now im just copying all of my pic n video msgs to my memory card
October 10th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Here’s a way I found to back up multiple .vcf contacts files instead of one by one:
1. Go to Email
2. Menu + N -> New Message, you’re take to ‘Compose’ screen for email.
3. Menu -> Attach -> vCard
4. Select the contact in your address book. You’re taken back to the
‘Compose’ screen, and you should see the contact’s vCard you just
attached.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you’re done with all the contacts you want
to back up.
6. Menu + M to send out the email message.
October 10th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
that is such a waste just save to sim BUT REMEMBER TO BACK UR PHOTOS ON UR DEVICE!
October 10th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
I requested that all of my friends send me their phone numbers on facebook. I have it set up so that PM’s on facebook get sent to my phone as texts. People have been sending in their numbers & I’ve been able to scroll over the numbers, click the trackball, hit menu & save to address book. Then after I save the number I save the contact to my SIM card. That’s been pretty painless so far, but now I have to go back & gather the phone numbers from businesses like my utility providers, banks, credit card companies, etc.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Wow, nice..fuqq you sidekick (windowzzzzzz), im getting a blackberry I think, if my info isn’t magically restored in a week, im gonna miss you (the way you used to be)
October 10th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
@Matt R: Save the contacts to the SIM card? You meant “Menu -> Copy to SIM card” in Address book and then manually enter a new name for the contact phone number? I’ve a SK2 and this means that I’ll need to back up to the SIM card for each of the contacts one by one, not to mention that I can only save one phone number and no other phone nos. or contact info can be saved for each contact.
On the contrary, I found the vCard backups are more useful. Not only I can save more than one phone nos. and other info, e.g. URL or email address, for each contact, but I can import the vCard files to my online email accounts as well as keeping them on my PC as backup.
October 10th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
The sim card only limited to so many contacts on it…
October 10th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
MICROSOFT IS FAULT THAT IT…….
MICROSOFT IS DIRTY BUESSINESS
MICROSOFT MUST DOWN!!!!! AND DANGER IS BEST
MICROSOFT IS EVIL
MICROSOFT NOT SUPPORT!!!!
WE MUST KICK OUT OF MICROSOFT IS OUT!!!!!
October 10th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Dang I will take days to send email I have about 695 contacts
October 11th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Address Book could be saved on your sim card no need to email it! save your photo if u didnt restart your phone and note email it to your other email if u have one ! thats it
October 11th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Sigh. Okay. Emailing each contact to myself. Soooo time consuming.
But how do you back up your calendar!?! My LIFE is in my calendar! There’s so much stuff I wouldn’t begin to know what to write down. I have stuff to remind myself of stuff months down the road! Suggestions????
October 11th, 2009 at 11:42 am
OH MY EFFEN GOD
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You have been connected to ~Kyle T.
~Kyle T: Good afternoon Myles, welcome to T-Mobile live Chat. I’m Kyle and my rep ID is 13-20808. I will be happy to assist you. Please give me a moment to review your question.
MYLES WONG: Sure
~Kyle T: Okay Myles, I understand you have been greatly affected by the Sidekick situation and you would like a phone upgrade or credits for the inconvenience. Is this correct?
MYLES WONG: yes
MYLES WONG: im prepaid customer… just to let you know
~Kyle T: I am very sorry about this Sidekick situation Myles; it will be just one moment while I pull up your account information.
MYLES WONG: okay thankyou sir
~Kyle T: The Sidekick service should be now restored but I regret it still remains unstable and all content (including contacts, calendar, and notes) are unfortunately not backed up on the network.
~Kyle T: As far as compensation for data loss, we are advising our customer to visit the T-Mobile forums for the latest updates.
MYLES WONG: yes.. im aware
MYLES WONG: okay.. i have siteded the websites
MYLES WONG: and read everythi
~Kyle T: We will proactively provide credits to all of our prepaid customers and we will notify them when we do.
MYLES WONG: i use my phone r business
Currently experiencing network delays, one moment please….
Network connection re-established.
MYLES WONG: credits for ?
MYLES WONG: so it is important that i have my contacts…
MYLES WONG: they have been gone fr week
~Kyle T: Prepaid customers will be receiving a credit for this service disruption.
MYLES WONG: ONE OF YOUR TMOBILE REPS told MEto hard reset my phone
MYLES WONG: TUS removing all my info
MYLES WONG: as in minutes ?
~Kyle T: Credit like adding prepaid card to your account.
MYLES WONG: ARE YOU SERIOUS ?
MYLES WONG: that is all they are doing abut this
MYLES WONG: 520 contacts gone
MYLES WONG: and that is what hey do?
