Here's that I wanted to do:
1/ Using a non-sense Android (in my case HyperDroidGBXv4.0 but will work with others)
2/ NOT using any online service (no Gmail, no google, no exchange)
3/ NOT using csv (I wanted to keep contact pictures...)
4/ Keeping a backup of my contact (but not in outlook, you'll understand why later)
5/ Synching my agenda with Outlook 2010.
In some other words, exactly what you can do with sense build + HTC Sync
My setup:
Win 7 x64
Outlook 2010 x32
DAMO 8.0.2 IF6
Lotus 8 Server (on a server... not on my laptop of course)
How to proceed on your comp:
a/ Install HTC Sync or Android SDK to get the driver for the phone's USB.
If you find it, you can also install the driver directly (open the HTCSync package and get the driver)
b/ Install my Phone Explorer (other equivalent soft exist but this one was good for me and free)
How to proceed on your phone (you need a google account empty/fresh)
I/ install android (or reset to factory setting or other...)
II/ with nothing in the phone (if you have somethingit may be send to google later) log to your google account
III/ go in parameter account&sync
IV/ untick all the sync for agenda and contact (you can leave Gmail exxcept if you want to sync your mails also)
V/ install MyPhoneExplorer on your phone (market ok, you have an account)
Voila!!!! connect to your computer, sync with MyPhoneExplorer.
Don't forget to configure the sync. I sync my contact with MPE only and my agenda with Outlook.
I do like this as I manage my agenda with outlook (accept company Lotus meetings) but just need to keep a backup of my personal contact. My company has an LDAP I can access from the phone (via iNotes Ulite).
I know it seems easy (limit stupid) but I assure you that I spent time to find it and I never find this info anywhere. Some know, I'm sure, but noone post it.
You can adapt this to your personal needs. It's a good way to keep company/professional info on your phone without sending it to the Americans (kidding but a company will never allow you to send confidential info at Google).
Hope this will help some of you. If my explanations are not clear just post your questions.
Mistake 1
If you didn't create the google account, it will not initialize the contact and agenda on the phone.
You can launch the sync (it will report no error), but you will not see anything on your phone.
Agenda: empty, if you relaunch the sync, it will resynch... with same result.
Contact: on the phone but anyway not visible in "Contact".
You will see the contact name in the "calls log" only, maybe in the sms (don't remember).
Solved
Thanks for the setup. I removed all personal settings and now it works.
Looks like i synced before the setup of a google-account.
annoyingmosquito said:
Thanks for the setup. I removed all personal settings and now it works.
Looks like i synced before the setup of a google-account.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome. I spent a long time to find this...
Just subscribed to this thread; as a HD2 owner who plans to get a newer device in the future (better if a phone-capable tablet - Tab 2?), but still wants to keep this phone as long as possible, I was looking at Android as a future day-by-day OS, since I'm still on a WM 6.5.5 custom rom.
Other than several objections to Android generally speaking, which I will not be discussing in this post anyway, there is one which, in my opinion, is the main, killer reason why I absolutely do not want to use Android: I don't want my own personal data to be managed in anyway by google.
I didn't know MyPhoneExplorer was able to actually sync via USB the PIM data with several desktop apps, most notably Thunderbird (both contacts and agenda), I only tested Android on SD for a very short matter of time and never delved into it very much, was just astonished at the massive volume of free games in the market
Anyway, MyPhoneExplorer needs wine to run under Ubuntu (will sync to thunderbird work in that case?), and anyway, to get 100% of your PIM data from WM to Android the most conservative way still seems to be to pass through a GMail account, while I would like my phone to have no relationship with google, like, at all, excluding the market, for which it is apparently necessary.
I must say that thanks to your guide I am one step closer to seeing android as a day by day OS, yet there are these few details missing:
1) fully syncing under linux without passing through google (apparently solved: http://www.fjsoft.at/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5835 )
2) moving the whole of your data from WM to Android (maybe syncing to outlook from WM in windows, then into android via myphoneexplorer... but I don't use outlook anyway and I wouldn't like to have to )
Regarding question 1... I can't help you cause I need Outlook to connect to Lotus Notes server... I have many apps I need for my job and I'm not sure yet to have it under Linux (at least I'm sure DAMO doesn't exist for Linux... so it's finish for me).
