Droid X sync with Outlook

[calpalmer]

6 pages and no resolution. LOL wtf did I just read all that for?

There are a few resolutions in it -- the one I have been using is Missing Sync for Android, by Mark Space.... it's pricey ($40), but I've had occasion to get some tech support and they are very good. I've used MS to sync Calendar and Contacts from Outlook regularly, a couple times I used for Notes as well, and also sync'd some photo and music folders, just fine.

I do agree with the general point of the thread, however, it's a GIANT oversight on Google/Motorola's part to not recognize the preeminent position of MS Outlook and have an automatic integration with it. Stupid, really.

Cal

 

[wtherrell]

Well, we had to try

6 pages and no resolution. LOL wtf did I just read all that for?

We had to try. I think I will hold off on the Android for now. I hear the Android Pro is coming out. 4" screen and is said to be more oriented to Business Customers. Maybe then there will be a better solution. WinPhone7 will be a new platform and probably too buggy when it first comes out so that's out of the mix for me. Could be I'll just keep on trying cooked roms on my old WinMo 6.5 if they don't get this fixed.

 

[TFG]

$40/ea after just spending the money on the phones thinking it wouldnt have an easy transition syncing up, it was silly to think it would be a flawless switch over with my small business (6 new phones) but this is ridiculous.

 

[ozone]

Not sure what you are talking about. To get my Outlook Calendar at work to sync with my Droid X, I did this:

1. From home screen select the settings hard button, bottom left of device.
2. Select accounts.
3. At bottom, select "Add account."
4. In my case, I selected "Corporate Sync" to link up with my network at work.
5. You may have to talk to your IT department to answer the questions, but otherwise I just filled in the blanks: Domain\username, password, email address, microsoft exchange server. When you hit "Next" it should attach to your network and sync.

Forgive me if this is not what you are talking about, but I got to this post when I wanted to find out how to sync my Droid X with my outlook calendar at work and after I got all of the RIGHT answers from our IT department it worked fine. Now I just want to know how to read my calendar entries from work on my Droid, but NOT the other way around.

 

[chrisrach3]

This only applies if you atte connected to an enterprise server (or whatever it's called). My Outlook isn't connected to anything--it just downloads email from the server and that's it__so I can't sync it.

Not sure what you are talking about. To get my Outlook Calendar at work to sync with my Droid X, I did this:

1. From home screen select the settings hard button, bottom left of device.
2. Select accounts.
3. At bottom, select "Add account."
4. In my case, I selected "Corporate Sync" to link up with my network at work.
5. You may have to talk to your IT department to answer the questions, but otherwise I just filled in the blanks: Domain\username, password, email address, microsoft exchange server. When you hit "Next" it should attach to your network and sync.

Forgive me if this is not what you are talking about, but I got to this post when I wanted to find out how to sync my Droid X with my outlook calendar at work and after I got all of the RIGHT answers from our IT department it worked fine. Now I just want to know how to read my calendar entries from work on my Droid, but NOT the other way around.

 

[wmscottmc]

These Outlook sync threads always end up confusing because there are various versions of Outlook, different problems being discussed, and many use Exchange which gets confused with stand alone Outlook on the pc.

Here is how I see it:

1) If you use Exchange you will be able to sync, and it works well.

2) If you use Outlook, you should migrate your data to gmail and stop using Outlook. The phone works perfectly with gmail/calendar. (however you may have issues with tasks, you will really miss the outlook UI on your pc, maintaining your calendar and tasks using a browser app isnt the same, you'll have to be willing to store all of your info in the cloud, and as far as I know Outlook notes/memos cannot be migrated)

3) If you must keep Outlook, try one of the apps that syncs to the phone, but you'll have to pay for it, and I wasnt satisfied with the ones I tried.

I agree with the theme of this thread though, this should be much easier, not require another $30-40 purchase, and we should be able to use Outlook like we've done with our BB's and Palms over the years. This is really the only downside to the Android phones, but for some of us it is a big issue.

 

[chrisrach3]

Well said, except switching from Outlook to Google doesn't make any sense to me. There are similar functions, but after developing my "system" on Outlook, which has many more functions than it's Google equivalent (in which I'm interested, at least), not being able to sync a smartphone with the universally used Outlook is mind-boggling to me.

These Outlook sync threads always end up confusing because there are various versions of Outlook, different problems being discussed, and many use Exchange which gets confused with stand alone Outlook on the pc.

Here is how I see it:

1) If you use Exchange you will be able to sync, and it works well.

2) If you use Outlook, you should migrate your data to gmail and stop using Outlook. The phone works perfectly with gmail/calendar. (however you may have issues with tasks, you'll have to be willing to store all of your info in the cloud, and as far as I know Outlook notes/memos cannot be migrated)

3) If you must keep Outlook, try one of the apps that syncs to the phone, but you'll have to pay for it, and I wasnt satisfied with the ones I tried.

I agree with the theme of this thread though, this should be much easier, not require another $30-40 purchase, and we should be able to use Outlook like we've done with our BB's and Palms over the years. This is really the only downside to the Android phones, but for some of us it is a big issue.

 

[dkst0426]

Only browsed through the first couple of pages. Apologies if there's any repetition from me.............

I really don't see the issue. It's a Google phone built to thrive in a Google environment, ostensibly drawing primarily from Google's email/contact "version" of Outlook, so nobody should really be surprised or frustrated. Surely any buyer knew what they were getting into right off the bat?

Google Sync isn't that difficult. Exporting email folders, calendars, and address books and then importing them to Gmail takes about as much time as it would to post about how much you think that's a bad thing on a message board.

