Evo and Mobile Me

[PapaNoHair]

Anyone using MobileMe with the Evo? If so how easily does it sync contacts, calendar items, email & pictures? Thanks in advance.

 

[EarlyMon]

Email is easy - use the Mail app, just enter your username and password and setup is automatic.

Depending on your version of OS X, you either have an option to sync contacts with Google or not.

I've tried it - meh - and that's on Apple's side. I'd advise selecting all contacts in your address book and exporting them as a .vcf file. Then, log-on to Gmail via the web, follow the links on the left for Contact, and use the on-line tool to sync contacts - it'll let you specify that .vcf file local to you Mac.

As for calendars, I followed the directions to download/sync Google calendars to my Mac, but not vice vera.

Maybe it's best for me to ask at this point - what exact version of OS X are you using?

That will shape the specific answers to your questions more than I can say.

 

[PapaNoHair]

Email is easy - use the Mail app, just enter your username and password and setup is automatic.

Depending on your version of OS X, you either have an option to sync contacts with Google or not.

I've tried it - meh - and that's on Apple's side. I'd advise selecting all contacts in your address book and exporting them as a .vcf file. Then, log-on to Gmail via the web, follow the links on the left for Contact, and use the on-line tool to sync contacts - it'll let you specify that .vcf file local to you Mac.

As for calendars, I followed the directions to download/sync Google calendars to my Mac, but not vice vera.

Maybe it's best for me to ask at this point - what exact version of OS X are you using?

That will shape the specific answers to your questions more than I can say.

Snow Leopard - sorry should have put that in.

 

[EarlyMon]

Ok - I'm back!

Here's the link to sync iCal with Google calendars -

Google Sync Services

If you have any trouble with that, I'll walk you through your iCal setup. I can set an event on my Evo OR iCal and within the specified polling time (I set mine to 15 minutes) it'll appear on the other end.

In addition to CalDAV services for calendar events you're used to, you might find it interesting to also sync iCal with specialized calendars that are set up between your phone and Google.

My best example of that is CallTrack. This is a mondo-cool app that automagically logs my calls to a specific calendar that I set up using Gmail from my Mac. Login to Gmail, Calendars is a tiny link in the upper left corner - add a calendar for this - I call mine "Call Log" - this is selectable for showing either on my phone or desktop - and it gives a log of every incoming and outgoing call I've made.

Another cool thing you get - you can add any of Google's canned calendars and sync those with iCal - such as US holidays, for example.

~~~~~

OK - I still think my approach to contacts is best - but - here's Google's take on how to do it -

Where can I find information about Contact Sync? - Contact Sync Help

Oh - and in for a penny, in for a pound, so here's how to setup Gmail with your desktop Mail app -

Getting started with IMAP for Gmail - Gmail Help

Now - pictures - honestly, I don't sync mine, I'm strictly a drag-and-drop guy where that's concerned.

That said - I've been all through these forums and I can attest that nearly everyone loves this for syncing any of their media - doubleTwist

That all said - some people have trouble with that one (NO app is perfect) but you'll find lots of people around here that can advise on that.

And - I should've asked - do you want to sync photos in both directions or just get your photos off of your phone? If the latter - yeah, drag & drop is the easiest way, then just import into iPhoto.

~~~~

Finally - some people go whole hog and pay for an integrated app that will do it all - like this pricey little number:

Android Sync Software for HTC EVO, Nexus One, Droid, Hero and Other Android Phones

So - with a little setup hassle, you can get there pretty quickly.

~~~~~

Basically - I'm showing how to sync your Android with the individual clients and services on your Mac.

Some people try to expect this model:

Your mac <--> MobileMe <--> Android

But this is the model that I'm describing - it works and it works great:

MobileMe cloud <--> Your mac <--> (Android +Google cloud)

Basically - this works best because it insulates what you want to do on your mac with MobileMe from what you want to do with Android and Google. You can open that pipe so they're identical - or you can segregate things.

I segregate - it's not Apple's or Google's business how I want to manage my work life and my home life contacts, events and activities.

Does this help or even make sense at all?

 

[Droid_Genius]

Just combine lookout and dropbox to save that 99.00 mobile me fee, or is it too much hassle cause I use it and its great, just my two cents

 

[EarlyMon]

Dropbox - Home - Online backup, file sync, and sharing made easy. is very ok for what it is - but it doesn't address syncing between heterogeneous applications / operating systems.

Depending on your needs, that $100/year for MobileMe can pay for one's time compared to a free, manual service - that's true for many people. It's often more a matter of how much you want to move around by hand and the time it takes vs. having automated processes.

I also use MobileMe for a web server and for secure file sharing with friends - it's more than a secure backup - much more.

There's no one user type, hence MobileMe, Gmail (and other Google services/apps) and things like dropbox are ALL valid - sometimes using them in combination rather that either/or is best for some people.

 

[PapaNoHair]

Ok - I'm back!

Here's the link to sync iCal with Google calendars -

Google Sync Services

If you have any trouble with that, I'll walk you through your iCal setup. I can set an event on my Evo OR iCal and within the specified polling time (I set mine to 15 minutes) it'll appear on the other end.

In addition to CalDAV services for calendar events you're used to, you might find it interesting to also sync iCal with specialized calendars that are set up between your phone and Google.

My best example of that is CallTrack. This is a mondo-cool app that automagically logs my calls to a specific calendar that I set up using Gmail from my Mac. Login to Gmail, Calendars is a tiny link in the upper left corner - add a calendar for this - I call mine "Call Log" - this is selectable for showing either on my phone or desktop - and it gives a log of every incoming and outgoing call I've made.

Another cool thing you get - you can add any of Google's canned calendars and sync those with iCal - such as US holidays, for example.

