MyPhoneExplorer: Sync, Manage your Android phone with Windows

Most smartphone platforms provide users with a way to synchronize contacts, appointments, and other important data with a computer. Google Android doesn’t. That makes sense, since Google is first and foremost a company with its head in the cloud. Much of your important data is stored in cloud-based services such as Gmail and Google Calendar.

But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to sync with a PC. MyPhoneExplorer is a free app which does just that. It lets you synchronize your phonebook, organizer, call list, messages, and other data with a PC app. You can also customize the app to synchronize your data with Outlook, Thunderbird, Lotus Notes, or other apps.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg though. Once you have the MyPhoneExplorer app set up on your PC and your phone, you can use the desktop software to view data from your phone on your desktop computer. You can view dialed, answered and missed calls, calendar appointments and alarms, and messages. MyPhoneExplorer also lets you browse through files on your phone, view battery information, and environmental variables about your phone including the CPU temperature and signal quality.

You can transfer data over a WiFi or USB connection.

I had a bit of trouble getting MyPhoneExplorer to synchronize with my Google Nexus One the first time. I tried connecting over a WiFi and USB connection several times, deleted my profile a few times and started over, and restarted the PC app several times. I honestly have no idea what finally did the trick, but after about half a dozen attempts I was able connect and see system variables, my call log, and other data. The app is a bit quirky, but when it works, it provides a pretty nifty way to backup and synchronize your data as well as a way to see you’re phone’s stats on your desktop.

The app is also available for Symbian devices from Sony Ericsson — which are a dying breed.