 

[ozone]

Sorry dtsk, I have to disagree. Outlook is a very widely used program and some people like me are stuck using it at work. I can't just tell my company to switch programs on my behalf.

It may not be fair to ask the device to do everything, but it is fair to ask it to do those things that are very, very common. If it doesn't then it dies.

I did a search online and found two programs you could download from Google onto your PC. They appeared to be free. I couldn't use them on my computer at work because I do not have administrative privileges and I have Windows XP 64 bit. But maybe one of them will work for you. Keep searching I'm sure you will find something soon. Sorry I couldn't help.

Live long and do the prosper thing.

 

[dkst0426]

Sorry dtsk, I have to disagree. Outlook is a very widely used program and some people like me are stuck using it at work. I can't just tell my company to switch programs on my behalf.

I wasn't suggesting that. Unless someone else did, I'm really not sure what that's all about, since that's pretty silly.

It may not be fair to ask the device to do everything, but it is fair to ask it to do those things that are very, very common. If it doesn't then it dies.

Either that, or users adapt. And the more users there are, the quicker change comes. That's the nature of innovation throughout history. Only time will tell.

I did a search online and found two programs you could download from Google onto your PC. They appeared to be free. I couldn't use them on my computer at work because I do not have administrative privileges and I have Windows XP 64 bit. But maybe one of them will work for you. Keep searching I'm sure you will find something soon. Sorry I couldn't help.

I wasn't looking for help.

 

[wmscottmc]

Google Sync isn't that difficult. Exporting email folders, calendars, and address books and then importing them to Gmail takes about as much time as it would to post about how much you think that's a bad thing on a message board.

Ya, its easy to migrate (most) data from Outlook to google, I dont think that is the issue.

1) You cant export all Outlook data to google, only some of it
2) gmail/calendar isnt a substitute for an application like Outlook, its ok for casual personal use, but anything more than that requires a real app.
3) I dont know that all buyers knew about this, when people buy blackberries they dont assume that it will only sync with RIM applications
4) Some users dont really want all personal or business data stored in the cloud.

 

[DaddyRabbit]

Only browsed through the first couple of pages. Apologies if there's any repetition from me.............

I really don't see the issue. It's a Google phone built to thrive in a Google environment, ostensibly drawing primarily from Google's email/contact "version" of Outlook, so nobody should really be surprised or frustrated. Surely any buyer knew what they were getting into right off the bat?

Google Sync isn't that difficult. Exporting email folders, calendars, and address books and then importing them to Gmail takes about as much time as it would to post about how much you think that's a bad thing on a message board.

I disagree. It isn't a "Google" phone, its a Motorola phone sold by Verizon running a Google designed OS. The BB Storm is a RIM built phone running RIM's OS sold by Verizon to work on their network. Apple makes the iPhone with iOS and it works on AT&T.

I use Outlook on my PC for contacts, calendar, notes, tasks and have done so for years. I have it highly customized to work the way I work.

I have no desire to downgrade to a less functional app suite so I can have a new phone, where Apple and RIM have it right is that a smartphone should augment your lifestyle, not force you to rework it.

I like my privacy, I don't want my contacts and my daily life sitting on someone's cloud somewhere (1984 anyone?) even if they tell me "trust us, we aren't really evil".

My old BB Storm 1 syncs fine, I hate Apple and AT&T but the iPhone would sync fine with my MS software (aren't they competitors?). I guess I'll have to spend some money or just print my Outlook calendar, notes, and tasks to compensate for the lack of the "smart" in my new spankin' shiny "Smartphone"

I won't be dumping the DX soon but this is just one of the list of things that other phones from many manufacturers have done for YEARS that this "high end" phone cannot do and it is inexcusable to say the least.

I didn't spend my hard earned money to increase Google's revenue after all. I'd like to know why my Motorola Razr2 could initiate voice commands from bluetooth devices but this supercomputer of smartphones can't (just one example of the things that Google didn't feel was important to those trying to avoid distracted driving).

[/rant]

 

[Atst44]

Google syncing

Android is flawed when it comes to syncing MS Outlook to Android when your "server" is not on line. (Server meaning any machine hosting your Outlook account).

There are some solutions that require money, but there is one that is free and not TOO annoying as long as you have a domain registered.
Google apps can sync your MS Outlook host to google via a few "Google Apps" that are free to download.
This, of course, would require you to be willing to use GMail exclusively on your mobile device.

This is the solution I have advocated for many professionals that seek my advice. It works out reasonably well for most. Some just cannot be bothered with the hassle. And there are a few hiccups to overcome.

I would suggest NOT purchasing an Android phone if you are not willing to make this compromise at this time. Sorry to be blunt, but it's the truth.

(Sorry for the big block of text...)

 

[dkst0426]

I suppose so. Well, one thing my Verizon salesperson reminded me after he saw how long I was taking to decide on which phone to get was that as I tinkered, I had 10 days to bring it back for a full refund, so without trying to sound dismissive of the problems some are raising with Droid/Android here, there's always another option.

 

[chrisrach3]

Well, being that Verizon reps claimed that I could sync with Outlook, that it DOES sync with Outlook Exchange, and that all other smartphone OSs (including BlackBerry and Palm) sync with Outlook, is it really unreasonable to expect that it would sync?

Only browsed through the first couple of pages. Apologies if there's any repetition from me.............

I really don't see the issue. It's a Google phone built to thrive in a Google environment, ostensibly drawing primarily from Google's email/contact "version" of Outlook, so nobody should really be surprised or frustrated. Surely any buyer knew what they were getting into right off the bat?

Google Sync isn't that difficult. Exporting email folders, calendars, and address books and then importing them to Gmail takes about as much time as it would to post about how much you think that's a bad thing on a message board.