In the original Nokia 5800 thread I started, someone claimed that the 5800 doesn't have syncing unless you connect it directly to a Windows PC. This isn't true.

It took me a while to work out what the problem was, but I think the poster in the other thread hadn't found the Sync application on their 5800, and to be fair it is very very difficult to find if you don't already know where it is.

Here's how you find Sync on the 5800 (and I've done a strongly-worded editorial on All About Symbian saying Nokia should make it much easier to find):

1. Click on the screen area in the top right corner next to the battery indicator.

2. Select the Connectivity icon (the two arrows going in opposite directions).

3. Select Data Transfer.

4. Select Sync

If you sign up to syncing from ovi.com it will send your phone a text message which will install the correct settings for Sync to work with your Ovi account. You can also use the 5800's Sync with other providers such as phone network operator sync services or others.

This isn't just a backup service as was claimed in the previous thread, it is proper syncing (i.e. if you make a change on either phone or computer, it will be copied to the other during syncing). And because ovi.com is web-based you should be able to use it on any computer capable of displaying the site properly (i.e. practically any modern computer running a recent OS).

The original accusation, that the 5800 is tied to Windows, just isn't true:

-Syncing can be done entirely through the phone's internet connection
-Files can be stored online through the phone's internet connection
-Files, data and full backups can also be stored on a memory card if you want a physical copy
-Updates can be done OTA (every update does appear on OTA, at least it has done for me and the other staff on AAS, though operator-locked variants may not get as many updates)
-Files can be transferred by Bluetooth or USB from any kind of Bluetooth-compatible device
-It works with most major multiplatform media standards out of the box and more (such as OGG) can be added through third party software

...I can't think of any function which requires me to connect the 5800 to my PC, and the proof of the pudding is in the eating: in four months of ownership I have never connected my 5800 to my PC except for file transfers of the kind that could be done with any computer running any OS. There is no reason why I would need Windows to use my 5800.

thanks Krisse. You seem to know well the 5800. Do you think that swaping a N95 by a 5800 would be a good move? Would I loose some key functionlity?
A N97 is much more expensive than the 5800....