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Is there a decent option to sync desktop Outlook with an Android phone?

mmoser

Newbie
Jun 28, 2010
31
1
I bought me an HTC Desire about 2 weeks ago but since then I am cut off my Desktop Outlook which I use as my main calendar on the desktop.

HTC Sync that came with it flew off my system when after about a week it suddenly started to remove ALL items (from the device as well as from the desktop)! Fortunately I had a backup that was only a day old, so not much lost.

Next I tried "Missing Sync" but that program lives up to its name - it's sync is still missing! Instead reproducible crashes due to SQLite exceptions - clearly some programming error.

So, IS there ANY option to sync an HTC Desire / Android 2.1 phone decently with a desktop Outlook 2007? Or do I really have to revert to my previous Windows Mobile phone?

Michael
 
I'm a Thunderbird user, and I can assure you I had more hoops to jump through than your are going to have. Persevere though for android works whilst Windows promises to. Create a google account and use it to sync. You change a phone number in your phone, go home and it's changed in your Outlook same with appointments etc. I'm simplifying it but that's what you get in the end. You will find that syncing outlook with google easy. You never need to use your created google account. It is not used for anything other than a sync interface.

EDIT: Tasks on Thunderbird was the most difficult to do.


Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
 
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I'm a Thunderbird user, and I can assure you I had more hoops to jump through than your are going to have. Persevere though for android works whilst Windows promises to. Create a google account and use it to sync. You change a phone number in your phone, go home and it's changed in your Outlook same with appointments etc. I'm simplifying it but that's what you get in the end. You will find that syncing outlook with google easy. You never need to use your created google account. It is not used for anything other than a sync interface.

EDIT: Tasks on Thunderbird was the most difficult to do.


Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

Could you elaborate more specifically? I am very interested in this as well.
 
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Ok, just to clear up some confusing terms in this thread:

There are three main types of e-mail accounts, Exchange, IMAP, and POP.

Microsoft Outlook is an e-mail CLIENT that can be used with all three of the above e-mail accounts.

The built-in Android email application can be configured to receive and send mail through these account types as well.

The easiest way to sync a non-Exchange based Outlook calendar is by using a Google account and installing a program called "Google Calendar Sync" on your PC to synchronize the Outlook calendar to your Google calendar. Then your appointments will show up on your phone (as long as your Google account is setup properly). This method is simple, and does not require you to physically attach your phone to your computer.

-Mike
 
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The easiest way to sync a non-Exchange based Outlook calendar is by using a Google account and installing a program called "Google Calendar Sync" on your PC to synchronize the Outlook calendar to your Google calendar. Then your appointments will show up on your phone (as long as your Google account is setup properly). This method is simple, and does not require you to physically attach your phone to your computer.
-Mike
This is simple, but there you copy your calendar and contacts to the hosted server outside of your own desktop computer. Everyone doesn't like that, they want to keep their info for themselves. Using Google, you need internet connection to sync, too.

There are some desktop sync software (not free), check these:
- Companionlink: Sync Microsoft Outlook with an Android phone using USB cable | CompanionLink
- Mark/space's Missing Sync: Sync Software for Mobile Smartphones to Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows Vista - Sync Mac and PC!
 
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This is simple, but there you copy your calendar and contacts to the hosted server outside of your own desktop computer. Everyone doesn't like that, they want to keep their info for themselves. Using Google, you need internet connection to sync, too.

There are some desktop sync software (not free), check these:
- Companionlink: Sync Microsoft Outlook with an Android phone using USB cable | CompanionLink
- Mark/space's Missing Sync: Sync Software for Mobile Smartphones to Mac OS X, Windows XP and Windows Vista - Sync Mac and PC!

I'd have more issues with someone reading my e-mail over someone reading my calendar entries. I figured if the person was using Outlook for e-mail and calendar that they would have a persistent internet connection.

I prefer the free and easy solutions over the "pay some money and pray that it works" method.

