How can I merge contact lists?

So, many years ago (pre cellphones), I started building my contact list. It defined my success in business.

First, I had an old IBM XT with a database software. Then a PalmPilot. Later moved in to a Blackberry. I built my contact list to over 4000 names. I was pretty good at backing things up, and I WAS IN CONTROL of the list.

When I switched to a smart phone, I didn't realize it was limited in the size of it's contact list. I lost 3/4 of my contact list when I imported.

Since then, technologies have changed. My devices are better at handling contact lists, but they are also continuously trying to grab the data to upload for their own purposes. This annoys me, and I am no longer in control.

Not much I can do to fix that.

But in the quest for data grabbing, it seems devices are particularly bad at sharing in any manner that doesn't risk spreading it all over the web.

I would like ONE contact list, and a bit of ability to merge/ control/ access/ etc on my own.

I now use an iPhone, an iPad, a MacBook, a PC, 6 different gmail accounts, Outlook (on several devices), and a LinkedIn account. No FaceBook for me (yet). Each one of these devices/ accounts has its own contact list, and captures the data very well, but there doesn't seem to be any clean way to merge them, without opening the gate wide open for spam, etc.

Even with the Mac devices, which back up cleanly to the cloud, I can't seem to get to share data between 2 devices.

I probably now have 6-8000 names on various contact lists, and no way to pull them into 1 place. This is really annoying.

Maybe I need a contact management system. Maybe I a different device, or a cloud based secure backup. Maybe I need to give in to the dark side and trust FaceBook for all my needs.

First, I need advice from the hive.

That's a lot of contacts. I just deal with separate lists, but I have way less numbers to deal with, so it's not too bad. I imagine that someone here has the answer to this.

in some other thread on here someone was talking about getting into the 'start-up scene' for software writers.

Here's an idea to get you into the club. Just sayin.

In reply to rcutclif:

I agree.

There have got to be a lot of other people like me.

The data grabbing really pisses me off. Companies like LinkedIn are really aggressive and thoroughly deceptive in how they do it, and what their purposes are.

These are MY contacts. No, I am NOT interesting in you grabbing them, then soliciting every single one of them for their contact lists, as if you are me.

Yes, the LinkedIn "give me access to you email account" is OBSCENE. I almost unsubscribed until I realized I could just ignore it / go around it. Very shady.

For Apple devices: if you iCloud settings are set to share contacts, they SHOULD do that across devices.

aircooled wrote: Yes, the LinkedIn "give me access to you email account" is OBSCENE. I almost unsubscribed until I realized I could just ignore it / go around it. Very shady. For Apple devices: if you iCloud settings are set to share contacts, they SHOULD do that across devices.

That's helpful. I'll check into it.

I don't think you can avoid the LinkedIn crap forever. I've been on it a long time, and I have found that they keep trying harder, and restricting my usage more and more without access to my email account. Their system becomes less functional over time if you don't give them what they want.

I'd pick one gmail account (or create a website through them with their free business apps, setup your own personalized domain and email addresses, merge them with your existing gmail accounts, etc.) and use that to store and manage your contact list.

You can bulk import and export contacts in Gmail using CSV's and keep that synced with your idevices by adding that account and specifying that you only want contacts from it.

Merging gmail contacts:

https://support.google.com/mail/answer/165334