Sync with Outlook?

[tzetter]

I synced with my corporate outlook email, calendar and contacts right out of the box. Why are people saying it can't?

Did you sync via the USB cable or through the air? Again, some Exchange setups are different that others. Your company may have an installation that is compatible with the way the Droid handles wireless sync of this info; however many, MANY people do not have the ability to do this due to factors beyond their control (their company's system is not set up for it). In this case, typically a smart phone will allow you to sync locally stored data from your computer to your device via usb connection. Currently the Droid doesn't natively allow for this functionality. Users must wait for 3rd party solutions or stick with Windows Mobile or Blackberry both of which do allow for this out of the box.

 

[Leckert123]

I synced with my corporate outlook email, calendar and contacts right out of the box. Why are people saying it can't?

Exchange Server
The Droid is supposed to sync with Exchange, which is the server application software that handles Outlook in most corporate environments. Exchange is not the same as Outlook. Some folks have had success, some have had issues. As mentioned, it depends upon how Exchange is setup at various companies. Droid also does not support Domino Server, which is what Lotus Notes uses as the server application.

Outlook
The Droid does not sync with Outlook directly, such as you might have it installed on a home computer. People don't run Exchange on home networks. iPhones, Palm Treo's and many other smartphones can sync, either via USB, or wirelessly, with Outlook. This miss was very disappointing.

 

[PatG]

My life is in Outlook (for better or for worse). I do have Exchange at work, but it is for Blackberrys only - above my pay grade.

Not having Outlook - PC sync is a BIG miss. Nevertheless, I will be getting the Droid in a couple of weeks once I am eligible for an upgrade. And I will be paying for a 3rd party app to sync outlook once it is available.

 

[mrpush]

BigTex,

(iphone are you kidding, their network stinks compared to Verizons....But if Verizon got the iphone....hummm)

You are missing the point.

Smart phone = Car

Lets say you bought a DODGE (a car) 4 years ago, and it had wipers and headlights (distinct Functions).

Now, 4 years later, you buy a Chevy (still a car). Do you expect it to have wipers and headlights, or do you expect to have to buy it, then drive to the autoparts store, spend more money on wipers and headlights, and then have to install them?

We are being taken to the bank. These features, not matter what OS should be STANDARD in all new smart phones.

Consumers that have the attitude of "oh, I'll just buy a 3rd party solutions later on" is exactly why we get consumer goods that are half-baked.

WE GET THEM BECAUSE WE ACCEPT THEM AND PAY FOR THEM!

DEMAND better products and you will get them for less money OUT OF THE BOX!

I EXPECTED to be able to Wirelessly Sync my standalone Outlook from a VERIZON SMARTPHONE just like I did with my 4 years old VERIZON smartphone.

I got a phone that was not as smart as my 4 year old xv6700! The phone is good, I have said, and I had to get something as my old one died.

Put the dang features in there that I had before, the OS does not matter, they can do it!!!!

Don't you think that Verizon could have taken the Million or two dollars that they spent in Silly commercials and put that money to adding Wireless Sync to the device!

It's just poor planninng!!!

I urge anyone why is a little mad about not having these features, to call Verizon and Google and let them know you are dissappointed. If you don't then they will take the path of least resistance, and the next smartphone will end up the same way, half-baked.

Thanks,

MP

 

[BzB]

...

some of the issues you mention are real, but now you're going past venting and straight to complaining just to complain. misery like company but you probably won't find much here because the large majority of people are pleased with the droid despite its shortcomings.

some of these "issues" were known before you purchased the phone, at least if you did your research you would have known.

so you have 30 days to make a decision on if you keep the droid or not. what will you do?

 

[mrpush]

Nitz,

The only option I have seen is to host your own Sync server, but this is not something for the average person and the solutions I have seen do not fully support Android anyway.

Thanks,

MP

 

[techguru]

Miami,

We were not talking about email sync here. We were talking about Standalone outlook Sync of Calendars, contacts, Tasks, & Notes.

CompanionLink works fine, just costs $40. Palm always needed 3rd party solutions to synch with Outlook too, and taking inflation into account, those solutions were even more expensive.

