[dividend]

don't know if this belongs here, anyway:

just bought a bluetooth-adapter and a t68i. Everything works nice, but:

if you want to use your mobile outside of your home country, you would put the numer like this:

+countrycode(omit the first zero)areacodenumber, for example:

+468123456, which is sweden (46), stockholm (08), and the number 123456.

Now, if the phone is paired to the computer, and somebody calls it, then if address book is open, it pops up a message saying xx is calling. Way cool.

The first problem is: address book does not understand who it is if you use the international prefix (46). If you don't use it, then address book understands it. However, in that case, there is no point in syncing the two, since you will not be able to use the numbers when abroad, since you would need the country prefix.

So, Apple's implementation of bluettoth into address book is pretty bad. Either you use it for syncing, but then you cannot identify calls with address book - or you identidy calls with address book and do not sync, if you travel abroad.

Is this not quite an oversight?

[DavidHossack]

I don't have a blue tooth phone so no syncing etc.

On my phone's phone book I have most of my numbers in the international format +441506XXXXXX instead of the national format 01506XXXXXX (I live in the UK). When I go abroad I can still use my numbers without change and they work fine in the UK.

My suggestion would be to add the international codes to all your numbers in the addressbook on MacOSX.

My phone still shows the correct name on the screen for an internal UK call even although there is a International code on the number on my phone's phone book. (I think so anyway).

As far as I can see the mobile networks in the UK (mine is T-Mobile through VirginMobile) sees +44 as the same as 0 numbers.

This solve your problem?

[dividend]

ok, perhaps i was unclear or not sure of what you said.

In my address book (os x) I have the international standard:

+468123456 (call to Sweden, Stockholm, #123456).

When syncing to my mobile phone, they get the same numbers. This means that whereever I am, I will always be able to call this number, whether in Sweden or in England or elsewhere. Fine, not a problem.

The problem is this. When your phone is connect by bluetooth to your computer, then an in-coming call to your mobile, makes address book look into its registry, and displays the name and number of the person calling.

Ok, but

Suppose Sven-Göran calls you. His number is 123456.

If, then, in you address book you have written +468123456, and Sven-Göran is in country 46 (Sweden), then address book cannot find the name, it displays: "unknown, +081234546".

If I then change Sven-Göran's number in address book to:

08-123456

and he calls, then address book will say

Call from Sven-Göran, +08-123456.

How you type your numbers in address book does not matter as such,

BUT

it matters if you are syncing these (i.e. address book's) numbers to your phone, because a number like this:

+08-123456

is not going to work outside you own country.

If you sync a number that does work outside your country, as

+468123456

then address book will not be able to find the person with that number.

So, the choice you have is:

either

syncing makes you mobile phone work outside your country and address book cannot see who is calling

or

syncing makes your mobile phone NOT work outside your country and address book sees who is calling.

The proper way should be this:

syncing makes your mobile phone work outside your country (and inside) AND address book can see who is calling

//Besides, is it not very stupid that address book must be open for it to recognise an in-coming call. iTunes does not need to be open when you are looking at music from iDVD or iPhoto. Why should address book be?

[k2director]

The devil's in the details, as they say, and this is just one good example of many 'gotchas' that don't occur to you when you're reading the marketing material, but that then nail you later on.

You're right, there should be a solution for this issue. Fortunately, for me, I don't call (nor am I called by) anyone oversees. I wouldn't hold my breath for Apple to fix this, tho. Out of its entire customer base, Apple probably figures there aren't a lot of people getting many international phone calls who *also* use bluetooth phones who *also* want to see AddressBook's pop-up name feature work properly.

The price you pay for being on the cutting edge...

[DavidHossack]

I see. I have no experience of BT and was just projecting the answer.

See my phone (Siemans C45) recognises the numbers as they come in even if they have a +44 at the start.

It must be sent to the computer without the name.

Sven-Göran wouldn't be calling but bertie might (if he is really desparate i.e. called the rest of the population first)

Why not add both numbers to the addressbook in different categories. (what will this do in the phone)

[MickS]

Yes the caller id stuff in the phones is clever enough to cope with the inclusion or lack of inclusion of the international stuff at the beginning of the number. The AddressBook isn't. I sent feedback to Apple about this when I got my phone last September.

I think that this is another example of Cupertino development being US rather than world focussed. It probably didn't occur to them that it might be a problem. The major phone manufacturers, Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, Siemens, are all European based so this is something that they see all the time.

[dividend]

MickeS - guess that is what it is all about. Of course, one can doubble numbers in the address book, like:

Sven-Göran - +468123456
Sven-Göranx - +08123456

But why have a double post?

I mailed Apple about this as well, because if they really want people to use bluetooth and address book, then it should be implemented correctly.

