I am looking for a (hopefully free) ap to sync my PC Outlook contacts, emails, calendar, tasks with the appropriate RAZR aps. The Android market and VZ market reviews of the products are all over the board with some saying "Great ap" and others saying "Junk" about the same product. Anybody found a really good product that syncs reliably between your RAZR and Outlook?
There are a ton of options, which is part of what makes it confusing. You can look at this grid which shows you which programs sync what data and how. You can even click on the program and get instructions on how to do it.
Sometimes people write bad reviews because it doesn't work with their version of Outlook, or it doesn't support sync of some feature (calendar, tasks, etc.) that the software never claimed to sync with. The chart should help you filter down your options. Many of the apps have free or trial versions too so you can try it.
I used to use Outlook but have since switched over to Google for mail, calendar, etc. so I'm afraid I can't give any personal recommendations. Having said that, it looks like MyPhoneExplorer has a lot of downloads and good reviews - and it's free! DejaOffice-Outlook also got good many good reviews and is free. So maybe they're worth trying.
tjg is it Outlook in stand-alone mode or connected to an Exchange server?
Smashogre,
My Outlook is the stand alone version.
JG
Ok. SallyC's reccomendations are good. Thing is(without looking at the apps)I do not see a way that anything can sync with your Outlook unless there is some sort of "agent" software running on the workstation that has Outlook on it.
Smash,
I agree - the ap would need an agent on the PC to apply the "sync" items on that side.
Tjg - have you looked at any of the links? I don't think you're going to find someone who's going to be able to tell you "the solution" unless they, by chance, have the exact same software versions, setup and sync requirements as you. But there are some pretty popular options linked to and the grid should help you narrow it down more if you are having problems. The grid page even tells you how to do if you click on the program link.
Sally, Yes, I have looked at some of the links and they are very helpful. I appreciate everyone's input - it is giving me the info I hoped to get before making a leap.
Thanks,
JG
CompanionLink is the only app that does what you want correctly but it isnt free.... Check it out at http://www.companionlink.com/
Touchdown, which is what I use - will sync everything you want it to sync. I've used it in both an Exchange and a stand alone configuration.
I thought Touchdown was only for Corporate Email Syncing....
Nope, it's got an Outlook piece, I haven't set it up in the new version but it worked well with my OG Droid and Incredible.
tjg,
Since I first got my Droid RAZR, I ran into the same dilemma regarding the sync with Outlook. I also came across the same grid/website that SallyC suggested here earlier. I tried several of the free tools in the list, but none of them were reliable enough. I ended up signing up for Google Apps for Business. I am still in the free trial period and so far so good.
I will start soon paying for Google service but it will be worth the $5/month.
I hope this helps
Motorola does not provide any Outlook sync method (others like HTC and Samsung do). However, there are many third party programs/apps to sync Outlook with the Droid RAZR. Some are free and others are paid. www.syncdroid.net has a fairly complete list of all the solutions and gives a review of them.
Since you are using Outlook as standalone instead of with an Exchange server, you may set up your Outlook and RAZR to use your email account as an IMAP account, which will keep the email on the server and you will view it from both Outlook and the RAZR. If you change it in Outlook, it will be reflected immediately on the RAZR and vice versa. Just keep in mind that you have a limited amount of space on that email server, so don't keep a ton of emails (and clean your sent and deleted items often!).
Then you will need to choose your sync solution for calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes. Because Android devices do not have task or note apps (only calendar and contact apps), a third party app must be installed to sync these with Outlook. If a solution is listed at syncdroid.net that says will sync tasks or notes, then you will find apps provided for it.
Very simple ... Google Calendar Sync
http://support.google.com/calendar/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=89955
It's not really that simple, since the OP said he needs to sync email, contacts and tasks as well. The calendar sync method you mention is really good, but it is only once piece of the solution requested.
For email, you would set up gmail as another account on your outlook profile, then all of your outlook emails will go to your gmail acount as well and show up on your phone.
For the Calendar Google Calendar Sync is an excellent app. Simple to set up and use
For Contacts - Go Contact Sync which was designed to sync Gmail contacts with Outlook. it serves no other purpose and works excellent
For email, you would set up gmail as another account on your outlook profile, then all of your outlook emails will go to your gmail acount as well and show up on your phone.
For the Calendar Google Calendar Sync is an excellant app. Simple to set up and use
For Contacts - Go Contact Sync which was designed to sync Gmail contacts with Outlook. it serves no other purpose and works excellant.
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