-Mike
 
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I bought me an HTC Desire about 2 weeks ago but since then I am cut off my Desktop Outlook which I use as my main calendar on the desktop.

HTC Sync that came with it flew off my system when after about a week it suddenly started to remove ALL items (from the device as well as from the desktop)! Fortunately I had a backup that was only a day old, so not much lost.

Next I tried "Missing Sync" but that program lives up to its name - it's sync is still missing! Instead reproducible crashes due to SQLite exceptions - clearly some programming error.

So, IS there ANY option to sync an HTC Desire / Android 2.1 phone decently with a desktop Outlook 2007? Or do I really have to revert to my previous Windows Mobile phone?

Michael

Hi Michael,

I had the same error and was sent an update that fixed it. One good thing I've noticed is that Mark Space has regularly been updating/improving their apps. I would contact their support, if you have not already.

https://support.markspace.com/index.php?_m=tickets&_a=submit

It worked for me.
 
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Ok, just to clear up some confusing terms in this thread:

There are three main types of e-mail accounts, Exchange, IMAP, and POP.

Microsoft Outlook is an e-mail CLIENT that can be used with all three of the above e-mail accounts.

The built-in Android email application can be configured to receive and send mail through these account types as well.

The easiest way to sync a non-Exchange based Outlook calendar is by using a Google account and installing a program called "Google Calendar Sync" on your PC to synchronize the Outlook calendar to your Google calendar. Then your appointments will show up on your phone (as long as your Google account is setup properly). This method is simple, and does not require you to physically attach your phone to your computer.

-Mike

Thanks. That seems like the easiest method.
 
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Hi Michael,
I had the same error and was sent an update that fixed it. One good thing I've noticed is that Mark Space has regularly been updating/improving their apps. I would contact their support, if you have not already.
https://support.markspace.com/index.php?_m=tickets&_a=submit
It worked for me.

I did and also got a new version, which then didn't crash any more for the calendar entries but still when synchronizing my contacts.
Their support then suggested a lengthy "binary search" procedure to figure out, which entry/-ies cause(s) the crash but I decided to spare me that effort and rather requested a refund, since I am not willing to act as beta-tester, let alone as cheap debug-assistant, at least not for SW that I paid for...

M.
 
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I'm due for an upgrade of my HTC diamond and changing away from the dreadful Windows 6.5. Now looking at Galaxy S, Beam and Iphone 4.

Dunno why we don't get HTC EVO or Motorola Droid.

I like Androids live wall paper, tethering, etc etc. but sync with both outlook contact and calendar is a must to me. Got stucked here, I don't understand why Google hated Microsoft this much?

I think Iphone 4 can sync both Contact and Calendar with outlook, but also half pass six type.

Windows 7? scared of the platform already, MS is loosing steam.

Anyone have a good solution for both outlook contact and calendar sync with Android phone, either through cables or Wi-fi or bluetooth connection? :thinking:
 
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I'm afraid the best combination right now is DejaOffice plus CompanionLink USB. The sync is very tedious and lengthy but at least it works more or less and doesn't corrupt anything (so far - knocking on wood).




Others I tried and removed again were:
  • HTC Sync (repeatedly corrupted/deleted PC outlook data even if told that the sync direction is strictly PC => Mobile ONLY! Never again!)
  • MissingSync (syncs take forever, always crashes on my Contact, lousy phone app).
  • MyLink Advanced (prepends some contacts with title and/or blanks - sorting thus totally messed up, no way to limit calendar range - syncs thus take forever..., tasks have no completed-concept - syncs and show ALL old tasks, notes don't sync either).
I miss my excellent Windows Mobile calendar "Pocket Informant" or even the standard Windows Mobile PIM apps (Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Task). Those were lightyears beyond what's available for Android so far...

But at least Android has a decent and usable browser - something that drove me nuts with WM for the last 5 years...

Michael
 
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Seems to me everyone is making it very complicated.

