Surely this can be made simpler

[ric barbar]

I've got hundreds of duplicate contacts. Every time I want to synchronize I'm never sure what I'm doing and end up with more and more contacts.

Why isn't there a function to delete duplicate contacts?
When I make a new contact, does "local contact" mean phone memory, sim or random? Actually, why wouldn't android just say wtf it is?????????????????????????????????????????????
FFFFFFFFFFFFKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Why aren't I asked where I want it to go?
Sometimes I make a contact, never to be found again. Then I resource that same contact and half way through calling them, their name comes up....i.e. it's in the phone somewhere, I just can't find it.
Why can't there be a few more words to describe what's happening....i.e. "you want gmail to be master copy and override your phone"....or "you want phone to be master and override gmail"....or "sim to be master"...The way it presently is seems to give random results....I don't even know what synchronize means. Does it mean make everything the same as gmail, or make everything the same as the phone? Or neither?

Surely, surely, surely this can all be made easier. Judging by the google search that showed many people have the same problem, it's a wide spread issue. In my opinion android phones are getting harder to use, not easier.

edit (an hour later).....I've been experimenting, trying to work it out. I saved a new contact on gmail, went to phone and synced and the new contact didn't appear....So, I dial his number and there he is . aaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......I'm going to apple in 18 months when my contract expires..

Want to add an everyday calandar alarm. It's difficult to know what's happening. Android software is lazy, just fking lazy.... Why not add some text so we know what's going on? Is there an alarm going to go off? Does it vibrate? Does it just come up on screen? I'm furious with this phone.

How do I get a refund on this piece of garbage?

 

[zkSharks]

Which device do you have? I would first double-check in your contacts app (the People app on stock Android) that you are, in fact, being shown all contacts on the device. In the People app, it's the 'Contacts to display' option in the overflow menu. Make sure they're all enabled, and then you'll be sure that you're seeing all of them there. That setting doesn't affect other places where contacts would be recognized (such as the dialer), which would explain why they're recognized for calls and communications but not showing in the primary contacts list.

Contacts can be synchronized from any number of sources, including local sources (SIM card) and cloud-based services (Google contacts, Facebook, etc.). You may end up with duplicates that you need to link, which can be done by selecting a contact in your contacts management app, editing the contact, and using the 'Separate' and 'Join' overflow menu options (again, in People app). Contacts won't 'override' contacts from other sources, though as mentioned before you can hide certain types of contacts in some apps.

Now, as for consolidating and managing your contacts, I'll refer to this post of mine. You should be able to follow those steps to get them all cleaned up and tied to your Google account.

Welcome to the forums.

 

[ric barbar]

Thanks mate. When I cool down, I'll check it out.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Welcome to the forums.
What phone do you have?

 

[ric barbar]

Hi there...It's an Xperia S.

If my calendar alarm doesn't work today how I THINK I'VE PROGRAMED it, I'm going to get an apple I think. Not that I like them either. Are there only two smart phone operating systems? Why does this stuff have to be made so difficult? Coming from a technical background (electrical technician), I just cannot comprehend why it's done in such a confusing, illogical way.

OOOPPPPssss............NEW PROBLEM YET AGAIN.....Can't update phone on PC. Android software is a joke.

Thanks