~~~~~

OK - I still think my approach to contacts is best - but - here's Google's take on how to do it -

Where can I find information about Contact Sync? - Contact Sync Help

Oh - and in for a penny, in for a pound, so here's how to setup Gmail with your desktop Mail app -

Getting started with IMAP for Gmail - Gmail Help

Now - pictures - honestly, I don't sync mine, I'm strictly a drag-and-drop guy where that's concerned.

That said - I've been all through these forums and I can attest that nearly everyone loves this for syncing any of their media - doubleTwist

That all said - some people have trouble with that one (NO app is perfect) but you'll find lots of people around here that can advise on that.

And - I should've asked - do you want to sync photos in both directions or just get your photos off of your phone? If the latter - yeah, drag & drop is the easiest way, then just import into iPhoto.

~~~~

Finally - some people go whole hog and pay for an integrated app that will do it all - like this pricey little number:

Android Sync Software for HTC EVO, Nexus One, Droid, Hero and Other Android Phones

So - with a little setup hassle, you can get there pretty quickly.

~~~~~

Basically - I'm showing how to sync your Android with the individual clients and services on your Mac.

Some people try to expect this model:

Your mac <--> MobileMe <--> Android

But this is the model that I'm describing - it works and it works great:

MobileMe cloud <--> Your mac <--> (Android +Google cloud)

Basically - this works best because it insulates what you want to do on your mac with MobileMe from what you want to do with Android and Google. You can open that pipe so they're identical - or you can segregate things.

I segregate - it's not Apple's or Google's business how I want to manage my work life and my home life contacts, events and activities.

Does this help or even make sense at all?

Sorry to take so long with a response but have been swamped with the holiday season. Thanks so much for all the time you have taken to supply me with this info! Appreciate it.

 

[DrCaleb]

Email is easy - use the Mail app, just enter your username and password and setup is automatic.

Depending on your version of OS X, you either have an option to sync contacts with Google or not.

I've tried it - meh - and that's on Apple's side. I'd advise selecting all contacts in your address book and exporting them as a .vcf file. Then, log-on to Gmail via the web, follow the links on the left for Contact, and use the on-line tool to sync contacts - it'll let you specify that .vcf file local to you Mac.

As for calendars, I followed the directions to download/sync Google calendars to my Mac, but not vice vera.

Maybe it's best for me to ask at this point - what exact version of OS X are you using?

That will shape the specific answers to your questions more than I can say.

Hello there, I am new here and would like to get some help please. Please do not hate me for the following:
I have an iPhone 4 that I sync with MobileMe and would love to use my new HTC Evo and sync all of my iCal appointments with google. I have not found an easy way to do this outside of buying missingSync again. I purchased MissingSync for my Palm back in the day. I really would appreciate any assistance that anyone could provide.
Thank you in advance.

 

[EarlyMon]

Welcome to the forums!

I sync my Evo with iCal, used the links and comments above.

Look thru that, let me know if you have any particular issues with it.

 

[DrCaleb]

Welcome to the forums!

I sync my Evo with iCal, used the links and comments above.

Look thru that, let me know if you have any particular issues with it.

Thank you for your reply. I am using Snow Leopard 10.6.5 and iCal 4.0.4 and that being said I have done what you suggested and it all looks okay but I cannot seem to work correctly. Perhaps I am doing something wrong.

I like your model:
MobileMe cloud <--> Your mac <--> (Android +Google cloud)
I am used to syncing my iPhone with MobileMe. I would love to do the same with my Evo and either Google or MobileMe if possible.
Would like to know the steps to get it working with iCal since I use that exclusively for my appointments.
I do appreciate any assistance that you or anyone with experience in this matter can provide.
Thank you again for responding to my query.

 

[wxjunkie]

It won't work because Mobile Me's calendars are feeding down from the cloud to your iCal in a separate calendar than what is feeding up to Google. I don't know how to sync the two. I'd like to sync my Mobile Me calendar to my Android, too.

Thank you for your reply. I am using Snow Leopard 10.6.5 and iCal 4.0.4 and that being said I have done what you suggested and it all looks okay but I cannot seem to work correctly. Perhaps I am doing something wrong.

I like your model:
MobileMe cloud <--> Your mac <--> (Android +Google cloud)
I am used to syncing my iPhone with MobileMe. I would love to do the same with my Evo and either Google or MobileMe if possible.
Would like to know the steps to get it working with iCal since I use that exclusively for my appointments.
I do appreciate any assistance that you or anyone with experience in this matter can provide.
Thank you again for responding to my query.

 

[EarlyMon]

Do you use MobileMe Calendars directly - or simply sync there from iCal?

 

[DrCaleb]

Do you use MobileMe Calendars directly - or simply sync there from iCal?

Thank you for you help. I use MobileMe directly. I have been able to set up most of my calendars on Google. I would really like to sync from and to MobileMe and Google if possible. I keep my appointments on my mac and they sync directly to MobileMe.

 

[EarlyMon]

I don't know of an easy way to do that.

In my iCal, I have one set of cals syncing with MobileMe and another syncing with Google, but they're transparent to each other.

Curious problem. I'll check around further to see if there's some tool or something I've missed and get back to you, either way.

 

[DrCaleb]

I don't know of an easy way to do that.

In my iCal, I have one set of cals syncing with MobileMe and another syncing with Google, but they're transparent to each other.

Curious problem. I'll check around further to see if there's some tool or something I've missed and get back to you, either way.

Thank you. Can you send me the direction or post them as to how you have yours working? Perhaps that is what I need to get rolling.
I have several calendars in iCal:
Personal, Work 1, Work 2, Dr. Appointments, College Schedule, Vehicle Maintenance.

I hope that this will help. Thank you in advance.