MYLES WONG: its bad enuf that they are gone for good
~Kyle T: That is all the information I have at this time unfortunately Myles.
MYLES WONG: i lost a700 dollar JOB OFFR bc of this
MYLES WONG: ughh ! i will be calling my attourneys
MYLES WONG: this icrazy !
MYLES WONG: should have signed a contract
~Kyle T: I understand Myles. I am very sorry for the inconvenience we have cause you.
MYLES WONG: MY 2 CUINS HAVE BEEN GIVEN FREE PHONES !
Currently experiencing network delays, one moment please….
Network connection re-established.
MYLES WONG: I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN BE ANY DIFF FOR ANY OUTHE COSTOMER
MYLES WONG: CRAZY JUST CRAZY… AND I DUNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT…
MYLES WONG: IS HERE ANY HIGHER UPPER MANAGEMENT THAT I CAN SPEEK TO ?
~Kyle T: I regret we do not have a program like that Myles. All the recent updates regarding how we can handling the situation is on http://www.t-mobile.com/sidekick.
Currently experiencing network delays, one moment please….
Network connection re-established.
MYLES WONG: THIS IS SOO WEIRD
~Kyle T: I understand your situation Myles and I am sorry. I can see if there is any management available to speak to you.
MYLES WONG: MICRODANGER IS TELLING ME SOMETHING AND TMOBILE IS TELLING ME SOMETHING ELSE !!
MYLES WONG: OKAY THANK YOU SO MUCH
~Kyle T: What is Danger\Microsoft telling you Myles?
MYLES WONG: (haha i spell bad when im typing sorry for that )
~Kyle T: No problem Myles.
~Kyle T: What is Danger\Microsoft telling you Myles?
MYLES WONG: that for sure i have lost all contacts and other informaon… just got off the phone las nite.. they told me to wait another week(tmobile told me to wait the extra week for further update
MYLES WONG: i hope that what imsaying is making sense to you
~Kyle T: Okay Myles, please give me 4-5 minutes.
MYLES WONG: sure
~Taunjia Y has entered the session.
~Kyle T has left the session.
MYLES WONG: hello
~Taunjia Y: Hello Myles.
~Taunjia Y: For your reference my rep. ID is 13-47281.
MYLES WONG: okay thankyou
~Taunjia Y: I understand that you upset about the recent outage that was experienced by our sidekick users.
MYLES WONG: yes VERY UPSET
~Taunjia Y: I do understand how frustrated you must be by losing your contacts. I would also like to assure you that we are trying to find a solution.
~Taunjia Y: Danger/Microsoft is working to restore these services for you.
MYLES WONG: Okay…
MYLES WONG: To restore My contacts ?
~Taunjia Y: That is correct.
MYLES WONG: Okay… Well MicroDanger has told me that all 520 of My contacts and info have been lost…
Currently experiencing network delays, one moment please….
MYLES WONG: I missed out on a 700 dollar Job offer !
Network connection re-established.
MYLES WONG: I mainky Use my sidekick for BUSINESS
~Taunjia Y: I am so sorry to hear that you missed that job offer.
MYLES WONG: Okay….
~Taunjia Y: I understand that you were looking to change your phone.
MYLES WONG: One of YOUR tmobile reps old me to hard reset my device !… LOOK AT WT HAPPND NOW ?!
~Taunjia Y: You were also looking for a discount on a new phone.
MYLES WONG: Yes
~Taunjia Y: Have you considered going with a monthly service since you are using the line for business?
MYLES WONG: i was.. but not anymore i dont think
MYLES WONG: I had a bad expirence with At&t contracs
~Taunjia Y: May I ask why?
~Taunjia Y: I do understand that.
Currently experiencing network delays, one moment please….
Network connection re-established.
MYLES WONG: I had trouble with at&t with their iphone services… and i was pctly tied to at&t when i wanted to get out of this deal ! BUT at the time i could not afford to break the contracr
MYLES WONG: and i wasn not paying for the monthly service either
MYLES WONG: but NOW i am
~Taunjia Y: I can understand that. We do offer a number of phones at discounted rates but only to new contracted service.
~Taunjia Y: Unfortunately with the account type that you have we are not able to offer any discounts on the phones.
MYLES WONG: okay.. listen,,, My cusin and 2 friends Recived free phone BC of this sitution…
~Taunjia Y: I do not know how they received new phones.
MYLES WONG: I dont think that they are prepaid though
MYLES WONG: Me and my cusin purched our sidekick 2009’s at the same time and location
~Taunjia Y: That may be why. They may have done a handset upgrade.