It connects fine to POP3 accounts, I am however having an issue with it handling my AOL IMAP account. It gives false notification of new mail, and some messages are not showing up.

AOL, Really? Anyone still uses their crappy service? Not surprised that IMAP doesn't work right for them.

Flash has been around for how many years, maybe 6-10? And they can't somehow incorporate non-version 10 into the system? They get an F for this.

My Storm didn't have flash support either. The OS was terrible for a long time too.

Neither does any Windows Mobile phone. There is Mobile Flash v7, but it only runs a handful of apps, not web sites. The only mobile Flash solution available today is the Skyfire browser, where the Flash is actually running on a server and it is essentially doing an remote desktop solution. IN fact, using either VNC or the RDC client available in the marketplace you could do the same thing to a PC running on your home network.

How many websites use flash, a million or more? If you like waiting for things that have been around for years, go ahead an wait. Flash is a STANDARD in today's web experience! How can be be OK with it missing?

Agiain BB doen't suport this either Maybe Win Mo is better

Nope, no better with WinMo. This is a red herring.

You can download and play MP3 fine...out of the box, you CAN'T click a WMP button and have it stream to the device, same goes for real player.

Sorry I haven't tried this yet, but I'll take your word for it. Not sure it will bother me though.

Don't ever use real-player. They download too much crap. WinMo also needed a separate Real-Player client, and it sucked pretty bad too.

I and probably million of others, goto sites, click the button and listen to audio streams.

Maybe you don't click an listen to the stream links, but I do and I should not have to wait and pay for an app do be able to do these STANDARD web browser things.

I stream Slacker or Pandora. I don't listen to pod casts or anything.

People are buying them, I have one too. And, I have read that many have NOT purchased due to its short commings mentioned here with business data.

More people are buying them than not. The reception has be downright awesome

I have one because my old phone is dead.

There are other choices and you have 30 days to return it

If Verizon let Google push out a phone that is missing CORE FEATURES OFFERED ON SMART PHONES 4 LONG YEARS AGO, it's VERIZONS fault!

If VZW held the release of the phone. Then you would say its VZW's fault for holding Google back or waiting on what should have been released and it's late. Google's choice is open sourced. It's Google's OS. VZW is just the carrier. VZW didn't resrict this at all

Google does not own the world (yet), they got involved in a project with 2 other MAIN STREAM partners.....Good Hardware from Motorola, and the best NETWORK with Verizon.....Partners work together on projects....Verizon let this thing sell missing major Features that their old smartphones have....

Again VZW let Google do thier thing. With BB VZW had to approve an OS. It took forever. People complained. Now they are hands off. Yet you are stil complaing about them :icon_eek:

First Generation? I believe Android is now upto 2.0 (Ya know, cupcake, lemon bread, twinkie), and has had devices on the market for ah, at least 2-3 years (don't hold me to this, cause I don't know for sure)

Yes Adroid 2.0 is all new. This isn't cupcake or sliced bread! This is 2.0. HTC will be releasing 2.0 also on the Passion. It will come along fast. If you wanted proven with no bugs you could have bought a G1 or Iphone!

No matter how you slice it, it's still sour dough.

Not sour to me, but you are entitled to your feelings



Thanks,

MP

I respnded in the red.

I responded in green....

 

[keiichi25]

FYI, getting a little late into this whole thing...

Blackberry, out of the box, does not exactly sync with Outlook without installing the Desktop Manager. Most of the current smartphones focus more on Wireless Syncing, such as Gmail, Exchange and the like due to the fact that information is easier to update on the phone and at the desk.

While Blackberry will still have the Desktop Manager to sync standalone Outlook, it also requires the user of Standalone Outlook to keep Outlook open to do wireless updates, which includes e-mail unless you bothered to setup your blackberry to directly connect, via BIS, to your mail, which in most cases, I believe that is how the Desktop manager pushes that information when you have it running.

Now perhaps you are still wanting to do it that way, and for security sake, I can understand the great desire to sync that way, however, from being a Blackberry User (And still currently, as it is my work phone) I hardly, if ever, sync the Blackberry locally. Most of the information I need with the Blackberry is done OTA.

