The Google sync with Outlook is lame. Calendars works fine, but Notes, Tasks, Contacts have problems. My contacts did not maintain addresses when moved to the DROID. I had to upload Notes as a csv and now it's a spreadsheet on the DROID and requires jumping through hoops to search and access quickly. I need something like the Palm sync that works with Outlook. I do not use OUtlook Exchange.
I like this PDA, but the OUtlook issue is a major one for anyone who is a serious business user/road warrior.
I used KiGoo and it worked pretty well. Bad part is the free trial is only for 30 days.
It looks like primarily a calendar sync app and that's one app that Google has down pretty well. I need Contact, Task and Notes sync as well and it needs to go both ways and maintain fields. It needs to be bulletproof.
I'm looking for this solution also. They have a sync application for outlook but not for this phone yet. Maybe when they get that done we can do this.
Until them my calander syncs every 2 hours via google and my emails come through POP3.
The Goodle calendar works great. I just wished the other databases did as well. Email isn't that big a problem. The Email app on the DROID is fine as long as you go into it and do manual setup for your accounts. I need Notes, Tasks and Contacts to work seamlessly.
Email is a problem. You pick a tone when you ge tone and it's annoying. You choose vibrate and it will continue to vibrate until you read the message.
With the crackberry it would vibrate once or twice and stop. That was perfect.
Just for the record, the ActiveSync capabilities on Android are basically the same as on the iPhone, i.e. mail and calendar works fine, but that's it. No support for notes or anything else. I don't know if this is because the iPhone and Android developers simply haven't added the features, or if Microsoft's licensing of the ActiveSync protocol for third-party use only allows mail and calendars to be synced. As far as I know, right now Windows Mobile is the only mobile OS that supports full ActiveSync capabilities. Blackberry might allow full syncing as well, but it uses its own proprietary interface, not ActiveSync.
Now, on to a potential solution. It appears that there's a third-party utility that may help in this manner. While not free, it's not terribly expensive. It's called CompanionLink:
The way it looks, this software will syncronize your Outlook data with a Gmail account, and then you can sync your Gmail account with your Android phone via Google Sync. In case you're wondering what Google Sync is, it's a (free) service that lets you access your Gmail account via the ActiveSync protocol, similar to a Microsoft Exchange server connection. According to the above website, all data types, including notes, are supported using this method.
Theoretically, you can take this one step further, and setup your Outlook to connect to Google Sync as well, thus eliminating the need for CompanionLink. However, I haven't personally tested this to see if it's possible, and I don't know what this could potentially do to your existing Outlook profile, so proceed at your own risk. If you're unsure, CompanionLink seems to be your best bet at the moment.
: {no third party software/apps links please}
Anyone tried HTC Sync on the Verizon Droid??? It is free.
http://www.htc.com/uk/SupportViewNews.aspx?dl_id=756&news_id=339
Info at http://news.softpedia.com/news/HTC-Updates-HTC-Sync-for-HTC-Magic-Hero-and-Tattoo-126964.shtml
I haven't jumped ship on to the Droid because I love my Outlook and Droid won't sync to it.
I'll vouch for the NitroDesk TouchDown app (available via the market). I've been running it since Friday afternoon after last week after getting my Droid.
Some additional weaknesses of Exchange support if you stick with the built-in stuff in Android 2.0 that I've discovered so far:
1) To get to the e-mails in folders, you have to select the folder and then do a refresh. In the case of the Sent Items folder, it can be a slow process to wait for that refresh, and you'll only see recent items.
2) no support for auto signatures when sending;
3) can't get to global address book (GAL);
4) no support for enforcing password security or remote-wipe via Exchange policies (important for us IT folk);
5) can't open ".eml" (forwarded messages);
6) no support or sync of Tasks/To-Do lists (as mentioned);
7) no support or sync for Memos (as mentioned);
I'm currently using NitroDesk TouchDown ($10) which cures all of the above except for the very last one (Memos). So far it works pretty well and has good flexibility and configuration options.
I have looked at the Touchdown app ... looked pretty good, but it seems that it will not support multiple local/global folders for either contacts or tasks? I had heard that they are planning these features, but not in the near future due to hi priority items still pending?!?!?
I have exchange server in my office and use Outlook for my email, calendar, contacts (business & personal folders) and tasks (multiple folders). I am looking to make sure I can do all of the below items before buying an Android phone. If not, I guess I will need to go to a Blackberry?
1. Email support for multiple folders?
2. View email attachments (PDF, WORD & EXCEL files). This seems to be handled with all of them via DocsToGo?
3. Calendar support with exchange. Does it support 'private' appointments in outlook? I set up private appointments & these would be displayed on the phone, but masked on outlook (except those with viewing rights).