MYLES WONG: okay i see…
MYLES WONG: yes but as i said the lx09 has not been out fr a half yeaar yet
MYLES WONG: dont you need 2 years to qualify ?
~Taunjia Y: However on a regular monthly account they would have qualified for a partial discount.
~Taunjia Y: Even that can be significant depending on the phone they purchased.
MYLES WONG: ughh… okay… i do understand that this is not tmobiles fault… but ehat are you guys going to be doing for the prepaid coustomers with this problem
MYLES WONG: One got a My touch
MYLES WONG: one got a blackbrry
~Taunjia Y: We are looking to issue a credit onto your account, however this could take sometime to complete. They are being issued to all sidekick users.
MYLES WONG: okay and how much would this credit be ?
~Taunjia Y: At this time we are not sure of the amount. We are still trying to figure that out.
MYLES WONG: Do you…. Speaking for yourself think that a credit is all that the coustomers should recive if they lose sutch a big loss ? 520 contacts + 700 dollars ? !
MYLES WONG: crazy ! just out of this world
MYLES WONG: hello ?
~Taunjia Y: I do believe that if I was in your situation right now that I would be upset.
Currently experiencing network delays, one moment please….
Network connection re-established.
MYLES WONG: extactly… ughh
MYLES WONG: Who else can i speak to about this situation ?
~Taunjia Y: I do however not depend on my mobile phone as my only form of communication for work and have my contacts backed up on my computer. So I am not in the same situation as yourself.
~Taunjia Y: You could speak with our customer relations department for any additional complaints or concerns.
MYLES WONG: yes i understand and that was one of the main reasons i shose sidekick… B/C cour info is backed up online
MYLES WONG: Okay is it possible for you to trandsfer me please?
~Taunjia Y: I mean I back them up on my computer in a word document. I could provide you with their address.
MYLES WONG: Im seriously sorry about thisb/c i am just soo tiked off
MYLES WONG: adress? email adress?
~Taunjia Y: Mailing address.
MYLES WONG: 520 contacts would take forevto back up… however i wsth that i had done it !
MYLES WONG: ughh ! okay please do that
MYLES WONG: I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LAWYER
MYLES WONG: JUST SO CRAZY
~Taunjia Y: One moment please and I will get you the address.
MYLES WONG: MICROSOFT WES YOU GUYS BIG MONEY
MYLES WONG: SURE
~Taunjia Y: T-Mobile Wireless
Attention: Customer Relations
P.O. Box 37380
Albuquerque, NM 87176-7380
MYLES WONG: OKAY THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION tAUNJIA
~Taunjia Y: You are welcome,
~Taunjia Y: Myles, is there anything else I can assist you with today?
MYLES WONG: UGHH WHAT AM I GOING TO DO… OK MAM THANKS FOR THE HELP T YOU PROVIDED ME ?
MYLES WONG: NO THAT IS ALL….
i am speachless !
October 11th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Learn to spell BEFORE you start threatening them with a law suit genius.
This post was fucking #FAIL. Just so you know since you are such a retard, I am going to put this on 4chan so everyone else can see why we should license people to interact with each other.
October 11th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
the ******* keys on my laptop stick dumba** ! jeez i dont give a damn about those ******* … i dont care what they think about me !
jeez lol shut up !
October 11th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Could also send vcards to computer over Bluetooth. Still tedious but slightly fewer buttons to push.
October 12th, 2009 at 5:32 am
omg i had 300! this so sucks! when will my phone get back to normal!!!
October 12th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Dear T-Mobile,
The next time my monthly T-Mobile invoice is due, I intend to adopt T-Mobile’s customer care philosophy.
Instead of making my payment, I will simply explain that I am having unforseen technical difficulties with a third party (my employer layed me off) and as much as I would like to, I cannot make payment this month.
Then I will profusely and sincerely apologize to T-Mobile explaining how sorry I am for any inconvenience that this may cause, but it is simply beyond my control. I am certain they will understand my dilemma.
Obviously T-Mobile will be concerned about when they can expect payment from me because I am now unemployed, to which I will respond with some vague noncommittal answer. Again I am certain that they will understand my dilemma.
YA FEELING ME G?
October 14th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I think we all need to get new phones out of this, with 6 months free service and the data plan stays the same price for long time tmobile users I have used them for 8 years now and if the contact info is not saving to the phone what the hell is the point the internet should be the back up because then I would still have my contacts….on my phone
November 25th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hi, I found some information about VCF at file-extensions.org. Nice day. Michal
March 22nd, 2010 at 10:00 am
more info here https://dotwhat.net/vcf/1009/
July 7th, 2010 at 6:17 am
here’s some more info on the vcf file