But I can help on point 2
It could be boring but it works well.
Go on the "sprite backup" website.
They offer for free:
Sprite migrate which give the ability to transfer ALL your PIM data from WM to Android.
BUT it doesn't work with AOSP (or at least I can't make it work).
So ou have first to load a Sense build or Android NOT AOSP.
When you have your data in Android, you can either use my post to offline sync with Outlook or MPE.
Then you load the AOSP build and sync again.
Alternative solution, when your data are in Android, use another app to backup every thing (an app compatible with AOPS), load your AOSP build and restore.
If you don't use an AOSP build... it's straight and easy.
If my answer is not clear, just ask for clarification.
PS: I think spritebackup is not compatible with AOSP because I use HyperDroidGBXv4.0 so I assume it will be the same will all AOSP. I never tested with other AOSP build, maybe it's specific to the one I have.
If you use a sense build, HTCSense manage the sync with Outlook in native. No need to apply my post, no need to create or log a google account. It's the easiest way... but it take much more space inyour NAND (400Mo vs 120Mo). Then you don't have a lot of free space on an European HD2 (the 512 one).
Why, thank you for the detailed howto!
ATM I basically only sync WM6.5 only with my Windows 7 machine, yet after a mobile OS switch I'd very much like to have also my ubuntu laptop synced, and that's why I delved into the linux issue.
I reckon AOSP means Android Open Source Project, yet I'm not sure what distinguishes AOSP from NOT AOSP... could you please elaborate on that? Maybe all the releases which don't come from a certain carrier are AOSP? I suppose most if not all the android NANDs for HD2 are AOSP.
Yet, going sense just for the sake of importing data and then flashing a non-sense (pun not intended) ROM may go fine as well... even if officially sprite migrate if out of beta test, and not available, but I suppose I can easily find it "elsewhere"!! (even if it seems to migrate everything BUT calendar....)
You got me... I don't know so much Android yet.
So to be clear. I used MDJ and especially Gauner's build (good one) and on them spritebackup was working.
Then I went for HyperDroidGBXv5.0 which is the best for me (I mean for what I need from Android)... only issue... spritebackup was not working. So I imagined (maybe a not good shortcut) that it will not work on AOSP. It's written on the first post that all soft are not compatible with xxx (realize now it's maybe gingerbread instead of AOSP). Check Pongster thread, first page.
I didn't notice spritemigrate was not available anymore as I done this just once when I removed WM.
I also never noticed it can't transfer the agenda as I never backup it. If you do so, you will have all your meeting duplicate on the Lotus Server.
In fact, Outlook is my source for agenda (HD2 is just a display unit); HD2 is the source for my contact, I just keep a backup "in case".
You have to adapt all my findings to what you really need to do. But I think it's possible (maybe it required few steps as you can see).
It worth the effort when you have more than 400 contacts!!!
I don't know why I do this but I keep all sms, call logs and of course contacts from the first day of my phone.
I realize I'm maybe a little bit nuts
I do keep all that data too, mainly just to stress out my phone into being a small database
Anyway, regarding sprite products: migrate is off the hook for now, no working products for the time being as this is out of the beta testing period, and there is no official version out.
I've read somewhere (looked like a legit howto website) that you could backup PIM data with WM sprite backup, and restore it inside Android with Android Sprite backup, but it appears that information was bogus, as sprite backup in android doesn't even recognize backup files made from WM, the extension is also different, and changing the extension doesn't solve it.
So the only viable option appears to be the installation of outlook to which you have to move all the data (contacts and agenda are ok, but will outlook save sms and call logs too? don't think so), and then import that data into android with MPE. I probably will have to "borrow" outlook somewhere
I'll check if I still have the beta.
Will PM you in this case.
For sync of sms I know that I can sync my SMS with outlook under Android (MyPhoneExplorer). Careful I just see that I can configure it but I never used it (will try next week and post the result here).
I remember a soft "Jeyo something" which gave me the ability to sync SMS with outlook on WM.
It was not so stable as it sometime crashed outlook. This was due to compatibility issue with DAMO and this was much more important for me. Google it as there is different version of Jeyo, one of it is for the sync WM/Outlook (you can sync but also send&receive SMS from Outlook... except the problem with DAMO very nice tool).
