Windows Live Contacts - Help!

[BongMong]

Right, there must be a way to do this, but I need some help.

I have Vista x64 SP1. I have a Sony Ericsson W810i mobile phone. I have Windows Live Messenger 9.

Now My Phone Explorer will sync with Vista's 'Windows Contacts' fine.

Windows Live Messenger will not now use Windows Contacts (can't set them to unencrypted as was previously possible with older versions) which means Windows Live Mail will not now use Windows Contacts because it uses the same contacts as Windows Live Messenger.

This new set of Live contacts is called Windows Live Contacts.

My Phone Explorer will not sync with Windows Live Contacts.

Microsoft has developed Microsoft Phone Data Manager which will sync a W810i with Windows Live Contacts. Yay! But wait... damn! It isn't available for 64 bit versions of Vista yet. Would you believe it? Shady stuff, Bill.

The ONLY solution I can find is to:

Abandon Windows Live Calender straight away and stick with Vista's Windows Calender (another issue in the same vein).

Erase all my Windows Live Contacts (carefully picking out the ones that are Windows Live Messenger friends, since I lose the connection if I delete them).

Sync my Windows Contacts with MPE.

Import my Windows Contacts into Windows Live Contacts.

Delete the duplicate versions of my Windows Live Messenger friends.

This is not fun. Is there a way to do this reasonably?

If not, who do you think will get there first? Will MPE support Windows Live Calender/Contacts first, or will Microsoft beat it to the punch with Microsoft Phone Data Manager 64 bit edition? Bets gentlemen, please... ~

[FJ]

I tried some days ago to access the Windows Live Contacts - its simply not possible. Microsoft (some MVPs) arguments this that it would be a security risk to allow access to contacts to third-party-apps. There exists a API for Live contacts but also this works only in webpages and not with local desktop apps.

[Gast]

Darn. Microsoft Phone Data Manager can do it, so it is actually possible, but clearly only through some hidden Microsoft juju.

This is a poor decision by Microsoft, for all the obvious reasons. Not only mobile phone reasons, but because only Microsoft packages will be able to access contacts, or one needs many different directories (package dependent) which will not sync with live.

The only options are to dump windows live or to use Microsoft Phone Data Manager (64 bit soon I hope) and give up on interoperability with Open Office and the like due to lack of any contacts database that can be used for mail merge etc.

Well, looks like MS have locked you out (unless you can discover what Microsoft Phone Data Manager is doing). Shame. MS hates talent. I wish you luck.

[FJ]

Thats it (all Windows Live Apps can access the contactstore).
If you hear from a way or API (officially or not officially) then let me know it.

[Gast]

Looking in to it, it appears that Live Contacts are encrypted, so even if you get in there you'll be stymied.

The only way I can see it working is by using that web API you mentioned somehow. Not a pretty solution. MPE would have to generate a web page on the HDD and open the browser to get it running. Sounds like a horrible solution, not really what's needed. Microsoft's utility would be a better approach for users, which is I suppose why MS have allowed a web API.

Why would a web API be secure when a desktop API is apparently unthinkable? This looks far more like a market cornering trick than a security necessity.

[Gast]

I shall let you know if I spy any further info.

[FJ]

Looking in to it, it appears that Live Contacts are encrypted, so even if you get in there you'll be stymied.

You can disable encryption in the settings. But even if the contacts are readable for MPE then its only a shadowcopy and its not possible to edit/delete them.

MPE would have to generate a web page on the HDD and open the browser to get it running.

This was also my first idea. It does not work cause Microsoft detects if the Webpage is local on the HDD or not.

This looks far more like a market cornering trick than a security necessity.

This is also my opinion, but a small developer like me has no chance to take control about the opinions of Microsoft