To be honest, each PDA/Smartphone is designed for a particular system in mind. The Droid was designed to sync with network available servers, such as Gmail and Exchange servers, it wasn't necessarily designed for just 'stand alone' Outlook. Even Palm, in its beginning, was never designed for getting mail 'wirelessly' until they got around to doing Treo and the Pre. It wasn't even designed to make use of Outlook in general until near the later part of its life, and only after incorporating a third party application to help sync the Palm to Outlook and only at the wired level.

The expectation for it to do so out of the box, despite the fact those systems are there, is also expecting the iPhone to support Exchange services, which has been around longer than the iPhone on its initial launch. It took a year or two before it got some of the Exchange services it has now.

 

[Nitz]

Nitz,

The only option I have seen is to host your own Sync server, but this is not something for the average person and the solutions I have seen do not fully support Android anyway.

Thanks,

MP

Ah nooo, you can subscribe to a hosted Exchange service like here:

Browser Update Page

Its your "own" Exchange server. Since its Exchange, it Sync using the OTA Exchange push technology, and will sync two way I might add, mail, contacts, calandar, and probably tasks but not sure on that. Which means, your Outlook on your computer syncs with your "own" Exchange server, your dorid syncs with your "own" exchange server, ta da! Outlook features are synces with your Droid.

I sync my droid with my work Exchange server (where I am the admin) and it syncs beautifully. Unfortunately I have work email everywhere I go now :icon_evil:

Is it in the cloud? Yes, but my point was it isn't GOOGLE's cloud. Would you trust your information to someone like Godaddy or 1and1 and their like with your personal information? Well most likely you do already if you have POP email from an ISP. Until you retreive your mail to your desktop client,it is in fact in the "cloud" and on backup tapes, etc.

Its all a matter of who do you trust, and google shouldn't be trusted in my opinion. This is a viable OPTION, that is why I bring it up.

 

[Diva2009]

12 years with Palm OS. Can Google just give some indication that a no brainer single user Outlook sync will happen soon. 12 years of contacts and calendars - it's my business.

 

[BigTex71]

BigTex,

(iphone are you kidding, their network stinks compared to Verizons....But if Verizon got the iphone....hummm)

I mentioned iPhone for its simple interface, which is dumbed down. Like AOL was for internet users -from your AOL email reference.

You are missing the point.

Smart phone = Car

Lets say you bought a DODGE (a car) 4 years ago, and it had wipers and headlights (distinct Functions).

Now, 4 years later, you buy a Chevy (still a car). Do you expect it to have wipers and headlights, or do you expect to have to buy it, then drive to the autoparts store, spend more money on wipers and headlights, and then have to install them?

This is not even CLOSE to a similar situation. Wipers and headlights on a car would be like a microphone and speaker on a phone. Well, the Droid still has a microphone and speaker.

We are being taken to the bank. These features, not matter what OS should be STANDARD in all new smart phones.

Not at all. Why not ask for OUT OF THE BOX sync of Lotus Notes, or GroupWise email clients? They are all made by different companies. Just because many people use Microsoft's Outlook doesn't mean anyone besides Microsoft should include it in their OS. It would be like asking your BMW dealer to offer free oil changes to people with Toyotas in addition to the free BMW oil changes. Toyotas are very popular, but doesn't mean other car dealers should offer free things for them.

Consumers that have the attitude of "oh, I'll just buy a 3rd party solutions later on" is exactly why we get consumer goods that are half-baked.

WE GET THEM BECAUSE WE ACCEPT THEM AND PAY FOR THEM!

So you want something free (Outlook connectivity) just because YOU use it (or many others use it)? Sounds like socialism. Why should Google front the development cost to incorporate the function to sync to a COMPETITOR's email client? I think we are lucky it even has Exchange compatability in it. They include the nice Gmail interface because Gmail IS THEIRS! You don't see a Hotmail interface in the Droid. Do you know why? BECAUSE IT IS FROM THEIR COMPETITOR! Same with Outlook.

DEMAND better products and you will get them for less money OUT OF THE BOX!