If you don't want to go through the Google cloud why not just setup your email account on your phone using IMAP? Why the need to use one client to download (Outlook) and then push your emails over to your phone? Why not just use two clients? Outlook and you Android phone. If you set them both up with IMAP everything will always be in sync and you don't have to dock to get your latest mails.
 
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Michael (mmoser) HTC Sync works perfectly for me on my Evo 4G. I sync my Outlook 2010 calendar and contacts with the default HTC/Android People & Calendar apps through USB. I use Astrid Tasks (another free app) to sync my tasks to Outlook 2010 tasks by going through an intermediary web service at RememberTheMilk.com which can auto-sync with Outlook 2010 using a free plug in. So none of my data is in the Google cloud. If you have an HTC phone you may want to re-try HTC Sync to see if a fresh install helps.
 
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Michael (mmoser) HTC Sync works perfectly for me on my Evo 4G.... If you have an HTC phone you may want to re-try HTC Sync to see if a fresh install helps.
No - thanks! I tried HTC Sync twice (i.e. I DID an un- and -reinstall after the first incident) and both times, after a day or so it suddenly started to delete contacts and calendar entries in my Outlook (and it explicitly showed that in its detailed view, that it now just had removed 50+ entries and when I verified they were indeed gone!) even though I had explicitly set the sync direction to be PC => Mobile ONLY.

When it did that again after the second install I definitely deleted it off my device (and my radar). A sync app that corrupts my data is simply not acceptable!

Michael
 
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you want but have you tried Touchdown? The only thing it doesn't do is Notes.
OK, maybe I never explicitly stated what I am seeking: I am looking for the possibility to conveniently (and acceptably quick!) sync my Outlook PIM data directly with my HTC Desire ('directly' meaning: WITHOUT needing an Exchange server and especially WITHOUT having to echo all data via Google). The suggestions Touchdown (seems to work only via an Exchange server) and gSyncit (transfers data to Google) are thus no solution for me.

In essence I want something like ActiveSync for Windows Mobile devices plus decent application counterparts for the different PIM info types (Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Notes) on the Android side such that I can see and modify all my Outlook data also on my Android phone.

Michael
 
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OK, maybe I never explicitly stated what I am seeking: I am looking for the possibility to conveniently (and acceptably quick!) sync my Outlook PIM data directly with my HTC Desire ('directly' meaning: WITHOUT needing an Exchange server and especially WITHOUT having to echo all data via Google). The suggestions Touchdown (seems to work only via an Exchange server) and gSyncit (transfers data to Google) are thus no solution for me.

In essence I want something like ActiveSync for Windows Mobile devices plus decent application counterparts for the different PIM info types (Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Notes) on the Android side such that I can see and modify all my Outlook data also on my Android phone.

Michael

Michael ... I understand what you are looking for, but unfortunately I don't think it exists right now. I've been searching high and low for what you describe for a week now and I haven't found a thing. The closest i have found are Gsyncit and CompanionLink's software, but they have mixed reviews and use google for part or all of the syncing. It's very frustrating.

Like you, i don't necessarily want all my info flowing thru Google, but i might just have to bite the bullet. :(
 
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No - thanks! I tried HTC Sync twice (i.e. I DID an un- and -reinstall after the first incident) and both times, after a day or so it suddenly started to delete contacts and calendar entries in my Outlook (and it explicitly showed that in its detailed view, that it now just had removed 50+ entries and when I verified they were indeed gone!) even though I had explicitly set the sync direction to be PC => Mobile ONLY.

When it did that again after the second install I definitely deleted it off my device (and my radar). A sync app that corrupts my data is simply not acceptable!

Michael

Well I can't explain what happened in your case, but myself and a lot of other people have been using HTC Sync without incident. I have mine set to sync both directions so that the newest data takes precedence. In practice I mostly update my Evo and it copies the data to Outlook 2010 on my pc and I haven't lost any of my data yet. Instead of looking for another app that does not now exist and may not ever exist to sync through USB, I would try and pick some people's brains and see what happened with HTC Sync so maybe you can make it work for you.
 
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