Need some help in finding portable address-type book?

[Orchidflower]

I have been using a standard size (6"x7") address book to write addresses and other pertinent information I wish to keep. However, even with adding extra pages, it is filling up fast. I don't want to put all this on my laptop, which might crash knowing me; but, I wonder if there is a better way than putting this information in an address book?
So, if I don't want to put it on a laptop, the only other thing I could think of is a Rolodex. But that seems a heavyweight and clumsy proposition and not very workable for traveling. Index cards in a box I seem to lose, so that one is a neutral vote.
It needs to be portable and have lots of space to add things. Is there a small handheld computerized item that does this out there that I could travel internationally with? Or is there a new address-type book that I could write in that has more space than is normal and is lightweight out there?
I am technologically challenged and, frankly, just out of ideas after mulling this over for a few weeks; so, I really need some help on this one. I am fresh out of ideas myself.

 

[RonBoyd]

Is there a small handheld computerized item that does this out there that I could travel internationally with?

Blackberry? iPhone? HTC?

 

[jwkde]

a blackberry or similiar device. This way there is always a duplicate.

worked with many a folk who refused to go electronic because of a fear of crashing, only to lose their paperbased "daytimers"

 

[bruce1]

This information is obviously important to you. I would put it on the laptop and then print a backup as well as the usual electronic backups. As far a I am concerned all electronic media is subject to failure of one sort or another but if you have enough backups usually one will be Ok

 

[Bestwifeever]

I like my handwritten address books. I'm not good at keeping electronic records up to date if I have to generate them--I would probably have a billion little post-its with address changes waiting for me to enter them, so for me better to just jot them down in the address book to start with. And I like seeing the record sometimes of where my children have lived since leaving for college and now on their own for several years--you could probably do that in an electronic version, too, but maybe not.

 

[Orchidflower]

1. What's an HTC?
2. With the Blackberry and I Phone, how much space do you have to do these things
says the little technologically challenged girl.... And aren't they expensive and have pricey monthly contracts?

If you put it on the computer, you could go back in and add/delete...workable, but then you have lots of paper to carry that's loose don't you?

 

[Peter]

2. With the Blackberry and I Phone, how much space do you have to do these things
says the little technologically challenged girl.... And aren't they expensive and have pricey monthly contracts?

If you put it on the computer, you could go back in and add/delete...workable, but then you have lots of paper to carry that's loose don't you?

iPod touch is the iPhone without the phone part. Less expensive, no monthly contract. Also it syncs automatically with your computer so backups are painless.

You do have to enter contact details on the touch screen keypad, but it works quite well.

Peter

 

[KB]

If you are looking for a paper system, what about a small binder with lined pages. I have some 9 1/2 inch binders that use 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 paper. You can get tabs for them too...and zipper pouches.

I use one of them to keep track of what I plant in my garden and how the variety fares. I keep the empty seed packages in the zipper pouch...

 

[powerplay]

Maybe consider a gmail account where you store info under the contacts and then periodically print out a paper copy for portability when you don't have internet access.

 

[WM]

I still use a paper address book, and it's nowhere near full, but if I were in your situation I'd look for an online one. Not something you store on your computer, which would be lost if it died, but a website that lets you store everything (and you could access it from any computer). Gmail could work fine for that, but I also googled "online address book" and several different services came up, including at least one that's free. They might be nicer to use than something associated with your email account, since they are specifically designed to be an address book.

The only thing I would be careful about is to read the fine print and make sure your data stays private.

 

[Alan]

Maybe consider a gmail account where you store info under the contacts and then periodically print out a paper copy for portability when you don't have internet access.

This is what I do these days for my contacts. I also use the Calendar feature instead of a paper diary.

 

[W2R]

I use a small day planner. If I ran out of address pages, I could buy more and put them in the binder. I keep it in one particular location and never put it down anywhere else, so it doesn't get lost. The only exception is for hurricane evacuations.

You could probably buy an old PDA from someone for $5-$10, and one can keep addresses it. You could synch it to your computer for a backup.

 

[bruce1]

If you put it on the computer, you could go back in and add/delete...workable, but then you have lots of paper to carry that's loose don't you?

Are you carrying the laptop with you? I was just suggesting the paper as a non electronic backup that could be stored safely

 

[Orchidflower]

Bruce1, I want something small that can fit in a purse.

 

[chemist]

Wow I had no idea anyone used paper address books anymore. I use Outlook on my laptop and sync to a PDA. My wife is technology challenged and even she can sync a Palm PDA to her Outlook calendar and contacts. She carries the Palm in her purse. A smartphone is another option albeit more expensive.

The suggestion to print a paper backup is a good one just in case. Although with two separate electronic db's not much risk.

 

[Orchidflower]

Is the I-Touch the I-Pod Touch? That's what keeps coming up when I punch it in the search bar.

 

[chemist]

One and the same. Basically an iPhone without the phone and the monthly service charge from AT&T. Both my kids have one. Connects to your home wifi.

 

[CuppaJoe]

One and the same. Basically an iPhone without the phone and the monthly service charge from AT&T. Both my kids have one. Connects to your home wifi.

Exactly! This is posted from an iPod touch through the same wifi my computer uses.

 

[audreyh1]

All Macs come with an Address Book, and you can download them to your iPhone or iPod or whatever. Plus we have software that downloads the "important" phone numbers to our Verizon cell phones so we always have them there too.

We've been using this address book for years so it has everything.

Macs have a Calendar too. That can be synced to your iPod/iPhone. We've also been using the Calendar for all our planning for years.

Audrey

 

[CuppaJoe]

I like my handwritten address books. I'm not good at keeping electronic records up to date if I have to generate them--I would probably have a billion little post-its with address changes waiting for me to enter them, so for me better to just jot them down in the address book to start with. And I like seeing the record sometimes of where my children have lived since leaving for college and now on their own for several years--you could probably do that in an electronic version, too, but maybe not.

I can relate to this but stopped using the hand-written books years ago. I keep a very old and very small roll-o-dex which I bought because it is easy to update; every few years I do a ceremony throwing out the obsolete cards. I had a printed list which was send to the Kindle and updated by notes which can be added to documents.

I'm gradually adding to the Mac Contact Book which syncs to iPod. When I put a good or goofy photo of someone in iPhoto, I add it the the Contact book. But it does amount to w*rk updating all but the basic roll-o-dex which remains the authorized version. Sometimes I just tape a return address on a new roll-o-dex card and write in the phone number. For years I would just pull roll-o-dex cards and carry the ones that might be needed that week or for a trip.

 

[Meadbh]

I have a contact list on Outlook on my work computer (which is backed up nightly) and periodically I download the Contacts file and import it to my laptop. If there is just one contact I need, I make a VCard and email it to myself. I can use Webmail to access Outlook from any computer. I discarded paper address books over a decade ago.