Good luck with that. Since when have you heard of 'bigger, better, improved' to equal less money?!

I EXPECTED to be able to Wirelessly Sync my standalone Outlook from a VERIZON SMARTPHONE just like I did with my 4 years old VERIZON smartphone.

So you had absolutely no idea that the Droid would not do this before you bought it? Good thing Verizon has a 30 day money back guarantee.

I got a phone that was not as smart as my 4 year old xv6700! The phone is good, I have said, and I had to get something as my old one died.

You seriously thinnk the Droid is not as smart as a xv6700? You need a lot more help than I can offer you.

Put the dang features in there that I had before, the OS does not matter, they can do it!!!!

The OS DOES matter. See my previous comments about the OS maker/ email client relationship.

Don't you think that Verizon could have taken the Million or two dollars that they spent in Silly commercials and put that money to adding Wireless Sync to the device!

Again, see previous comments. Google made the OS.

It's just poor planninng!!!

I urge anyone why is a little mad about not having these features, to call Verizon and Google and let them know you are dissappointed.

I will agree with you on this point.

 

[BigTex71]

I sync my droid with my work Exchange server (where I am the admin) and it syncs beautifully. Unfortunately I have work email everywhere I go now :icon_evil:

I am in the same situation.

 

[mrpush]

...

some of the issues you mention are real, but now you're going past venting and straight to complaining just to complain. misery like company but you probably won't find much here because the large majority of people are pleased with the droid despite its shortcomings.

some of these "issues" were known before you purchased the phone, at least if you did your research you would have known.

so you have 30 days to make a decision on if you keep the droid or not. what will you do?

You may have a point here, nobody likes a complainer.
I don't like complainers...I think my problem is that this thread keeps getting new posts, and after I read them, I'm simple replying and re-iterating myself over and over again....its like a disease!

The Droid is what it is, and I don't have to keep it.

My intention is to help people simply realize that if we do not voice our oppinions, then the companies will not change how they do things.

I truely believe that this phone could have and should have done Wireless sync with standalone outlook without my having to wait or pay for it as a 3rd party app.

I have been a LOYAL customer for many many years and I expected better. I'm dissappointed and I want them to know about it. If we show them we are dissappointed, maybe next time we will get all we expected. To me, these features are STANDARD, I have been using them for 4 years with my old phone.

Having said that:

My DRIOD REVIEW:

Battery: (B) Above average in my usage. I get more than a full day. Use of bluetooth and playing games etc will put a big hit on the battery. I lowered my brightness pretty low to get more life.

Power Button: (C) It seems in a weird place, and is hard to find at times. however, if it were raised, I would be bumping it all the time I'm sure.

Phone: (A) big keys, calls are clear, reception good even with single bar

Visual VM: (A) This is just a must have if you get lots of messages. makes it so easy to manage messages, you don't have to go through all of them! comes at a fee however (~$3.99 /month).

Browser: (A) VERY fast, double tap zoom and drag is just fine, pinch is not necessary folks. You can actually use this browser to view web sites easily,

BUT....

Browser Compatibility: (D)
no flash support yet, and you can't stream Windows Media or Real player audio by clicking the buttons on web pages.

Messaging (txt) (B) I like how it keeps all message from same sender in one thread, its like it tells a story.

Voice dial/Voice search: (A) This rocks and is VERY accurate, they did a great job here.

Touch Screen: (B-) This is much like iphone, scroll is GREAT. No out of box pinch, like iphone, but that is not necessary. However, I have noticed that many times I have to "double touch" bottons on the screen. They "highlight" on the first touch, but do not open/run. A second touch usually does it, sometimes it took a 3rd. Seems this happens to buttons or fields close to the edge of the screen.

Keyboard, screen: (A-) The landscape keyboard is very good, very accurate in my use. The little pop up letters are annoying however. In portrate mode, the keyboard is very cramped, but suprisingly, still very accurate!

Keyboard, physical: (B) A little cramped, buttons on small side. The lack of raised keys makes it harder for big fingers. The "offset" keyboard also takes some getting used too. Backlight is GREAT! The d pad works fine, I like it.