The Migrate tool can actually be still downloaded off the market, as there's a BETA2 around, it's just that the program refuses to work as it's expired.
I didn't try the old method of scamming the software telling it I live in the past (like in the old PC days), but the fact that the beta is the only functioning tool, and it's expired leaving no other options is sad enough to have deprived me of the interest in using it
When I sort out the reason for which android seems to vaporize the battery as soon as I start the superram build, then I may get hold of outlook to do the sync job together with MPE... thanks for the help until now
Battery issue, you can try this build. I'm very happy with it: HyperDroidGBXv5
It's always on the first page of the NAND forum as so many people posts comments. I read it for a long time now and it has very small issues for everyone.
You just need to check if you like it or not. It required CWM... but if you manage to sync with outlook, you'll have no problem to use CWM
For the migration tool, didn't know it will expired. Lucky I move to Andoid long time ago.
truc007 said:
If you didn't create the google account, it will not initialize the contact and agenda on the phone.
You can launch the sync (it will report no error), but you will not see anything on your phone.
Agenda: empty, if you relaunch the sync, it will resynch... with same result.
Contact: on the phone but anyway not visible in "Contact".
You will see the contact name in the "calls log" only, maybe in the sms (don't remember).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
truc007 said:
Here's that I wanted to do:
1/ Using a non-sense Android (in my case HyperDroidGBXv4.0 but will work with others)
2/ NOT using any online service (no Gmail, no google, no exchange)
3/ NOT using csv (I wanted to keep contact pictures...)
4/ Keeping a backup of my contact (but not in outlook, you'll understand why later)
5/ Synching my agenda with Outlook 2010.
In some other words, exactly what you can do with sense build + HTC Sync
My setup:
Win 7 x64
Outlook 2010 x32
DAMO 8.0.2 IF6
Lotus 8 Server (on a server... not on my laptop of course)
How to proceed on your comp:
a/ Install HTC Sync or Android SDK to get the driver for the phone's USB.
If you find it, you can also install the driver directly (open the HTCSync package and get the driver)
b/ Install my Phone Explorer (other equivalent soft exist but this one was good for me and free)
How to proceed on your phone (you need a google account empty/fresh)
I/ install android (or reset to factory setting or other...)
II/ with nothing in the phone (if you have somethingit may be send to google later) log to your google account
III/ go in parameter account&sync
IV/ untick all the sync for agenda and contact (you can leave Gmail exxcept if you want to sync your mails also)
V/ install MyPhoneExplorer on your phone (market ok, you have an account)
Voila!!!! connect to your computer, sync with MyPhoneExplorer.
Don't forget to configure the sync. I sync my contact with MPE only and my agenda with Outlook.
I do like this as I manage my agenda with outlook (accept company Lotus meetings) but just need to keep a backup of my personal contact. My company has an LDAP I can access from the phone (via iNotes Ulite).
I know it seems easy (limit stupid) but I assure you that I spent time to find it and I never find this info anywhere. Some know, I'm sure, but noone post it.
You can adapt this to your personal needs. It's a good way to keep company/professional info on your phone without sending it to the Americans (kidding but a company will never allow you to send confidential info at Google).
Hope this will help some of you. If my explanations are not clear just post your questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi and thank you very much for your share and the very useful information.
I am currently using a HD2 (OS: 5.2.21913, ROM: 3.14.707.3 & Radio: 2.15.50.14) and have always wanted to switch over to running Android on this wonderful piece of hardware.
I have experimented running the SuperRAM FroYo Version 1.5 by darkstone1337
and must say that the performance was really, really fast and impressive.
However, one major consideration that is holding me back from switching over to Andorid is the potential lost of infromation in my Contacts (600+) and Appointments. These are currently sync to Outlook 2003 and like you, I prefer to manage these directly on my computer and not through a third party like Google.
Hence, I would like to find out from you:
1. Did you have any problem syncing your Contacts and Appointments on Outlook 2010 to your HD2 running the Andorid OS?
2. Did you encounter any loss with the Contact details like single contact with multiple addresses and contact numbers?
3. Did you also managed to transfer all of your SMS from Windows Mobile to Android? If so, what software did you use?
Hope you can share your experience and thanking you in advance!
Did you m
1.