4. Contacts: support multiple contacts(personal - local folder) & global shared folder with other users in the office.
5. Memos: not important as I could use tasks just as easily for some of these that I use.
6. Tasks: this is actually one of the most critical issues for me as I use these to track several personal and shared projects. I need be able to sync multiple folders (local & shared global) from exchange with the phone. Do the tasks support folders as well as 'categories' and' due date'? Are there limitations for the length of text in the 'note' field. The other fields are not so important provided that no info would get truncated during syncs.
Thanks-
Suggest you take a look at the Motorola discussion boards. The censorship here is trulely amazing.
_bookbean1 wrote:Suggest you take a look at the Motorola discussion boards. The censorship here is trulely amazing.
Or over at http://androidforums.com/ or http://www.droidforums.net/forum/
No VZW Nazis over there.....
I have my Outlook Calendar and Mail synced to my Google email account and the Google account shows up on my Droid.
Calendar: Google Calendar Sync - had a bit of trouble getting Holidays setup properly - somehow I had duplicates from Outlook and Google. Download app from Google.
Mail: Kind of a strange setup, but it works for me. I have several email accounts and I didn't want all my mail going to the Droid, lots of junk. That made it harder to setup.
1) I have email from all non-Gmail accounts Forwarded to my Comcast account (when I forward from my email it does not stop the original message - it duplicates the message to a second destination - your email may just re-direct to the new destination) . The Forwarding is done at the service provider, not Outlook. Your computer and/or Outlook do not have to be running. If you want everything to go to your phone then just Forward to Gmail and you are done. Don't want everything then go to step two.
2) Comcast has a nice filter system to control email. I have one rule to forward mail (all accounts) to Gmail based on the "From" field. I have a dozen "Forms".
If From contains "joe@Domain.com" or From contains "@work.com" then Forward to Gmail and File into Folder ForwardToGmail.
This filter fires 1st. This is great. It get just the people I want redirected to my phone, but now I have duplicate message in my Outlook ( see explanation in step 1).
3) I created a 2nd Comcast filter to dump the duplicates. This filter is based on the "To" field for each of the Forwarded accounts.
If To contains Tony@Account1.net or To contains "Tony@Account2" then File into Folder TRASH.
All this forwarding and filtering takes place quickly and before it gets to Outlook!
Updates on my original post.
I have bought CompanionLink for Google, which, for $40, will do the sync between Google and OUtlook. It maintains proper contact fields and categories. Notes are copied to the Google Contacts database and denoted with |M| markers, since Google doesn't have a separate Notes database. If you use it, remember to uninstall from your PC the separate Google calendar app if you use it, otherwise you'll get duplicates. Still trying to get tasks to work. I don't have Microsoft Exchange. Only problem is that I think I have to buy a separate license for my laptop if I want to sync it to CompanionLink. I'm trying to get a clarification on that from the company.
I bought the RoadSync app from the Verizon Marketplace to sync with Outlook 2007 after finding out that I couldn't open any attachments with the regular mail system. (If you use Gmail or web-based email you should not have this problem.) It works great for me but you need to make sure to get the correct settings for the Exchange Server. Get the free version of RoadSync and test it out before you buy it.
Good Luck and keep posting info so we can all get over our growing pains! 
I found a easy app to sync with my enterprise outlook. Its called Exchange by Touchdown. It does cost $9.99 but it works great. You can find it at in the Market, search Exchange By Touchdown.
Good Luck.... It has worked very well for me. Email, Calendar, Contacts....
I had problems with Google Sync also. I finally found an application called gsync. I found it on {no third party software/apps links please} . Sorry I had to type it out. For some reason it would not allow me to put in the hyper link. It worked well. I believe I paid $14.99 for it. I use an older version of Outlook. It is the 2003 version. You may want to visit their site. Good luck.
Okay, so I searched and downloaded the program from HTC's site to sync my Eris to Outlook. My contacts & calendar are now in my phone. Why won't they sync to gmail from my phone??? I am constantly making changes to my contacts while in the field and need to know they will be in sync. A one way connection is worthless. I thought I was getting away from syncing to the computer all the time.
Please help
Can't believe its 2010 and there are no solid answers for the Droid and non-exchange Outlook users? I should have checked the forums before switching but this task seemed like such a basic necessity.
Did anyone get their Blackberry back? I would like to keep the Droid.
How to Sync your Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar and Android Phone Calendar
This is somewhat a free way to do it (based on your choice of calendar in the market or your stock calendar, free). Also when I synced, my 1000+ contact list transferred from my Outlook (2007) to my Gmail, then to my Android (Droid Bionic). I was so HAPPY since I am a former Blackberry user and acquired many contacts throughout the years. All contact info transferred, all notes were visible on my phone, which is the objective. I downloaded and paid for "Business Calendar" and set up my Gmail account (which I do NOT use, but for syncing purposes) for my phone.
Good luck.
Natalie-
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