Google Nav: (B-) Voice search is GREAT, nav itself has some accuracy problems, it can't pin point my house. Satellite view is GREAT!, CAR MODE IS GREAT. Get B- grade for accuracy.

CAMERA: (C) It will not replace a good 5MP digital camera, picts just ok, flash just ok, better then none at all, autofocus not so great. Lense/Flash is placed right where your fingers go to hold it, so you often block the lense or flash and have to reposition your hold.

Pict Gallery: (B) Good, it lacks finger scroll like iphone, have to press arrow

uTUBE: (B) Standard video low quality, High quality better but takes long time to buffer, lacks settings. Can send vidio directly to your utube accounts! Nice!

Market: (C) good app slections

Settings: (C) There are lots of setting that I would like to see that I don't, and you can't access them quickly. Example, I' like to see status setting on my "desktop" but can't get direct icon there.

Email: (C-) I am having issues with AOL imap account, it gives false notifications randomly, some emails went missings that are still in my IMAP account.

BUSINESS DATA SYNC: (D-) Cannot Sync Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, or Notes OUT OF THE BOX with STANDALONE OUTLOOK on your PC.

You must use a Google account and purchase a 3rd party APP for ~$40 (Companion Link for Google is most complete) to be able to do this. Your data will be on Googles servers, not Verizons like with Wireless Sync. This should have been available OUT OF THE BOX and we should not have to pay extra for it.

You can only sync Calendar & Contacts OUT OF THE BOX if you or your company hosts an EXCHANGE SERVER.

Bluetooth: (C-) Will not do voice commands, call logs, etc over my Garmin via bluetooth.

WIFI: Not tested

MP3 player: (B) Works, can try free web radios as well, works good.

Dock: (A) The little dock turns the phone into a clock/radio mode. Nice to have when say traveling or at your bd side!

Car Mount: (B) Very good, the cup is big, and the thing is pretty sturdy. When mounted, puts the phone in CAR MODE and gives a big display with nav and other features.

Sensors: (C-) There are light sensors on the phone, that dim/brighten the display. I'm finding that are placed where my fingers go, and the screen is getting dim/bright when I don't expect it too.

Overall, I like it very much. Biggest downfalls are lack of Outlook / PIM / Business data SYNC OUT OF THE BOX, and lack of certain features when browsing web sites (fash / streaming audio).

If I'm complaining, I'll stop, sorry bout that! :icon_ banana:

Thanks,

MP

 

[mrpush]

Nitz,

The only option I have seen is to host your own Sync server, but this is not something for the average person and the solutions I have seen do not fully support Android anyway.

Thanks,

MP

Ah nooo, you can subscribe to a hosted Exchange service like here:

Browser Update Page

Its your "own" Exchange server. Since its Exchange, it Sync using the OTA Exchange push technology, and will sync two way I might add, mail, contacts, calandar, and probably tasks but not sure on that. Which means, your Outlook on your computer syncs with your "own" Exchange server, your dorid syncs with your "own" exchange server, ta da! Outlook features are synces with your Droid.

I sync my droid with my work Exchange server (where I am the admin) and it syncs beautifully. Unfortunately I have work email everywhere I go now :icon_evil:

Is it in the cloud? Yes, but my point was it isn't GOOGLE's cloud. Would you trust your information to someone like Godaddy or 1and1 and their like with your personal information? Well most likely you do already if you have POP email from an ISP. Until you retreive your mail to your desktop client,it is in fact in the "cloud" and on backup tapes, etc.

Its all a matter of who do you trust, and google shouldn't be trusted in my opinion. This is a viable OPTION, that is why I bring it up.

Nitz,

In the scope here, my point was that of a free service. You can do it with these types of services yes. But I got Wireless Sync from Version for free (no additional fee) for the last 4 years.

Good point

Thanks,

MP

 

[dangerous]

Alk,
I believe if you use Exchange server, there is still the 3rd copy of the data out in the cloud.


Thanks,

MP

I saw you posted a couple times regarding exchange servers....

FYI, when syncing with an Exchange server, there is NOT a 3rd copy out in the cloud, the phone connects directly to the (exch) server and syncs.