Q: How to locally sync an iPhone with OS X Mavericks? iCloud is NOT an option.

You are not one of the top gearhead I was referring to ... and I do appreciate your help as you are one of the most helpful people here. Pointing people’s miswordings or errors and snarky remarks does not resolve the stated problem.

Try reading the TOS. This is not the place for debating those things.

For those now stuck with mavericks you'll want to be a lot more vigilant with your firewall settings when it comes background processes connecting to icloud.

For example, even if you still don't have an icloud account, calendaragent in calendaragent.framework is already making plenty of outgoing connections to icloud servers.

Can't find it now but a similar address book agent is also making outgoing connections to icloud servers.

If you place a shred of value in the privacy of the people (friends, family and business contacts) and their personal information in your address book then the best thing would be to block any outgoing connections to icloud in your firewall preferences.

If this situation is not corrected we might face the prospect of having to remove all contacts from the native address book app and find a safer 3rd party application. Same goes for calendar.

Those apps are half useless now that they don't locally sync anyway.

Not being able to sync locally is SERIOUS DEFICIENCY.  I travel to places where there is no access to iCloud.  I also do not want to use iCloud at all.  Come on Apple!  Give us back the option of local sync. 

I am playing with my new note3 now, but I really want my iphone

is there any way at all, other then the iCloud to get my contacts off my phone to anywhere on my computer.  I really will feel stupid doing it with a pencil and paper or loads of screen shots

I said this up thread and while it's similar to iCloud, I simply could not get Outlook for Mac 2011 to sync with iCloud. Wife wants to use Outlook. So, solution for me was to set up an exchange online acct. Costs $4 per month and wife is happy. I know it's not local syncing, but like it or not, an exchange set-up works like a charm. For us, iCloud simply did not work.

I said this up thread and while it's similar to iCloud, I simply could not get Outlook for Mac 2011 to sync with iCloud. Wife wants to use Outlook. So, solution for me was to set up an exchange online acct. Costs $4 per month and wife is happy. I know it's not local syncing, but like it or not, an exchange set-up works like a charm. For us, iCloud simply did not work.

Right. We don't (I don't) expect that they would gurentee against data loss. My issue, as is most people here, is that Apple will not / can not guarentee our data AND THEY REMOVED our ability to maintain our data. You can backup the PIM data using Time Machine or other means but you can't recover individual contacts or calendar events. SOL. We are left with using Apple iCloud, not syncing our data across all the pricey Apple products we own, or moving on to something different.

Yes, we control our data, until we don't. Take it or leave it. Usually the case. MY frustration is that it didn't need to be this way. It only has to be this way because they are looking to monetize OUR personal data the same way other companies are. They are betting on us giving it over freely. Many people do. Those people don't get it. Nothing in this world is free. Someone had to pay for it, whatever the it is that you are using. Google makes a lot of money advertising to your contacts. Whether or not Apple plans to or is doesn't matter. They will if you "freely" give them your contacts.

Then there is privacy... For all those that think your data is encrypted on iCloud, it's not. Only when it moves between devices. Don't think for a minute that they hesitate to hand it over when asked. BTW... They all do... Hand it over. I have nothing to hide. I DO have a right to privacy. I'll hold on to that right till I die. As we should all.

you can't recover individual contacts or calendar events.

Neither can you if you store your data locally, so what does that have to do with anything?

they are looking to monetize OUR personal data the same way other companies are.

Please show one shred of evidence of this. Apple are not an advertising company like Google.

Nothing in this world is free. Someone had to pay for it, whatever the it is that you are using.

A 'free' iCloud account is paid for in the purchase cost of an iCloud capable device. Apple makes no secret of this.

For all those that think your data is encrypted on iCloud, it's not. Only when it moves between devices.

Wrong. Stop posting such incorrect and misleading information. Read:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4865

Don't think for a minute that they hesitate to hand it over when asked. BTW... They all do... Hand it over.

Only if required to BY LAW. Apple is not above the law and cannot refuse legal requests anymore than you can. Would you want Apple operating their business without abiding by the law?

As noted by RobertCalliau  the only solution is a server "somewhere."  Some chose OSX server (has cal and card DAV built in), I mentioned the open source Darwin server:

http://www.ronregev.com/misc/pim_server_tutorial/

AND I found another very light weight solution here:

http://radicale.org/

While this does not address USB sync directly, it is a necessary step because sync services have been removed from Maverick.   One might complain and gnash teeth about Apple taking it out or even hope they bring it back (not likely IMO). However that is not immediate nor (arguably) productive. So I would suggest the server solution is NECESSARY -- certainly is today or until Apple put sync services back or someone creates an do-it-all app.

Any of the above will work fine on a OSX server, laptop, or desktop (even for local connection), thus providing the necessary "server" locally.  Connecting a client to it via WiFi or ethernet is obviously trivial and can be accomplished without additional network gear via internet sharing or a bluetooth PAN between the needed peers/clients.  For a USB solution one must add another step and that is to "reverse tether."   This is available.  A simple google will turn up lots of docs for pretty much any client, but here are a couple of links:

Android

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2287494

PC/Windows

Way too many links to list

<Edited By Host>

Hi all,

a wonderfull and interesting discussion bringing out all the tricks and treats behind the scene.

I am personally very unhappy and angry because I lost all my data starting from 2000 on my iCal because even after hours of apple support (money lost and time) and days spending in the internet the cloud (money/time) it does not work. I meanwhile have 4 different and substancially reduced calendars on 3 devices and the iCloud. I call this data loss. It harms my business. I pay for a working device or software and not for try outs. 

So I woulkd like to look at all this mess from different points of view:

1) technically - does not work - see above

2) usability - if you travel a lot and you have no net in many areas or pay a lot, what shall you do? Manually enter each entry, because whilst on the phone I work with my MBP and on the way I use my iPad or iPhone for entering dates. For me there is no reason to force someone in the cloud, especially if there is a working sync service.

3) security - talk about the known leaks and usage of our data without letting us know and without asking.

4) business - you pay a lot for a working software and hardware. If this you payed for ruins your data it is normally a recourse or even legal issue. Apple does like all the other big companies to avoid taxes and escaping any recourse. I had this concerning some tax issues with apple. Asking them for a legal bill they answered: we are a US company and the law of Germany does not apply. Ridiculous. I finally won the case, but imagine this behavior, this general thinking and mindset. - reference to snozdop above - keep dreaming

So finally you pay but get no support, even if you loose your data. Bringing them to court means you have to have a lot of money.

5) future - the more they force you in the cloud, the more they make. Today 5 gig are free. What will be in the future? Look at the buy more space button. Here you can see where all this will lead, to bloodsucking and captivity.

Finally, if it would work and security would be garanteed (not trusting the words, inspection is the solution) I would walk this way if there are no alternatives, but apple fails in all aspects. What are the values meanwhile: profit without service?! Other brands have fallen due to smaller issues. Thsi will damage the brand.

Freedom means you are having a choice. I feel like in prison at the moment. This is not my choice. I search for alternatives and looking at ubuntu or modzilla there is hope.

Brendt

Brent, see my notes above.  The items I mention are (relatively) easy to implement and achieve what you are after (e.g. traveling etc.)

Thanks insol.

Have you tried syncmate? Did anybody try syncmate?

Cheers

Brendt

Hi, I mentioned earlier in this thread that there seems to be apps which enable you to do back up and export contacts directly from your iphone. I haven't looked at them all but one is called Contacts Kit. I've played around with it a bit, seems to work fine. Try it or other similar ones out, see if they fit your need.

Thanks stokesymadrid

I will try and post a report

Cheers

Brendt