Android phone data backup and weather widget question

[hunsnowboarder]

Hi there Everyone! This is my very first post on this forum. I have been a Nokia fan for years, but for a few months now I am totally thrilled and amazed by Android. So I decided to drop my Nokia phone, and buy a Samsung Galaxy S. I saved some money, and next month will have enough to buy my very first Android phone. I can?t wait to have that phone. However I decided to post on this forum to ask you two questions regarding the Samsung Galaxy S and Android.

1. As far as I understood Android synchronizes phone data in Google applications (Gmail, Google Calender, Googe Tasks, ect.). What if I do not have google account and do not intend to have one? Can I backup my contacts/messages/phone settings on my computer?

2. I saw that many phones (Samsung Galaxy S as well) have weather widgets on main screen which show the weather forecast. My question is that these weather widgets are available only if there is a wi-fi or mobile internet connection? If there is no internet available then these widgets disappear? Because I would like to get one of these widgets but I will have internet available to my mobile phone only at my home, so when I am outside or workplace there is no internet.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[CharlieMiddleton]

Hopefully this helps.

1a, Get a gmail account. Its free! You get the most storage from any web based provider. Also ive found that its easier to edit contacts and things like that on my desktop pc. Rather than on the phone!

1b, If you really dont want a @googlemail account. Then I would imagine that samsung will bundle some syncing software in the box. I know Htc do with the desire!

2. The weather widgets ''check'' in with a server at set intervals. Be it wifi, mobile data they wont disappear if they cant check in. They just might not be that accurate. For example. It checks in at 8am and in between then and the next scheduled you have no data connection for 4 hours. It will show you 8ams weather all day until it checks in again!

[hunsnowboarder]

Hi there CharlieMiddleton!

Thank you very much for your reply! Everything is clear now! Thanks!