You mention getting the usb driver off the htc sync exe package... did you manage it, and so you can attach the driver in here?
Otherwise, as I'm downloading the almost 70MB (ach) package off htc website, I will try and get the driver off that instead. I do not plan to install that monster on my pc anyway
EDIT: I suppose there is no point in uploading ~15mb worth of stuff to megaupload, the setup exe uncompresses the BMP usb driver and HTC Driver setup in temp folders, but those files are still other installers. I didn't go as far as to exact the driver inf's, so well, good grief, just download and install htc sync
@desert1
As explained i only sync my agenda with outlook. I use the phone just to display meetings. Contact are sync with mpe just as backup. I will provide more explanations from my laptop
Sent from my HD2 using XDA App
truc007 said:
@desert1
As explained i only sync my agenda with outlook. I use the phone just to display meetings. Contact are sync with mpe just as backup. I will provide more explanations from my laptop
Sent from my HD2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi truc007,
Many thanks and looking forward to hear from you soon!
Cheers!
Managed to copy over agenda and contacts by "borrowing" outlook 2007, sncing to it with WM, then syncing from it to android with MPE. Outlook would crash the first time whenever it was called by MPE, but after a reboot it just worked, even if very slowly.
After that, I suppose you can ditch Outlook since you can have agenda and contacts sync through MPE with thunderbird (with lightning addon).
Anyway, I need to thank the OP "negatively": thanks to him explaining how to copy over PIM data without google poking its nose in it, I could focus on actually testing android instead of being distracted by the PIM transfer dilemma.
Doing this, I realized a shocking thruth:
Android is all fun and games, until you actually need to work with your phone.
Even PocketPC2002's excel was better than any spreadsheet app you find in the market, handbase for android is crippled to the point that any other free database in the market is equal in functionalities, and still useless for me.
And after that, I didn't go on checking alternatives to other applications I use on WM to manage my job
On the other side, when you need to do flashy things with your phone, like browsing imdb or keeping a workout/calory burning schedule, or manage your own virtual cafeteria, well android is good
It works for me, too.
Thanks
ephestione said:
Managed to copy over agenda and contacts by "borrowing" outlook 2007, sncing to it with WM, then syncing from it to android with MPE. Outlook would crash the first time whenever it was called by MPE, but after a reboot it just worked, even if very slowly.
After that, I suppose you can ditch Outlook since you can have agenda and contacts sync through MPE with thunderbird (with lightning addon).
Anyway, I need to thank the OP "negatively": thanks to him explaining how to copy over PIM data without google poking its nose in it, I could focus on actually testing android instead of being distracted by the PIM transfer dilemma.
Doing this, I realized a shocking thruth:
Android is all fun and games, until you actually need to work with your phone.
Even PocketPC2002's excel was better than any spreadsheet app you find in the market, handbase for android is crippled to the point that any other free database in the market is equal in functionalities, and still useless for me.
And after that, I didn't go on checking alternatives to other applications I use on WM to manage my job
On the other side, when you need to do flashy things with your phone, like browsing imdb or keeping a workout/calory burning schedule, or manage your own virtual cafeteria, well android is good
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So do not test WM7!!!! It's worst
The problem is that you're not the targeted customer anymore
In the past, "profesional" bought handheld devices. There were not fun but all the sync, office app... were mandatory. Now, these devices are for normal end users. At least with android you can still have a "sort of" profesional use even if it's more job than with WM6.
That's life... but for "profesional geeks" it's hard days
nb: sorry for the writing, GB is not my first language.
So... I'm 100pct up and running wp7 except for the SD card and I want to eventually set up dual boot with android off the SD card... but I know that's covered on here and I have more reading to do.
BUT... I've searched and browsed and googled and can't find anyone mentioning a similar situation.
I had a hacked tytnII which I used the myphone service for (I also used the it on the hd2 when it had the stock winmo6 on it.)
now that WP7 is on there it's VERY strange... a LOT of my contacts populated... but some were missing pictures and others were not there entirely.
I've clicked around the myphone website and tried to find any kind of settings for it and can't... then I swiped around the phone looking for anything but really can't see where/if there are setting for it.
Is this normal?
PS. I have not outlook install to sync the missing contact... it's not the end of the world but I'd definately prefer not having to enter the 30-40 contacts missing.
