If I don't use GMail, Google Calendar etc, should I buy a Droid?

[MichiMom]

Hi, thanks for the great forums!

I know there are lots of similar threads, but just spent a fair amnt of time searching and still not sure of the answer.

I'm now a BB user but seriously longing for a Droid ... but I am also an Outlook fan with NO interest in having my calendar in cyberspace, nor signing on to Gmail ...

Some of the threads I saw are outdated, and I don't know if the latest models will allow me to sync directly with an individual Outlook account, with all its major features (calendar, contacts, .pop, notes and tasks) without going through Google or 3rd party apps.

Help? Am I stuck with the Storm 2?

 

[mithu]

I would get it....I had a BB and Droid just got me. Just make a gmail acct for just the Droid. Then just use w/e u use for BB.

Not sure about outlook lol. But the email app it pretty nice.

Peace
Mithu

 

[LtKen]

A Google account is required to use the phone, but you dont have to use the Google account. GMail and Google apps work best, but you could probably do without if you wanted.

 

[mithu]

You can do w/out it. Just make 1 and just let it sit ther and use the email app instead of the gmail. And just hide notification from the Gmail app.

Enjoy
Mithu

 

[kook]

ONce you get the Droid, you will want to use those things.....NOw go get one!

 

[zerosouls]

I rearely used google software and I still don't.. cept fot android

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[KidCuda]

You can use the Droid just fine, there's also a corporate calendar, and Motorola has their own program to lookup contacts in an Exchange global address list.

But there's also no reason NOT to use the Google apps, everything is so... connected. Contacts sync with Gmail, Facebook syncs with contacts, calendar syncs with gmail. Maps syncs to the desktop....

 

[jsh1120]

A number of Droid users who depend upon Outlook (especially the Exchange version) use "Touchdown," an app that provides far better integration with Outlook than the google-supplied apps. (i.e. gmail, email, corporate calendar.) In addition, it appears that the Incredible has considerably improved integration with Microsoft apps out of the box.

You may still find that either Android device will take getting used to compared to a Blackberry, especially if you are a corporate business user where a Blackberry sets the standard for functionality and apps.

Despite the understandable cheering for the Droid and Android phones in general on sites like this, there are significant trade-offs for business users. I find the trade-offs worth it but I have friends (and you'll find some users here) who miss important functionality compared to a Blackberry.

P.S. Since you brought it up, you may want to investigate more thoroughly to determine if "notes" and "tasks" in Outlook can be adequately synched either with Touchdown or with the apps provided on the Incredible. It's my impression (though I'm not at all certain) that those two features of Outlook remain problematic outside of a true WinMo device or a Blackberry.

 

[Mule65]

:clap:

As usual, well stated jsh1120. Hardcore BB users generally have a hard time switching to anything else -- including iPhone.

 

[PARick]

Do it!

As a former BB user, I figured I'd try the Droid, and trade it back for anotgher BB. Now, You couldn't pay me to switch back. I do use the Google calendar sync for my Outlook, and K 9 for my email. I could not be more pleased with either. I paid the $15 extra through AT&T for the BES. I hear I can sync my outlook through Corporate Calendar, but frankly see no need to at this poing.

 

[Explosivpotato]

I would go ahead and get a droid. You don't *need* to use google calendar to use android, and I believe there are quite a few apps that will sync outlook calendars to the droid. I do not know if any of these actively bypass the "cloud", meaning there might be a copy of your calendars sent to sit in a server somewhere wether you access it or not. That's something you would have to research, if for whatever reason you aren't okay with that (I don't see why it would be an issue, but some people are paranoid like that).

I can tell you that you don't *need* to use google to backup your contacts, though it really is a great system. You can turn off google sync and use something like wavesecure to back them up.

Basically, I'm saying what everyone else is saying. Doo eet! You always have 30 days to return if you're unhappy.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[LT*]

P.S. Since you brought it up, you may want to investigate more thoroughly to determine if "notes" and "tasks" in Outlook can be adequately synched either with Touchdown or with the apps provided on the Incredible. It's my impression (though I'm not at all certain) that those two features of Outlook remain problematic outside of a true WinMo device or a Blackberry.

Tasks are synced, notes are not.

 

[hookbill]

A number of Droid users who depend upon Outlook (especially the Exchange version) use "Touchdown," an app that provides far better integration with Outlook than the google-supplied apps. (i.e. gmail, email, corporate calendar.) In addition, it appears that the Incredible has considerably improved integration with Microsoft apps out of the box.

You may still find that either Android device will take getting used to compared to a Blackberry, especially if you are a corporate business user where a Blackberry sets the standard for functionality and apps.

Despite the understandable cheering for the Droid and Android phones in general on sites like this, there are significant trade-offs for business users. I find the trade-offs worth it but I have friends (and you'll find some users here) who miss important functionality compared to a Blackberry.

P.S. Since you brought it up, you may want to investigate more thoroughly to determine if "notes" and "tasks" in Outlook can be adequately synched either with Touchdown or with the apps provided on the Incredible. It's my impression (though I'm not at all certain) that those two features of Outlook remain problematic outside of a true WinMo device or a Blackberry.

I agree and truthfully it does make the Droid a lot easier to work with if you are willing to set up accounts in Google and gmail. If that's something you can't or don't want to do there are work arounds but you may be disappointed from your experience with Blackberry. But as far as technology goes this phone is in most ways a decade advance of Blackberry.

For what it's worth my wife successfully synced Outlook with gmail by just following the directions in gmail and converting her outlook files to .csv files and importing them. No touchdown was needed.

 

[Ghostwheel]

I'm not a GMail (I prefer my old yahoo account), Google calendar, etc. user either, and I've been loving my Moto Droid since January. There is SO much more to the Droid than just the Google stuff. The only Google tool I use with any regularity is the maps/navigator. You'll definitely be doing yourself a favor getting away from the BB.