After my travelling without a cell phone nightmare which I blogged about here, I moved my phone number to a backup phone - the VCast Chocolate. Months ago I had thought that I might want to switch to this phone from time to time when travelling on vacation (a rare occurrence) because it is a nice small form factor, and it can double a a nice MP3 player. In preparation for this, I asked the Verizon store if there was a product that would support moving my copious outlook contacts to the phone, so that I wouldn't have to retype them into the phone. THey pointed me to the Verizon Mobile Office Kit - and I bought it.

As per usual, after buying a new toy my schedule sometimes gets the better of me, and I didn't try it out right away. I needed to yesterday...since I switched to the VCast. Of course, now I'm running Vista on both my machines...and the product says it only supports XP of course.

I call support, to see if they can answer some questions about the product, and I get some guy acting as a liason between me and technical support. Three times he puts me on hold to ask them a question:

Question 1: Is there an updated driver for the USB connector to the phone, and Vista? Answer = No, it was supposed to be August...it is not ready and they have no ETA. Nice.

Question 2: Do they know for a fact it won't run on Vista? Has anyone tried it? Answer = No, they haven't tried it but they don't think so.

Question 3: If I find an XP machine to install it on, can I move my Outlook Contacts? Answer = No, that won't work. It doesn't integrate with Outlook.

Question 4: But, when I bought the package, I was told it would. Will they give me a refund now? Answer = No, it is long past the 30 day window.

Question 5: Can you put me through directly to tech support so I can talk with them about options for exporting Outlook contacts to the program...there is probably a way...but I need to talk to them directly. Answer = Ok, but we don't usually put you direct...since you have so many questions I will do it.

The person on tech support tells me it does import Outlook contacts, and can send contacts to the phone as well as pull contacts from the phone. Relief.

I decide to install the software on Vista...despite what they said. The LGE USB modem driver won't install on Vista, but I install the software which then prompts me to connect the phone to the USB port. I do it, Vista tries to find a driver...after about 10 minutes no luck.

I search the internet for USB modem drivers...and as luck would have it I find a forum with a 32bit and 64bit driver. Unzipped the driver and connected the phone again. After 10 minutes...I have a driver!!!!

Now, to set up the software. Oh, wouldn't you know? Import/From Outlook...bam...I have all my contacts! Send to phone...bam...all my contacts are now on my VCast. Easy.

I guess you have to ignore tech support...though the last guy was nice enough to check after I pressured him...most of them just give a cookie cutter answer, drones. Imagine if I was not technical...and didn't know that there must be a logical way to import contacts...and find drivers...I'd be typing in phone numbers still today...