Mobile phone Mac interface

[guest7]

I managed to download some pics from my phone to my Mac the other day with no problems, however this evening when I connect the phone to the USB lead the Mac doesn't show a device icon on the desktop (although the phone is getting charged so I'm guessin gthe cable is ok).

Any thoughts on how I can access the device from the Mac?

GC

[guest27]

If it is pictures you are looking to down load try iPhoto.  It should open as soon as it detects pikkies there.  What OS are you running?  If you have 10.5 or 10.6 it could well be that iPhoto has opened in a different pane and is waiting on your input.  Panes are usualy revealed by running the mouse down to the bottom left of the screen.  Or click on the iPhoto icon in the Dock.

It should be showing as a volume on the desk top mind - did you put it away properly last time you disconnected it? (thre the icon in the bin or selected 'Eject disk"?  If not you may have caused the pixies a head ache - look in Disk Utility and see if the phone is listed there, if it is select it and select 'Mount" or "Mount New Volume" and it should pop up on the desk top.

If this does not help let me know and I will have a think.

R

[guest7]

No sign of the device in disk utility nor iPhoto 

Last time it did exactly what you would expect it to, I plugged it in and it opened a volume on the desktop.

Ho hum, try again tomorrow

GC

[guest868]

Without knowing what phone you have I'm not sure what interface you are presented with when you connect the USB cable. Sony's will generally display a window asking you in what mode you want the phone to be.
Have you tried bluetoothing the files across instead? FWIW 2nd Gen bluetooth that comes with HTC's etc is shite and not backwards compatible.

[guest7]

Phone is a Motorola W375 and I'm using Mac OSX Version 10.4.2.

What's annoying about this is the first time I tried it the other week it was plug and play... and now it's plug and nay.

Yes I did drag the folder into the trash bin and ejected before removing the device when I first used it.

GC

[guest27]

Hi there

Macs are pretty idiot proof, unfortunatly you not being an idiot can probably break it 

It is not showing in disk utility and is not kicking iPhoto into action.

1.  Do you actually have photos on the phone?

2. Is the USB cable working?

3. Is the USB port working.

With the phone plugged in. If you go into the Apple menu and select "About this Mac" you should get a little ox of info up.  There is a option to see more info.  Select it.  You should have an offer on 'hardware' and near the end is one named USB, if you select this it will tell you what is attached to your USB ports.  Does it detect the phone?

Have you tried different USB ports?

Are you going through a hub - including the USB on the keyboard if there is one, or are you using a USB on the Mac?

I have had occasional issues with cameras not liking the hub ports but being fine on the main ports - not sure why.

R

[guest7]

Aha! got it! I did check it out and the Mac does recognise that a USB device is connected, but that wasn't the issue. I did a google on the problem with very little luck until I half-heartedly clicked on about the 30th result for the search. A bloke mentioned that for half a second when you plug the USB cable in the phone displays a message saying "do you want to connect this as a storage device?'.

The first time I tried to click 'yes' I missed it, but on the second attempt all was ticketyboo and the Mac opened a folder called 'MS Device'. from where it was a doddle to grab the images.

Thanks for all your help though guys... bloody technology eh?

GC

[guest868]

Without knowing what phone you have I'm not sure what interface you are presented with when you connect the USB cable. Aha! Sony's will generally display a window asking you in what mode you want the phone to be.