Why Must Syncing With Outlook Be So Convoluted?

[hubsm]

I have been using a BB Storm (1 then 2) and before that a Palm Treo.  Because I have heard so much about The Droid X I thought I would upgrade.  However, after reading a bunch of forums, I am soooo glad I did not get any kind of Android phone.  I can't believe that a simple process like syncing a cell phone directly to Outlook, without involving Google or Gmail, is not possible.  Really?  When I first saw that on a forum I thought I must have been misreading it - but No!  All the solutions presented involved 3rd party apps and/or Google apps that make you sync everything to a Google calendar and Google contacts first.  Google claims that they don't try to control you like Apple, but obviously that is a lie.  I hardly think that Google can't figure out how to sync directly to Outlook - they just don't want to.  This is evident since they let you sync to Outlook in an enterprise environment, just not locally.

In addition to that, it really ticks me off when some Droid forum moderator tries to tell me that not being able to sync to Outlook is not an Android problem - I'm just stupid for wanting to sync with Outlook.

Am I off-base on this?

[Butthead]

You should purchased an Incredible. Htc sync is available and syncs with outlook. Motorola never promised out of the box sync.

[Willy_05]

this issue has been open for quite a while.  None of the solutions are adequate.  This is a critical application and should be supported "out of the box"  by Verizon and the phone manufacturers.   Until such time as the cloud is mature and secure, USB cable sync for Outlook keeping the phone synchronized (at least calendar and contacts) with home and office computers is NECESSARY.   This criterion should be in Verizon's specs for the manufacturers.

[Morkai]

Droid incredible only syncs phone contacts, not gmail, so you are stuck choosing between the two. Why someone decided to make it like that astounds me

[Wildman]

Thats the pleasures of having to work at Windows mercy, they do everything to restrict other OS from using their software, the only reason why BB can access the information from outlook without issues is because it routes everything through their own personal server to translate the information, if you think about it Google isn't handling the situation differently from BB but they just doing do it seamlessly.

[hubsm]

That decision is easy, I don't care about syncing anything from Gmail, I just don't want my contacts hanging out in the cloud.  My problem is that I wanted a Droid X, not an Incredible.

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Morkai wrote:
Droid incredible only syncs phone contacts, not gmail, so you are stuck choosing between the two. Why someone decided to make it like that astounds me

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[hubsm]

Sorry Wildman but I don't agree with the reasoning that the real culprit is Microsoft.  Not only can BB do it, but my old Palm Treo, not the bastian of technology, could do it 4 years ago.  If BB can do it and Palm can do it, why can't Google do it?  The answer is obvious - they can, they just don't want to.  All they really care about is derailing Microsoft.  They don't give a rip about the millions of people using Outlook.

On second thought, I guess this isn't a very important issue as compared to finding the best Android flashlight and fart apps.

[Wildman]

I agree its not all Microsoft but all OS prefer to be the OS favorite but this is the pleasures on competition. but let look at it realistically, not everyone have been having issues using android with outlook because the issues actually seem to be caused more from the network security configuration setting than the devices way of handling them.  As for BB they use there own server so the comparison isn't the same (Apples and oranges) but as for Palm I can not respond because I really do not know the Palm software enough, I only used it for maybe 6 months years ago.

I have two network push email accounts setup on my device and I am able to retrieve my emails without any issues and I am not using any 3rd party apps or forward through Google.

[hubsm]

I understand that Android works OK in an enterprise environment.  I don't have that.  I am running Outlook 2003 stand-alone.  I have yet to find anyone on any forum that has found a way to interface directly with Outlook, especially Contacts & Calendar, but also email.  There are threads all over the internet filled with people who are equally unhappy with how Google makes you do it.  I have had 2 Treo's and 2 Storms over the last 7 years and never had to do what Google makes you do.  It's not technology, its "just business".

[Wildman]

Sorry my misunderstanding, I didnt realize you was speaking the stand alone app... I dont try to sync data with outlook because I noticed issues syncing with WM devices so I didnt expect it to work correctly with any other OS...   You do get that you have to install additional software to use BB and Palm to sync even with the stand alone application? Actually I think it actually does not go through outlook but simply import csv file from outlook into BB and Palm software to tranfer information.

[hubsm]

I have never used WM so I can't respond to that but I have not had any problems syncing contacts or calendars from Outlook on Palm or BB.  If I had to install some other program to make it possible I don't remember ever doing it.  The same is true with email.  I am not looking to sync email, I just want my POP3 accounts to show up on my phone and also in Outlook without Gmail being involved.

I sit in front of my PC about 12+ hours a day, so most of the time I don't even have to look at the contacts, calendar, or email accounts (3) on my phone.  But, when I am not in front of my PC I do, so, the data needs to be there.  I have my POP3 accounts set to stay on the server.  I have my PC set to not download emails unless I ask for them.  I use a free program called ePrompter that lets me see the sender and title line of my emails before they ever go on the server.  I can then delete the ones I don't want and they never go on the server at all.  ePrompter does not work with Gmail without a bunch of problems.  I am not willing to give up ePrompter just so I can have a Droid X.  Why should I have to use Gmail at all if I don't want to?  I have never had to do it before, why should I have to do it now?

[Morkai]

Htc phones sync phone contacts with outlook just fine. Its google that chose to keep phone and google contacts completely separate with no way to easily sync them.

[Gumby]

Hubsm- I am in the same boat as you.  I use a desktop Outlook application for email and contacts.  I absolutely love the Droid X and all of it's capabilities.  I've had the HTC Incredible before this and both phones are great.  I prefer the voice quality of the Motorola - I'm one of those old fashioned types that still use the cellphone for a - well,  phone.  I don't want to be forced into syncing with Google or anyone else in the cloud.  I want my contacts and email in my control and not saved on some remote server for all eternity.  OK, rant over.  I do have a solution for you though.  I found small program on-line, it's called My Phone Explorer.  It connects and syncs with Android phone either via usb or wifi.  It's incredibly intuitive, loaded with features, syncs with Outlook and it's free.  You can download the desktop app at http://www.fjsoft.at/en/downloads.php or read more about it at Syncdroid.net   If you connect via usb the desktop app installs the drivers on your phone, if you go the wifi route you need to grab the phone client from the Android Market.  It can also sync multiple phones, all to your desktop at your convenience.  The developer does accept donations, but doesn't require them.  I made a donation because it's such a pleasant piece of kit, I want to encourage him to continue.

[hubsm · Accepted solution]

Problem solved.  MyPhoneExplorer does just want I need - and it's free (I will be donating).  Just shows what I said all along - Google could do it, they just don't want to.  Thanks Gumby

[rickcast66]

I've been using myPhoneExplorer. Not sure if I'm using it right. Do I need to have my g-mail account being synced and visable in the Calendars option of the settings int the calendar app?

[bearone21]

gumby:

this is a slick way of syncing outlook, thanks.