Soory to tell you that WP7 doesn't use and cannot access MS MyPhone.
I think, it will be easier to enter 40 contacts manually.
Another way if You don't have WM device:
- Download Windows mobile device emulator (You can find it on Microsft site),
download VirtualPC 2007
- Install both.
- Set up Your virtual WM device;
- Synchronize with Myphone;
- Synchronize with Your e-mail (I used google)
//All Your contacts will be present now on Your mail account
- Synchronize You HD2WP7 with this e-mail account.
it's worth it if You have few hundred contacts in Your address book.
//You'll certainly spend more than one hour doing this
If You have another WM device things will go easier - synchronize it with myphone service and e-mail. than synchronize wp7 to that email
That's insane... what I don't get either is in the settings for the accounts Hotmail says you can sync calender contacts mail etc... but when you click into the submenu the only selectable check box is email.
Under google I can sync contacts and calender.
It turned out that the missing contacts were in fact my google contacts that were not included under "my contacts" (on android you can search for the name and it comes up even though it's not displayed in your list of contacts... I use this for contacts at work that I don't want cluttering up my people list but need to have their numbers accessable... I've just moved them to my contacts in google contacts.
It's insane to me that windows has an online backup system in place that they didn't impliment on their "new" os... what a bunch of idiots.
WP7 has been continuously shocking me with how crappy it is.... I better get reading on how to set up a SD card to boot android... or maybe even just nand it... wp7 looks like it's not going to be worthwhile for at least another year... This OS really kind of sucks. I can't believe Nokia hoped on board.
Thats a pitty youre not able to use WP7, oh well never mind hey.
Now, "My phone" has nothing to do with WP7 it is not linked in anyway, its a service built for WM6, the my phone team are working on a WP7 version
To be honest, im not sure exactly why you are getting workd up with MS on this one, Its live service works fine, it does sync calenders, conacts etc, setup a live account, install outlook or Live mail, sync all existing calender, contacts in to outlook / live, sync live to phone. Its not very hard.
the only thing its really lacking is SMS backup, and some kind of app/settings/files skydrive intigration would be good too. but thats why they are making a new cloudbased backup solution, "my phone" was very limited in its uses, id consider it a test if anything, cloud is the future and myphone was not using all of its potential
anyhow, as i said, its a shame you cant use it because it is actually very good, but thats why our HD2s are so good, we all have a choice.
I am running Windows 8 Consumer Preview. It's great. But I'm not sure how it integrates within Windows Skydrive? Does it? Can I use Windows 8 to sync files across my desktop and laptop (both run Win8CP)?
bobbyelliott, to use Windows Skydrive, you have to associate your previous signed Microsoft Account (Hotmail) to the service, so when you login in a computer with W8, the SkyDrive will load your files that you synced. So first all you have to do is sign in SkyDrive with you Hotmail account and then use this in your personal computer so when you starts SkyDrive, you can just upload files.
sweet, I'm excited to play with this more
armored said:
sweet, I'm excited to play with this more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats really cool, is if you have a Live account (to be called a Microsoft account in future) is great if you own more than 1 PC or WP7 phone.
So I have a WP7 phone. PC at work (of course) and at Home (have a Mac too but I digress)
When I logged into W8 at home, all my calendars, mail, people, social and DOCUMENTS from Skydrive sync'd to my PC.
I setup W8, background, lock screen etc. Set some links on the Start GUI.
When I installed at work, entered my Windows AD account, and linked my Live account, not only did I get my work stuff, but also all my photos and all the customisation I had made at home! Most of my docs are on Skydrive or SharePoint so I can now work where I want, and it all looks the same.
I've also tried playing Starcraft II under W8, and it worked flawlessly.
For a preview, that is amazing. Its slicker and quicker than W7.