The thing is; for those that never travel abroad with their mobile phones and never receive international calls, this is not going to be a problem

Those who do, are ****ed up.

Either you make bluetooth and address book useless for people who travel/get international calls (=everybody in Europe) AND people who do no travel need to enter the country code into address book (how difficult is that?)

or

you INFORM people that if you travel and get international calls, address book is not for you because Apple cannot implement international STANDARDS for how telephonenumbers should be made.

I would presume, that many many mac-users do travel abroad and that virtually all euorpean mac-customers get international calls and travel abroad (whereever you go is international ).

APPLE, if you talk about standards, follow them yourself. Be a good world citizen, not only a California inward looking corp..

bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad.

[DavidHossack]

Sorry. I now see the problem is fully Address Books.

I suggest the BT Address Book programmer should pop down to reception at Infinate Loop and get a phone book. Use the international codes to recognise the correct codes (ignore the leading 0 when checking the number when the call comes in and check for the +xx should work fine.

It wouln't take long to add in the extra code I'm sure.

Siemans, Nokia etc certainly have the phone stuff sussed. Dread the Apple iPhone ideas that could have the same problem.

(doesn't the T68 have per person dialing instead of one number one record system?)

[dividend]

yea, i am sure it is Address Book's problem. I have yet to test an incoming call from a different country.... perhaps it works then. I will tell you then.

Otherwise, it is quite a nice thing.

If only there also were a Memo Pad.app to sync with - stupid to open palm just for that stuff.

For T68i, one person can have many numbers + e-mail, like:

Sven-Göran
home: +441234
mobile: +4412355
fax: +441233
work: +444455
e-mail: sg@mac.com

it all works whereever your are (save usa?)

I love the phone!

[dividend]

ok, just tried getting an internation call to my bluetooth T68i connected to address book.

If the call is international, and the number is in address book +488123456, then address book says when the calling is coming:

Sven-Göran
488123456

is calling....

So, now it works, but it does not work if I live in country +44 and and a phone number in address book reads +44.... and that person is calling from +44.

I think Apple needs to rethink how address book handles numbers, they need to concentrate on details.

[DavidHossack]

Mind and submit feedback to Apple about this.

It needs sorted out.

[dividend]

done and delivered! actually i also wrote to them saying that it is quite irritating that address book has to be open for the phone working with it.

you don't need to open itunes in the next iDvd, and the bluetooth stuff should be able to see the addresses irrespective of the address book beeing open or not.

If it is the case that address book must be open, then the windowing should change. At the moment, if you press the red button, then that closes address book.

If you want address book to work with bluettoth, you need to turn it on, and then put it to hide, everytime you log in. This can be done in log-in items in sys prefs, but you still need to open address book and press on the bluetooth button.

I have to say, Apple's implimentation lacks so crudely the sense of details that it is really astonishing.

[Marook]

I'm sorry guys, but this is not Apple's problem.

Why, well, it works here in Denmark.

This is your GSM Serviceprovider that don't display the correct CallerID!

All GSM numbers should always be displayed in the international way.

So, when you get a national call, it should Still display the +nn countrycode!

Then again, the proposal to Apple could be to check the last XX digits og the number, and if there is no Full match, see if there is a partial match in the DB, and then display "Could be a call from xyz".

Also note: GSM uses the '+' sign as an international shortcut for the 'international' selector.

Some countries uses '00' as the digits, others don't. So, always use '+' sign and not '00' or what ever is used in the country the number is for!

So, go bug your GSM provider!

[dividend]

hmm, if you are correct then I guess things are never going to work.... why would GSM operators care about us mac-users at 2-3% of all computers users. Of those 2-3%, perhaps 0.1% use bluetooth and activly sync..... it is a no-no for them.

But try I will.... anyone else in Sweden who will do that as well. But I will have to test it with different operators first.

[AJ]

Send Feedback

[dividend]

feedback already sent.... i will see if i will have to re-send it with more info.... anyone in sweden who can test this?

[Marook]

Originally posted by dividend:
hmm, if you are correct then I guess things are never going to work.... why would GSM operators care about us mac-users at 2-3% of all computers users. Of those 2-3%, perhaps 0.1% use bluetooth and activly sync..... it is a no-no for them.

But try I will.... anyone else in Sweden who will do that as well. But I will have to test it with different operators first.

Well, as I stated in the post before, this is not about using a Mac. This is about what CallerID your phone gets from the network!

So, when you Do complain to Apple, please do it in a kind matter, like "Hey Apple, could we make a work-around for the GSM providers that sends the wrong CallerID?"

[dividend]

well, i normally send feedback in a polite manner, but I will probably send in an other feedback - can I copy your sentence