Hipster PDA Filter - How do you deal with phone numbers and contact info in a paper based system?

January 12, 2006 9:05 AM

I'm interested in switching from my palm to a paper based calendar and to do list, but the one thing I can't seem to make work is my phone book. I've been using my palm for many years so, I have a good number of phone numbers built up in there that I want easy access to - and need to be able to add to. This may sound like a stupid question (use a paper book for phone numbers!), but I'm just interested in how people do this, if they eventually enter numbers back into electronic form to back up (one of the things i like about the palm system is that the couple of times that i've lost my palm, i haven't lost the numbers), etc. Any advice appreciated.
posted by krudiger to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

Why don't you use your cellphone?
posted by smackfu at 9:44 AM on January 12, 2006

1) Export your Palm addresses to something non-palm. Excel, Outlook, whatever. Or just keep them in the Palm desktop app.

2) Print out your address book in as compact a form as you can manage, on paper that will fit (folded or not) into your new paper-based PDA.

3) Leave a few blank lines for writing down new numbers, as well as a pocket to hold business cards.

4) Now and then (once a week or so) update your electronic address list with the new numbers.

5) Go back to step 2.


There are many good reasons to keep your addresses electronic. Mass mailings (I use mine for christmas cards), legibility, back-up, etc. Addresses aren't as disposable as to-do lists and apppointments.
posted by bondcliff at 9:45 AM on January 12, 2006

I use a combination of a pocket squared Moleskine notebook for perosonal items/journaling/story ideas and an hPDA for to do lists and work-related items.

I just keep all my phone numbers in my phone. Am I tempting fate by having them all in one place? Maybe. But it works for me.
posted by aebaxter at 9:47 AM on January 12, 2006

I make periodic paper copies of the information in my todo/phone/journal/littleblackbook.
posted by OmieWise at 10:23 AM on January 12, 2006

If you have a non-PDA phone, I completely sympathize with the desire to do things on paper. It's very annoying to have to carry two devices, two chargers when you're traveling, and to deal with a PDA when you're trying to dial a phone.

Back when I had a non-PDA phone (and dinosaurs roamed the earth), I still kept all my contacts electronically. I did it in Word, but given that you're starting off from a Palm Desktop file, you can export to a CSV and then edit / maintain in Excel.

The usability trick when away from my desk was to print very small. In one piece of paper, front and back, I could keep several hundred contacts (abbreviated info: name / phone / e-mail). I always left a couple of inches of space on the back page to write down new contact info when I met people.

And as for calendaring and to do, while I keep it all electronically now for synching between Outlook and PDA phone, I actually think a nice little agenda book is actually a lot more elegant a solution.
posted by MattD at 10:42 AM on January 12, 2006

If you have a non-PDA phone, I completely sympathize with the desire to do things on paper. It's very annoying to have to carry two devices, two chargers when you're traveling, and to deal with a PDA when you're trying to dial a phone.

Back when I had a non-PDA phone (and dinosaurs roamed the earth), I still kept all my contacts electronically. I did it in Word, but given that you're starting off from a Palm Desktop file, you can export to a CSV and then edit / maintain in Excel.

The usability trick when away from my desk was to print very small. In one piece of paper, front and back, I could keep several hundred contacts (abbreviated info: name / phone / e-mail). I always left a couple of inches of space on the back page to write down new contact info when I met people.

And as for calendaring and to do, while I keep it all electronically now for synching between Outlook and PDA phone, I actually think a nice little agenda book is actually a lot more elegant a solution.
posted by MattD at 10:44 AM on January 12, 2006

I keep my calendar in a notebook, but I sync my addresses and phone numbers to my iPod nano, which is so small that I always have it with me. This has been a perfect solution--especially if you have many hundreds of contacts that you don't want filling up your phone.
posted by josh at 11:19 AM on January 12, 2006

I'm sorry, above i meant that I make periodic xerox copies. This is my backup.
posted by OmieWise at 11:58 AM on January 12, 2006

If you're switching to a paper based lifestyle, all you should need is PocketMod. Their contact pages are a little too big for my taste, but you can take the cue to print your own phone book pages.

I have a (purchased) paper phone book that I've had in my wallet for 15 years. Simple as could be. 14 dollar-sized pieces of paper, stapled in the middle and folded into a book, with a grid for name and number on each page. The outside piece of paper is laminated to somewhat protect it. Doubled up duct tape would probably be even better. Mine is actually printed to look like a hundred dollar bill, which I never understood. Why would I want to disguise my phone book as something someone might want to steal?
posted by team lowkey at 2:38 PM on January 12, 2006