Good luck with your new toy. Try it everywhere
xpc21 said:
bobbyelliott, to use Windows Skydrive, you have to associate your previous signed Microsoft Account (Hotmail) to the service, so when you login in a computer with W8, the SkyDrive will load your files that you synced. So first all you have to do is sign in SkyDrive with you Hotmail account and then use this in your personal computer so when you starts SkyDrive, you can just upload files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Woooh! Slow down there! I do sign in with my Hotmail ID and password with Windows 8 at home and on my laptop. Then what? I don't see any sync'ing taking place. How do I use this functionality? Is there a folder that syncs or something?
bobbyelliott said:
Woooh! Slow down there! I do sign in with my Hotmail ID and password with Windows 8 at home and on my laptop. Then what? I don't see any sync'ing taking place. How do I use this functionality? Is there a folder that syncs or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bobbyelliott, like hwangeruk said in his post, once you signed in your first computer with your Hotmail ID, all customizations,calendars, mail, people, social, documents, photos that u made on it will be saved and once you login with the same id on your laptop, all this stuff will automatically loads... off course files with a higher size you´ll have to save offlive to your local computer, but most of then will be synced.
some of my applications (including SkyDrive) are in German, how to change language in applications Metro UI? The same thing I do with Messenger. I want to have in English of course.
bobbyelliott said:
I am running Windows 8 Consumer Preview. It's great. But I'm not sure how it integrates within Windows Skydrive? Does it? Can I use Windows 8 to sync files across my desktop and laptop (both run Win8CP)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone else probably already said this, but Skydrive is the cloud and the applications that use it can do so in various ways. For example, Windows Live Mesh allows seamless and automatic syncing of folders on your laptop to sync with all your computers.
Skydrive also allows you to collaboratively work on documents - and/or simply share files between all kinds of people. You can access those files with your tablet - incl your android tablet or phone.
Skydrive is a cloud which is growing in importance and seamlessly linking into various Windows world applications. For example, I've found Live Photo Gallery and skydrive to be a perfect match for storing, printing, sharing, editing and general mgmt of all media.
By far, the biggest point of Skydrive is the FREE 25 gig on a set of very fast servers.
Hello
We are developers of the windows phone platform.
We have chosen this platform because in our opinion it is superior to other established phone platforms and we like creating apps that users enjoy and that help to emerge the windows phone platform.
We also think that nowadays there are some features that a user simply expects a Smartphone to “have”. One of these features is a great calendar.
The current windows phone 8 programming API lacks of some important features that hinder developers from creating a fully features calendar application.
- There is no programming interface to edit or delete existing appointments => Vote Here
- Access to calendar categories (private, office, birthdays, …) is not provided => Vote Here
- Access to sub-calendar of an account to recover name and color setting is not provided => Vote Here
- Information for private appointments is not returned => Vote Here
- No way to access “Task” in windows live and exchange => Vote Here
The built in calendar has all of this options but they are not accessible for developers.
In order to let developers improve your calendar experience, let Microsoft hear you voice. You can use the link above to vote for those missing features.
Hannes and Olivier
PS : Other persons are also asking for this improvements : message
Hello,
You can not access the built in calendar but you can make your own framework to provide the same functionalists. You can also use Live connect to sync with the hotmail calendar(which is the core of the built-in calendar anyway).
The only thing that the built in has and the custom do not is the notification and live tile update. The built-in calendar acts like a real time application, whereas any custom requires a background process to update, or interaction from the user.
mcosmin222 said:
Hello,
You can not access the built in calendar but you can make your own framework to provide the same functionalists. You can also use Live connect to sync with the hotmail calendar(which is the core of the built-in calendar anyway).
The only thing that the built in has and the custom do not is the notification and live tile update. The built-in calendar acts like a real time application, whereas any custom requires a background process to update, or interaction from the user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi,
that true - a developer can use the windows live sdk to CRUD calendar entries in the windows live calendar.
The major drawback: Appointments created/modified/deleted do not show up in the WP calendar - they show up the next time, the windows live calendar has been synced back to the phone calendar.
Next problem: A user have to give it's permissions to access the live calendar - this is possible but not the best way to do it - it should be done with a "ModifyAppointmentTask" and a "DeleteAppointmentTask" where a user have to give his permission to modify/delete calendar entries.
Next thing: A developer has to create an access layer for ALL caledar types a user has configured on his phone (exchange, google, facebook ...). When a users wants to create appointments in one of these calendars he has to sign in to the specific calendar. Of course this is not as user friendly as the built in calendar.
Most important thing: All this methods to CRUD calendar entries already exist (the built in calendar uses them) - making them accessible for a developer via a Task (like the new "SaveAppointmentsTask") imho. is the best way this can + should be done.
up